Apartment

Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton

Photo gallery for Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton

Sages front view (Flat & garden beyond hedge, below right two upstairs windows)
Verandah
Sages Flat garden door
Sages Flat kitchen with 4-oven Aga
Sages Flat utility room

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 5

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Barbecue
  • Balcony

Explore the area

View map
Dolton
  • Place, Baxter Hall
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Place, Hatherleigh Community Centre
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Place, RHS Garden Rosemoor
    ‪19 min drive‬
  • Airport, Exeter (EXT-Exeter Intl.)
    ‪71 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden

About this property

Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton

Garden flat on ground floor of Regency villa, sleeping 4-5 people (5th person on an airbed in superking/twin room). Private walled front and side gardens. Shared use of walled rear gardens with Sages house.

Communicating door with Sages house to enable properties to be joined if hired together, to accommodate 10-11 in total.

Sages is a grand 6-bedroom Regency villa with 80ft verandah hidden in an acre of walled gardens, at the very heart of a pretty Devon village of traditional houses in the Torridge Valley. It is great for families as the children can run around the extensive grounds without any danger of traffic.

The building is divided into Sages house (one half) and Sages Flats 1 and 2 (other halves of ground and first floors respectively). Sages house and Sages Flat 1 are available for holiday lets, either separately or together. Sages Flat 1 has private access and a private garden if hired separately. A communicating door enables the whole house to be opened up if hired together.

The house, out-buildings and grounds are also available for venue hire, for parties and weddings (NB: Sages is not currently licensed for wedding services but please enquire if this is of interest as it is our plan). Use for an event requires a minimum of 7 nights booking for both Sages house and Flat 1. Please contact us if you wish to hold an event so that we can discuss parking etc. with you. We can also provide folding tables and chairs, parasols, bunting, some village fete-type games etc. for an additional charge.

The accommodation at Sages Flat 1 comprises:
- a large drawing room with period features and working fireplace overlooking the private front garden.
- hall, with french doors to front garden
- kitchen
- bathroom, with shower over bath and with WC
- side bedroom off hall, overlooking private side garden (superking / twin beds + optional airbed to make a triple)
- rear bedroom off kitchen passage (1 king size bed)
- rear hall to courtyard
- courtyard parking (1 car)
- access to walled gardens (c. 1acre)

If hired together with Sages house, Sages Flat 1 has access to the front hall of Sages house through a communicating door in its drawing room. Please see separate listing for full details of Sages house. Summary details are:
- a large drawing room with working fireplace overlooking private front garden
- dining room with French windows onto front garden
- sunroom, leading onto private walled garden and ground floor shower and WC
- kitchen and scullery
- master bedroom (superking / twin beds) overlooking front garden, with ante-room that can be used as a nursery if required
- second bedroom (superking / twin beds) overlooking front garden, with communicating door into master bedroom plus separate entrance from bathroom landing
- third bedroom (superking / twin beds)
- bathroom
- WC
- shower room
- extensive walled gardens of 1 acre
- 2 acre paddock at the rear of the property, leading down to a stream, which can be used for event parking, fireworks displays etc.

Sages has been our family home for nearly one hundred years. We are at the beginning of a long-term restoration programme so we have set our rates and policies to reflect its element of "shabby chic" and families with young children are very welcome! Sages flat is furnished more basically than Sages house so its rates are correspondingly lower.

Add dates for prices

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

About the area

Dolton

Winkleigh is home to this apartment. Museum of Dartmoor Life and The Burton Art Gallery and Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include RHS Garden Rosemoor and The Plough Arts Centre. Travelling with kids? Consider Survival Paintball and Survival Laser Games.
Map
Dolton

What's nearby

  • Baxter Hall - 13 min drive - 10.5 km
  • Hatherleigh Community Centre - 16 min drive - 14.9 km
  • RHS Garden Rosemoor - 19 min drive - 14.0 km
  • The Plough Arts Centre - 22 min drive - 16.4 km
  • Dartmoor National Park - 32 min drive - 26.6 km

