Burgh Island hotel is an iconic Art Deco landmark, positioned on a tidal island. The journey to the hotel is an adventure in itself, as you board the sea tractor to take you across the waves.
Once inside the hotel, you feel as if you have gone back to the 1920s. The ornate elevator reflects the glamour of the ‘machine age’ with a sliding metal concertina door, sometimes called a scissor gate or cage gate.
We stayed in the Josephine Baker suite. I believe all the rooms are named after famous hotel guests, fictional characters and/or celebrities of the era.
The spacious living room had views to the gardens, cliffs and sea.
The bathroom, by contrast was quite small.
The bedroom continued with the art deco theme.
In case you hadn’t noticed, there aren’t any televisions in the rooms. The wi-fi works well though.
The island’s pub is called The Pilchard Inn. We had a lovely dinner there on the first night of our stay, although later found that our clothes smelled of fish & chips!
Cider battered haddock & chips, crushed peas, tartar sauce £ 20.
Pie of the day, seasonal greens, creamy mashed potato, gravy £20.
The a la carte breakfast is held in the Nettlefold Restaurant. Eggs royale, with a side of sausage and black pudding my daily favourite.
The hotel grounds and entire island are worth exploring, with dramatic cliffs and even a sheltered natural swimming pool.
The hotel interior is beautiful. The Peacock Room, named after the amazing domed ceiling, is a wonderful place for cocktails and canapés.
The Grand Ballroom is the location for fine-dining dinners, where black tie dress is required.
Throughout the hotel, all the staff were friendly and professional. Prices correct as of April 2026.
Dinner was included in our package. Otherwise, it is £95 per person and that includes the pre-dinner canapés. A bottle of Primitivo Di Manduria Doc Gran Maestro, Puglia £50.
Scallops. Pistachio butter, chives, shallot vinaigrette. Delicious.
Creedy Carver duck – spiced breast, confit leg, smoked beetroot, Romanesco, fondant. Good solid cooking.
Dry-aged South Devon fillet beef, beef cheek, spinach, pommes aligoté, truffle jus. Very good.
Artisan cheese plate. I was able to have this instead of a pudding and also allowed to choose the cheeses. Perfect.
Winter sun pavlova – mango crémeux, pineapple, lime cream. Very nice.
The third generation, hydraulic, sea tractor is a marvel of engineering and the only one in the world. Designed in 1969 by Robert Jackson CBE in exchange for a case of champagne and costing £9,000 to build, the Sea Tractor is an historic icon. Members of the public can ride for £3.00 each way.
I sat outside the Pilchard Inn, with a pint of local ale, while watching the waves cover the causeway, until the sea tractor was required to return visitors to the mainland.
When the tide is out, it’s an absolute delight to walk on beach with waves on either side.
On our third night, we enjoyed an immersive murder mystery event that began with a welcome drink and canapés in the Peacock, followed by dinner in the Grand Ballroom – black tie still required. We joined our fellow sleuths on shared tables, while actors entertained us with speeches, jokes and clues.
It was huge fun to be involved in the event. Agatha Christie was a regular at Burgh Island and here wrote two novels set on the Island: ‘Evil Under the Sun’ and ‘And Then There Were None’.
Detective work wasn’t confined to the dinner. The hotel provides pamphlets containing a story and a series of clues, many of which require you to embark on a treasure hunt around the hotel, until you believe you have the correct code to open a cipher that allows you to solve the mystery.
We really enjoyed our stay at the Burgh Island hotel. It’s expensive, but a unique and historical experience.
Burgh Island Hotel
Bigbury-on-Sea
South Devon TQ7 4BG
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