“In the depths of the forest, halted in four winds by ancient trees whose leaves in summertime offered blessed shade. Stand stark against the first faculty imperial Estate’’. Open the door, put your suitcase aside, and quietly start exploring the hotel detail by detail! Glorious Devon. Peace and quiet. Lush green undergrowth choked with wildflowers. This is Broomhill Estate – 103 acres of pure imagination featuring a 10-acre sculpture garden with over 230 sculptures, most of which are for sale. The estate is a commercial gallery and houses a wide range of international art both inside and outside the building. Partnered with the North Devon UNESCO. The principle of the estate is connecting people with art and nature is ethos, it is a nice contrast to the confines of the white-walled gallery.
BroomHill is a dynamic hotel and center of visual arts. This is not a VIP club, but a place for people with refined tastes, where they are supposed to feel special. Originally established by Dutch couple Rinus and Aniet van de Sande, there has been an art hotel and sculpture garden at Broomhill since 1997. When the couple sold up in 2021, the estate – which also includes a farm – was taken on by Frictionless Fine Arts. The new owners brought a breath of freshness and innovation. The space is filled with sculptures, paintings, and installations a place where art gives meaning to rest. In the hotel, art helps to regain inner harmony, the Broomhill unique atmosphere inspires every day of your stay. The owners of the Broomhill Estate have created an artistic residence for talented artists ( Ronald Westerhuis, Giles Penny, Tim Shaw, Mike Rowles, Carol Peace, Antonia Spowers, and Dorcas Casey ), which patronises their activities on the art market, supports comprehensive development, and provides excellent conditions for creative work. The hotel is an oasis for enthusiasts, it is a place where you can draw inspiration from art at every step.
In this unique residence, you can take part in many intimate parties and cultural events, meet contemporary artists, get closer to their world, and get acquainted with the owner’s impressive collection of artworks. The whole collection has been amassed by curator Charles Powell and is available to purchase – “guests are invited to be inspired and take a little bit of Broomhill Estate home with them. Starting from the paintings, and sculptures, to the furniture, fixtures, and fittings…“
This sanctuary for contemporary art is also the home to the National Sculpture Prize for emerging artists, an annual competition now in its 11th year, the prize for which is £15,000. This year, the first section has featured In Harmony, an inaugural exhibition in partnership with the Royal Society of Sculptors. Artist collective – The arts program at Broomhill Estate is founded on three core principles: To actively support and fund a community of distinctive and diligent artists. To contribute to the conservation and rejuvenation of the natural environment. To provide a space for people to be inspired and to develop creative skills. Over 200 hundred unique works of art are exhibited throughout the hotel, often becoming the subject of conversation over a glass of wine or the object of admiration of hotel guests. Virtually every element inside the hotel is unusual in its way. From balustrades through the music lounge, and restaurant to room furnishings… Each element is designed in detail and the work exhibited there takes on a new context.
To provide a luxury experience they chose to partner with quality brands including Roche Bobois, Ralph Lauren, Temple Spa, Divine Savages, and of course Sleepeeze. There are so many discreet touches around the hotel that make the experience truly special. They have even designed bespoke scents for each room in partnership with Hoyo Botanicals! The hotel rooms are luxurious and tastefully decorated and have been loosely themed around different cult arthouse films, featuring a super king Roche Bobois bed topped with a Sleepeeze mattress. ”As Sanctuary for the arts, we include sculpture, fine art, music, theatre, film, and cinema. We have a large private collection of authentic Hollywood props in the UK including the Jumanji board, the Predator, the Highlander sword, and more”.
“Part of the concept is that everything in the hotel is for sale, from the art, sculpture, to the furniture, fixtures, and fittings…. guests are invited to be inspired and take a little bit of Broomhill Estate home with them.”- – says, Jacqui Hotel Manager. The hotel restaurant, headed up by Elio Debae, serves a modern British menu rooted in locally sourced seasonal ingredients. “Everything is either grown by us, foraged or sourced from within 50 miles,” says Jacqui. “Anything we do use that is out of season will have been preserved, fermented and stored by us in the larder.” The restaurant is styled as ‘refined dining’ rather than fine dining; as Jacqui puts it, “We don’t want to be white tablecloths and awkwardness. We’re an art hotel, there needs to be an air of edginess.
The building itself is already a work of art worth visiting, where at every step you can feel that these walls have a long and extremely interesting history. The property is a historic Edwardian manor house, and most bedrooms overlook the stunning sculpture park. There is quite literally nowhere in the world where you can stay in a boutique art hotel in the middle of a sculpture garden. Broomhill Estate is perfectly positioned for visitors seeking to escape to inspirational landscapes and immerse themselves in art and culture. Not because is simply aesthetic and authentic. Because it evokes emotions, inspires, and encourages to stop and look at it. It is an incubator of cultural and artistic initiatives, and attention to detail- simply A Touch of Shangri La.
Written By Kamila Krzyzaniak