Getting around

  • Portsmouth Arms Station - 14 min drive
  • Exeter (EXT-Exeter Intl.) - 64 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Tally Ho - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Bull & Dragon - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Laurels Inn - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Duke Of York - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Globe Inn - ‬7 min drive

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 10 out of 16 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 16 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 16 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 16 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 16 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Julia W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A comfortable property. Excellent site manager, who has been very friendly and helpful during our stay. Attractive village with good amenities, local village store and pub all within an easy walk. Very pretty countryside with lovely views.
Stayed 30 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely old building. Everything you need to be comfortable is there. Superbly comfortable beds, constant hot water and the Aga is a dream for cooks. Everything works and the flat is very well equipped for a longer stay. Lovely village with great pubs.
Stayed 28 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Judith J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely period property. Very well equipped. Crisp, clean bed linen and comfy beds. Jenny the host was very kind and communicative. Great location in a lovely village with very good eateries within walking and short drives. Altogether excellent.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Scott T.

Really comfortable and beautiful area with the Tarka trail next to the house

We had a few nights stay at this delightful cottage which was very comfortable and cosy. Situated in rural countryside with some very nice pubs in the surrounding areas, one within walking distance. The house catered for all out needs with very comfy beds with large thick towels provided. The house has a large log stove and two fridge/freezers and a local cockerel which is very vocal first this in the morning. Not far to some great beaches like Instow. Appledore, Lynton and Clovelly are all an hours drive away and are a great day out. Thanks for a lovely stay, we will come back again next year.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar 2020
Thank you for your kind review, Scott. We are glad you enjoyed your stay at Old Beams and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future. NOTE TO TRAVELLERS: Scott T originally enquired after our other property, Old Beams, outside the village, and he eventually stayed there but he made his booking (and therefore Homeaway has filed his review here) for Sages Flat because Old Beams spent a period being repaired after a flood. :-( In case you are a light sleeper, rest assured that Sages is in the centre of the village and does not have a cockerel!
Verified

8/10 Good

cathy v.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

No Ikea here👍

Very comfortable furniture. Lovely features like the aga. It didnt want for anything, very well equipped. Not enough room in the bedroom with kingsize bed. Only one bedside cabinet. Extremely quiet and peaceful. Good amenities in the village. Wifi not the best.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nigel M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Village life for a work project

Perfect place for me to work. Lots of space for one person (or 2). Cozy Aga. Atmospheric large gardens. Excellent and delightful on site manager. This is old fashioned and hasn’t been decorated for a while. But a well equipped kitchen set up. Excellent large kitchen table and endless possibilities to cook on the Aga. Note a modern oven, hob and microwave were there too. Friendly village. Two pubs. Long deepest Devon walks. Quite a way on little roads to get anywhere. I was there five weeks and was sad to go. That’s a recommendation!
Stayed 35 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ian H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highly Recommended

Lovely place - very much a 'period piece'! Another reviewer mentions "shabby chic" - and while it certainly is a good description, I believe the place HAS had a good makeover! Everything was superb and appliances etc seemed new. Lovely situation and the village was lovely - 2 pubs, shop, butcher and a gorgeous church! Beware that there IS a new hob in the kitchen, but also a fully functioning Aga that is always on! In winter that would be splendid, but on even on just a warm day it can be overpowering (heat), especially in the kitchen. That said, we cooked a few meals using it and never used the new hob!!! :) They bent over backwards to help and I highly recommend.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

8/10 Good

Tony B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very peaceful cottage and village.

