The Boars Head Hotel
An 8.5-acre estate near Ashbourne and the park
About this hotel
The Boars Head Hotel sits on 8.5 acres of grounds near Sudbury, a twenty-minute drive from both Ashbourne and Alton Towers, with an extensive bar area giving the property a sociable evening atmosphere. Rooms are simply but comfortably designed with traditional wooden furnishings, each with its own bathroom, a TV with satellite channels, a seating area and tea and coffee facilities. Food is homemade using fresh local ingredients, with a daily specials board and a wide drinks selection in the bar, plus continental and cooked breakfast options each morning. Free Wi-Fi and free on-site parking are both included, and Derby city centre sits fifteen miles away for families wanting a second city day beyond Staffordshire itself. That combination of space and homemade cooking is what regularly draws families back for a return Staffordshire trip.
- 8.5-acre grounds
- Free parking
- Homemade food
- 20 min to Alton Towers
Our take
This hotel suits families who want genuine grounds to spread out in alongside straightforward, comfortable rooms rather than boutique styling. Its twenty-minute drive to both Ashbourne and Alton Towers makes it a reasonable middle-ground base for a trip that combines the market town and the waterpark in roughly equal measure. Couples or small families wanting boutique styling rather than traditional furnishings may prefer one of the country-house options elsewhere in this guide.
- ✓Ask about the daily specials board rather than the standard menu, since it changes regularly with fresh local ingredients.
- ✓Use the 8.5 acres of grounds for children to run around before or after the twenty-minute drive to Alton Towers.
- ✓Consider a Derby day trip if you have time beyond the waterpark, since the city sits a reasonable fifteen miles away.
Why we love it
- 8.5 acres of grounds
- Homemade food, local ingredients
- Extensive bar area
- Free parking on site
Why guests love itFamilies staying at The Boars Head Hotel often mention the 8.5 acres of grounds as genuinely useful space for children before or after the twenty-minute drive to Alton Towers. The homemade food and daily specials board draw regular praise compared with a standard pub menu. The straightforward, traditionally furnished rooms suit families who prioritise comfort and space over boutique styling.