Exeter, United KingdomCity Centre
Southernhay House Hotel
Restored Georgian villa
City Centre Exeter, United Kingdom
Opened
2011
Price
$$
Rated for
Heritage Design SocialOutside the door
Restored Georgian villa
The 1800 villa runs like an intimate private townhouse, where guests and locals share cocktails in the fireside Club Room.
What it’s good at
Listed
Bedrooms themed around nineteenth-century trade goods include open-plan roll-top tubs.
Listed
A dedicated cocktail bar and glass garden pavilion welcoming both residents and neighbours.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Attractive Georgian townhouse with original ceiling roses and ornate coving. Smart, compact guest areas include a stylish lounge and a bar with bright blue furniture.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Southernhay's leafy lawns sit right outside the door. Exeter Cathedral and the High Street are a five-minute walk away.
The rooms
Rooms take names from nineteenth-century trade goods, and larger ones have open-plan roll-top tubs beside the beds.
The Bar
Blue bar stools line the metal counter, where bartenders mix custom martinis and signature serves like The Orientalist.
At the table
Menus change each month with Brixham fish and Devon beef, served beneath chandeliers or out on the garden veranda.
How it began
Hoteliers Deborah Clark and Tony Orchard opened the property in 2011, following seventeen years running Devon's Burgh Island Hotel.
Exeter
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.