Reasonably well equipped flat with private garden. Definitely shabby-chic but understand significant improvements scheduled. Good comms with Richard the owner who was very helpful. Royal Oak pub very friendly m, well stocked village store. 45-60 mins drive from main surf beaches
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Oct 2020
Definitely shabby-chic in parts but for the benefit of future guests, in 2019 the bathroom was updated (new bath; walk-in shower) and the kitchen and utility were fully modernised (induction hob, fan oven, washer dryer, dishwasher etc.). Right now, the builders are hard at work for 2020, fitting an Aga and re-flooring and re-decorating the rear bedroom in the flat. Plus, we're renovating all the sash windows and adding draughtproofing, so it will be toasty warm this winter!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

roger S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gorgeous Period Property and lovely garden

Lovely Period Property with stunning mature gardens a stone's throw from two local pubs serving very good food. a well stocked local shop open until 8pm to get provisions Although the beaches were a little drive away , it certainly beats the rat race to find a place to stay in the summer months and at a very reasonable cost , although the property was fully equipped with washing machine , dishwasher and lots of extra touches we were not expecting and would be a very comfortable accomodation all year around Well done Richard and your team A*****
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gary R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing service from start to finish. Property, location and landlord excellent.

Amazing service from start to finish. Will use Homeaway again for sure 😁 The location, property and landlord (Richard) were perfect would def stay at this property and location again 😁
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Aug 2020
Thank you very much for such a kind review. We very much hope you will stay with us again.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sally W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fab location

Lovely few days in great little village. 2 good pubs, excellent walks and small store. Flat was well equipped and clean with lovely garden. Currently going through a refurb so even better next time. 👍🙂
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Allen & Diane L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Sages is a beautiful home and flat in the peaceful village of Dolton

My husband & I spent 3 days/2 nights in the apartment at Sages this month and our short visit to Dolton was wonderful. The decor was in keeping with the charm and character of the home, yet the bathroom and kitchen had been updated with new appliances and conveniences. The gardens were beautiful with flowers, shrubs and magnificent old trees everywhere you looked. We enjoyed morning coffee in the garden overlooking the countryside, quiet walks and watched a farmer tend to his field in the distance. The pubs and little general store which carried practically everything you could need, were within walking distance in the village and Dartmoor, Exmoor and the beautiful beaches of North Devon were not too far for day trips by car. Coming from the US we were happy to have discovered this gem and hope to return again one day for a longer visit.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Quaint Property

Located in a fabulous village - all thatched cottages, a great pub with friendly locals, great beer and wine and fab food. A small supermarket, and really good walks The property is dated - in a 1940s kind of way, with modern and very comfy beds - no criticism but do not arrive expecting "modern".
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew M.

Oasis of calm in the rolling Devon countryside

We loved our 2 night stay in Sages, a stop-off on the Devon Coast to Coast cycle ride. The house is charming and well-equipped including a dishwasher which meant we didn't have to shout at the kids to wash up all the time. The verandah and private garden are perfect for reading the paper over a cup of coffee and you could easily spend an hour or two exploring the walled garden and the grounds. Two pubs and a well-stocked shop within walking distance- we suggest you book if you fancy the Rams Head as we couldn't get in!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Jonathan F.

Great location great hoise

Great location and great house. Lots of character and just as required.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar 2020
Dear Jonathan, Thank you for your kind review. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future!
Archival

6/10 Okay

Wesselina et Ben W.

Lovely old villa in beautiful village with an excellent pub round the corner

Although a beautiful house the overall comfort could be better. There were several minor shortcomings such as the lack of the advertised dishwasher, no wall socket in the bathroom for shaving or drying your hair, lack of small bins in the bedrooms as well chairs or hooks for your clothes in the bedrooms, the same in the bathroom (bin ok) and no manuals of the appliancies. But overall we enjoyed our stay, loved the garden and the village.
Stayed 8 nights in May 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar 2020
Dear Ben, Thank you for your review. I apologise for the problems with the appliances. We have upgraded the washing machine, dishwasher and storage heater but unfortunately the new dishwasher had not arrived in time for your stay and I should have let you know in advance. I should also have let you know that an alternative dishwasher was available on site. It was also an oversight on my part, not to copy the manuals for the new appliances. I have refunded part of your booking fee in recompense. We will provide manuals and address the other points in your review (hooks, chairs, bins etc.). We are grateful for the feedback and hope you come again. best wishes, Richard
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Go further with the Stayz app

  • Easily message your host
  • Access, share and manage your trip
  • Earn OneKeyCash on holiday rentals
Scan the QR code with your device camera and download our app
QR code to download the app