Cavendish Hotel

You’re guaranteed grand neighbours at this hotel; the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s palatial home, Chatsworth House, can be spied across the fields. Indeed, the hotel is part of the Chatsworth Estate and guests are free to come and go to the house as often as they like during their stay, for the one entry payment.

The long, low honey-coloured building is largely Georgian with a skilfully added 1980s’ bedroom wing. Cleverly, although it sits on the busy A619 between Chesterfield and Bakewell, all the rooms are on the other side with those lovely estate views. The terrace, here, is a popular spot on sunny days.

Original features such as brickwork floors, low ceilings and sash windows, have been combined with a modern country house look that’s fresh and colourful without being too outrageous. There are strong-hued walls, masses of pot plants and bright coloured chairs and sofas in the public rooms. Artworks, from the Devonshire collection, hang on every wall, a joyful mix of oil portraits, Victorian landscapes and modern abstracts.

Bedrooms, too, are generously hung with art, and are a mix of traditional country house charm – vintage wallpapers, comfortable armchairs and solid bathrooms – with breezy colours, blanket throws and jazzy lampshades. Thoughtful touches include piles of paperbacks and handsome packets of Chatsworth Farm biscuits. Be aware, the four-poster beds are very high; a set of small steps is discreetly placed to help access.

Eat either in the light, conservatory Garden Room or the more formal, pea-green coloured Gallery restaurant. The menus of Modern British dishes - where many of the ingredients come from the Chatsworth Estates – are virtually identical with choices such as shoulder and saddle of lamb with potato terrine, BBQ monkfish tail with smoked mussel sauce. Throughout the hotel, staff pop up when you need them and disappear when you don't.

 

Written by Helen Pickles

• Pet friendly
• There is one dog friendly room in the Coach House, but pets are not allowed in the main hotel.
• Meeting Room
• Bar
• Parking
• Views

• Wifi
• Suites
• Sitting Room
• Garden
• Restaurant

• Great walks
• Chatsworth House, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and its gardens are a pleasant 20-minute walk across parkland
• Sights nearby
• Haddon Hall, a wonderful medieval, Tudor and Elizabethan house is five miles away
• Other Activities
• Explore Bakewell, an attractive market town and home of the eponymous tart

• Fishing
• River fishing nearby
• Golf
• Putting green onsite

Why do people love staying in your hotel? The hotel’s location is arguably its greatest asset, guests can enjoy direct access to the spectacular Chatsworth Estate and the Peak District’s endless attractions.

What is there to do in the area? Set within the grounds of Chatsworth, guests can enjoy direct access to the estate’s spectacular parkland, with roaming deer herds, ancient woodlands and miles of riverside walks, as well as its garden and house complete with extensive collections of art, furniture and textiles built over five centuries. Guests have the unique opportunity to go fishing against the background of the Grade I listed house and enjoy private tours to learn more about its history, artwork, garden and the conservation and educational work of the Chatsworth House Trust.

What kind of breakfast do you offer? Breakfast is a locally sourced menu of eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and black pudding sourced from the Chatsworth Estate. Not forgetting an array of breakfast pastries, toasts and cereals, fruit salad and freshly made juices and hot drinks.

Do you offer other meals? And can you recommend good places to eat out locally? Yes, the hotel has two restaurants and offers lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. The Gallery restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner and more formal whilst The Garden Room is open for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and more relaxed. 

What facilities do you have for children and can you fit extra beds in your rooms ? The hotel offers a dedicated kid’s menu, cots can be arranged for rooms (£10 per night) or families can opt for interconnecting rooms – which tends to be a preference for older children – all designed by much-loved interior designer, Nicola Harding. Neighbouring Chatsworth Estate offers a varied range of children's events and family fun days out designed to inspire and educate. From a farmyard full of friendly animals to an adventure playground equipped with climbs, swings, zip lines and sandpits, there is never a dull moment.  

What message would you like to give The Hotel Guru readers? The Cavendish Hotel is set on Chatsworth Estate, with doorstep access to its historic house, garden and parkland, as well as the beautiful landscapes, wildlife, heritage sites and villages of Derbyshire and the Peak District. From expertly planned walking routes and world class fishing to local crafts and arts, and locally sourced food, the hotel offers an authentic rural escape.