The epitome of Peak District luxury: Callow Hall, the chic country hotel that is ‘cooler Cotswolds than traditional Derbyshire’

It might be called the Peak District, but the former railway we’re cycling on, just around the corner from this country hotel, is practically flat.

Just drive the 13-mile Tissington Way and you’re in the market town of Ashbourne, with its cobbled streets and antique shops, within minutes. If you ride the hotel bikes the other way to Buxton, leave the path at Thorpe and ride to the Dovedale car park, you can enjoy a walk through the valley with its famous stepping stones.

Two and a half sweaty hours later, my son and I are back at Callow Hall – and what a beautiful place it is to shower, all bold colors and a swirl of patterns courtesy of interior designer Isabella Worsley. While elements of this Victorian mansion remain intact – the grand staircase, tiled fireplaces and ornate ceilings – they are beautifully offset by pink chairs and sea green walls, which are lined with vintage floral prints and botanical prints.

The 15 bedrooms in the main house are equally beautiful, with carefully chosen materials. Some also have a bathroom in the room. Instead, we stay in one of 11 wooden beehives, a souped-up version of a shepherd’s hut, which along with two larger treehouses cantilever over the wooded hillside. The rustic furniture, the upholstery and the sweet smell of wood add to the cozy and cozy feeling.

It’s still a while before dinner, so we appreciate generous complimentary snacks to help us. Open a cupboard and you will find that an entire kitchen unit has been cleverly integrated into it. Sipping and nibbling on deck, forest sounds everywhere, we spot a hare and a parading pheasant in quick succession.

Extensive grounds: The hotel is a Victorian mansion set in 35 acres of gardens and woodland.

This is the essence of Wildhive, the new brand behind this hotel: back to nature without sacrificing comfort. To that end, the Coach House at the bottom of the hill has not only a card room with everything you need for a getaway, but also a boutique spa to soothe tired muscles upon your return.

Founded by entrepreneurs Ed Burrows and Charles Randall, the company aims to open more hotels in underdeveloped tourist areas, with the next hotel planned in Northumberland.

They certainly brought style to the country – when you see the glass box restaurant with its living roof jutting out from the side of the grand exterior, it looks cooler in the Cotswolds than in traditional Derbyshire. With a curved bar for cocktails and huge olive trees (unfortunately fake), it makes a lively backdrop for a meal.

Interior designer Isabella Worsley is behind the colorful rooms of Callow Hall

Jane notes that the 15 bedrooms in the main house (pictured) are decorated with carefully chosen materials

The restaurant’s curved bar and olive trees “create a lively setting for a meal,” says Jane

The private dining room has a ‘beautiful’ Melissa White mural depicting the Peak District

At dinner I’m surprised there’s so much seafood on the menu as they advertise local produce – although there are other options including Derbyshire lamb shanks and Bakewell pies. The seafood misto is tasty though, with generous amounts of seared tuna followed by local bread and chased by Derbyshire ice cream.

Breakfast is not included in room rates, but if you can get a table outside the restaurant you get free panoramas over rolling Derbyshire fields. We had local free range eggs and avocado on sourdough from a nearby artisan bakery – although we think the bacon side should have had more than one slice.

For more views, head to the private dining room off reception before checking out to marvel at the beautiful mural by Melissa White. The details of the Peak District include Callow Hall, the rolling hills of Derbyshire and the Stepping Stones.