The Best Hotels In Bath & Somerset For The Perfect Staycation
By Guest Writer
7 days ago
Take a trip to the rural county of rolling hills
Looking for staycation ideas? Why not visit Somerset, home to (amongst other things) some of the best cider and cheddar in the UK. These are the best hotels in Bath and Somerset if you fancy a trip to this scenic county.
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The Best Hotels In Somerset & Bath
Broad Street Townhouse, Bath
Just five minutes walk from the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa, Broad Street Townhouse is the latest opening from Butcombe Brewery. Set in a Grade II-listed limestone building, it has 11 sumptuous, individually decorated bedrooms (choose from Snug, Signature or Signature Plus, which is set up for families with an extra sofa bed) split over three storeys. The look is modern-rustic; the colour palette calming and contemporary ranging from taupe walls to dusky pink suede headboards. Lovely details include photography and illustration art prints above the bed, and in the bathroom, colourful patterned floor tiles and organic Bramley products.
2, The Pig & Fiddle, 32 Saracen St, Broad St, Bath BA1 5BR
The Talbot Inn, Mells
The owners of the excellent Beckford Arms and The Bath Arms at Longleat, Dan Brod and Charlie Luxton, and their third partner, Matt Greenlees, scored an immediate hit with this second atmospheric inn, in Mells, with its lovely old stone houses. Enter through the historic carriage arch, which leads to a cobbled courtyard backed by a succession of cosy dining areas – one a map room, another with a roaring fire and yet another with a bar. There’s a separate sitting room, fashioned from a 500-year-old barn. There’s excellent pub grub, from dayboat-landed fish and chips to well-aged steaks.
Selwood St, Mells, Frome BA11 3PN
The Langford Inn, Lower Langford
In the heart of the pretty village of Lower Langford, on the edge of the rolling Mendip Hills, The Langford is a historic village pub dating back to the 17th century. Newly refurbished inside and out, the pub’s design is decidedly sophisticated and photogenic, with smart leather banquettes, floral patterned chairs and statement lighting. Here, the kitchen’s passion for field-to-fork sustainability is reflected in the menu, with innovative seasonal dishes sitting alongside hearty pub classics, all created from the best ingredients the local Somerset larder has to offer.
Lower Langford, Bristol BS40 5BL
The Pig Near Bath, Pensford
This may be one of several rural-themed Pig hotels, but its launch back in 2014 broke new ground for the Home Grown Hotels group: a proper, grown-up hotel that has all the country house attributes (space, proportions, dreamy views), but none of the drawbacks (staid, formal, eye-wateringly expensive). It’s fun and glamorous without ever losing sight of comfort. ‘It’s The Pig on steroids,’ says owner Robin Hutson (though luckily not the price, which is the opposite of pumped-up).
Hunstrete House, Hunstrete, Pensford, Bath BS39 4NS
The Newt In Somerset, Hadspen
You probably know The Newt: the Grade II-listed Georgian Estate, Hadspen House, with its 800-acres sprinkled with wildflowers and orchids. Their 17-bedroom offshoot from the main house, The Farmyard, is one of the most glamorous getaways in the UK countryside. Or, their new Gate Lodge, opening this summer, provides a unique, two-bedroom hideaway with unexpectedly high ceilings and sumptuous Farrow & Ball interiors. Walk, cycle, or drive with an electric golf buggy to reach the former stable, cheese barn, and grain store.
A359, Hadspen, Castle Cary BA7 7NG
Artist Residence Bristol
When Justin and Charlotte Salisbury were hunting for a site for their latest Artist Residence hotel, they settled on an old boot factory in Bristol’s artsy St Paul’s community, a stone’s throw from the city’s buzzing centre. To start with, the building had all of the qualities the pair typically looks for – a nod to the past, original beams and exposed brick walls – to which they added their signature industrial-luxe style, an eclectic mix of vintage and boho furniture and a collection of original, specially commissioned artworks by local artists. The 23 rooms in the boutique hotel range from the super-cosy Shoe Box, which has arched floor-to-ceiling windows, to the vast Artist Suite – think Georgian cornicing, views over leafy Portland Square and a roll-top tub in the bathroom. The idea was to create a proper, vibrant neighbourhood hang-out so there’s a real emphasis on the social spaces that are open to everyone: a coffee shop, bar, casual all-day restaurant, intimate dining room offering a seasonal menu, garden and event spaces for private hire.
28 Portland Square, St Paul’s, Bristol BS2 8SA
Number One Bruton, Bruton
Set in the thriving market town of Bruton, this Georgian townhouse turned hotel has 12 rooms set around a pretty courtyard (designed by Penelope Hobhouse). Somerset’s craft heritage is evident throughout: stay in the main house, with its rich colour palette, staircase that winds up to the eaves and aged elm floor; in one of the cottages, all warm stone floors and Morris textiles; or The Forge, which combines ancient beams and wooden cladding with cosy rugs and ticking stripes.
Don’t miss breakfast at Osip – the Michelin-star restaurant run by Merlin Labron-Johnson in the old ironmonger’s shop on the ground floor – where the highlights are creamy rice pudding, soft boiled eggs and freshly baked brioche (it’s worth booking a table in advance for dinner too). As well as the lovely shops in Bruton to discover, there is plenty to see close by: the Hauser & Wirth gallery, The Newt, Stourhead and Frome are all within a ten-minute drive.
1 High St, Bruton BA10 0AB
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath
In the heart of beautiful Bath (as seen on screen in Netflix hit Bridgerton), lies The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, a five-star destination expertly combining first-class service and meticulous attention to detail. John Wood the Younger’s 250-year-old Georgian terrace remains truly magnificent to this day. The hotel’s 45 suites and rooms, most of which offer unrivalled views over the hotel’s pretty herbaceous borders or the Crescent’s impressive lawn, are among the UK’s most memorable places to stay.
The Royal Cresent, 16 Royal Cres, Bath BA1 2LS
Homewood, Bath
Eclectic, luxurious and slightly eccentric, this grand Georgian country house sits in 20 acres of magnificent gardens and grounds, filled with creative artworks and ultra-modern indulgences. One of the latest additions to PoB Hotels‘ exemplary portfolio, it stands above the village of Freshford, with its picturesque viaduct and a train line that runs to both Bradford-on-Avon and Bath, just 15 minutes away. Harnessing the spirit of the Roman’s love of a good spa, Homewood has created a pampering haven for guests, offering some wonderful treatments, an indoor hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam room as well as a heated outdoor pool.
Abbey Ln, Freshford, Bath BA2 7TB
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