Beyond Escapes Devon
Newly opened Beyond Escapes Devon offers a complete package, blending a stunning range of lodges and apartments with high quality food, a spa and a gym.
Launched in February after a £12m transformation, lodges and apartments have opened alongside the BE Tempted Restaurant and the BE You Spa. The Devon site is owned by Managing Director Jason Bruton, who is making his first foray into the leisure market.
Beyond Escapes began with Jason’s acquisition of the Devon site. Operations Director Chris Brooks picks up the story:
“We wanted somewhere in the West Country and this site came on the market. It was previously owned by someone who had planning permission to develop it into a holiday village. We had to stick to the same footprint but redesigned the interiors of the accommodation and the central building. It fits what we think is the need of the area and what Beyond Escapes as a brand is about.
“The development is designed to a high end, self-catering accommodation coupled with a quality spa, quality eating and more.”
Set in the South Devon countryside near Totnes, each apartment at Beyond Escapes Devon has been stylishly designed with quality touches and finishes. Added luxury is provided by the addition of a hot tub at each of the lodge accommodation options. The interior design for the whole site was carried out by Harp Interiors, who also project managed the fit out of the restaurant. Hayley Roy and Eleanor Rutherford from Harp explained their role:
“I (Hayley) have known Chris Brooks for about ten years and have worked with him in previous roles. We’d stayed connected on LinkedIn and he just contacted me one day saying he had this project and did I want to help. We bid with about five other interior designers and won the contract.
“Whenever we do interior design projects we always start with the brand. We worked with Beyond Escapes branding agency Shift, who created and developed the branding and the artwork used across the business and specifically in the accommodation and restaurant, to design the interior. The original concept was to make it quite homely but classy with an edge of the outdoors. It needed to have a luxury feel and feel more like a boutique hotel than a holiday park.
“The Mansion House is a beautiful old building where we designed contemporary suites and apartments and is completely unique to the rest of the site. Each room is different while the other lodges are all very similar in their cosy but modern feel. The restaurant and the public spaces are more vibrant in colour. It’s been a pleasure to work with Beyond Escapes Devon.”
Complementing the accommodation on offer, the spa and restaurant will also help attract a local following for Beyond Escapes Devon. The menu at the BE Tempted Restaurant is locally sourced and 90% of it comes from within 10 miles of site – keeping to local produce is a big part of the BE brand As well as dining at the restaurant, guests will also have the option of ordering food to their lodge. Reflecting on this along with the importance on opening the venue, Chris added:
“I think the restaurant and the spa are going to be our heroes. The indications over the last few years are that self-catering holiday guests aspire for a better eating experience. The high-end holiday park guest wants quality produce and quality service, so we’re going down that route. It’s not fine dining but its restaurant standard food and a welcoming experience as opposed to somewhere that’s just convenient and cheap to eat.
“The spa will also be key. It will be for both guests staying on site and a local membership, which we’ve already started selling. It will also appeal with its diversity of spa packages and in turn get more people to stay here. The gym helps complete the offering.
“Our opening means that we’re on the map and we’ve started. We’ve done a lot of work putting the brand together and we’re keen to get off the ground and be up and running. The big challenge now is to get the world to know about us.”
To find out more about Beyond Escapes Devon, please visit beyondescapes.co.uk.
Dalesauna
Dalesauna specialise in the supply and installation of spa heat experience equipment, including sauna, steam room, commercial spa, aromatherapy rooms, feature showers and ice features. The company has been in operation for more than 40 years and is still owned by its original founder.
Past projects for Dalesauna include a full spa installation at Bromsgrove Leisure Centre and a significant refurbishment at Therme Bath Spa. Dalesauna also work very closely with Center Parcs, supplying sauna, steam room and shower rooms for all their lodges.
Most recently, Dalesauna has been involved with the Beyond Escapes project in Devon. Working on this scheme, Dalesauna supplied the cedar sauna with a glass front, tiled steam room, feature shower and foot spa.
Sarah Fishburn, Northern Sales Manager for Dalesauna, said:
“It is always fantastic to be involved in such an exclusive project and be able to offer the clients what they have envisaged as their dream spa area.”
Sarah added:
“Dalesauna are very proud to be working within the spa industry and have a proven track record of supplying high-end commercial equipment.
“Dalesauna do not like to install a project and then leave the customer; we have a service team with engineers on the road who will be able to assist with any issues be it six months or ten years down the line.”
