Hotel du Vin Exeter

A beautiful old Edwardian hospital in Exeter finds new life as a luxury hotel — and should this happen to touch off a mania for converting well-preserved institutions into stylish, contemporary lodgings, we’ll be there to cheer it on. Then again, even if it turns out to be a one-off, we’ll still be there to cheer it on; the Magdalen Chapter winningly combines character, style, and a generous helping of good old-fashioned luxury behind its red-brick facade.

No two of the fifty-nine rooms are the same, a nice departure from hospital protocol. But there’s plenty of resemblance: period details mix with contemporary wallpapers and parquet floors, modernist furnishings and state-of-the-art gadgetry, right down to LED reading lights, automatic espresso makers and loaner iPads. The linens are plush, the robes are thick, and the bathrooms are modern, all with rain showers, some with separate baths. And the views over the grounds are as soothing as they would have been during the hospital days — probably a bit more so, frankly, now that relaxation, rather than recuperation, is the purpose of the place.

To that end there’s a remarkably thorough spa by Ren, complete with a pool and fitness center. And if you’re like us you’ll find the bar, lounge and library equally as inviting — to say nothing of the restaurant, which serves a modern-classic British cuisine of the sort that’s quickly reversed all the stereotypes about English cooking.

How to get there: The Magdalen Chapter is approximately 5 miles from Exeter International Airport (EXT) or a 15-minute walk from Exeter Central Train Station.