First experience here. Nice place to have a meal. The meals were excellent. Coming from the…read moreNetherlands it was really cheap. Six persons £ 66.- for the meals £ 18.- for the drinks. Not bad. We Made a reservation for the Sunday roast ..I'll keep you posted.

Set on the north bank of the Ex next to the bridge, this Inn's riverside terrace was a nice place…read morefor an ale while enjoying the summer afternoon on the Moor.

Ah, Ashwick House. What a delight…read more I hadn't been to Exmoor before, and so was very excited as we weaved our way through its treasure trove of villages, bound for Dulverton. Then we took a turn on to the moor, across a cattle grid, down a single track road, and past the Exmoor Pony Centre. In a wooded Coombe lay Ashwick House, an old shooting lodge tastefully refurbished into a very comfortable country house hotel. The first good point about this hotel became evident immediately - the host came out to meet and greet us with an easy, relaxed air. Staying at Ashwick House feels more like staying with some friends for the weekend, but in luxurious comfort. The host and hostess are very friendly, but also allow you enough privacy to enjoy your weekend. The balance is perfect. When you enter the house you'll encounter the main hall - very much the central room. A grand hall for a grand house, but still cosy enough to enjoy your evening drink in. It also has a very good collection of oriental furniture which manages to blend perfectly with the age and atmosphere of the house. We were then shown to our room. Nicely decorated and a newly refurbished bathroom. I was particularly pleased to see that there was a small fridge in the corner meaning we had been given fresh milk in a jug. (I can't stand those horrible plastic pots of milk.) You have the option to dine in at Ashwick house, and I would strongly recommend trying this at once during your stay. The 5 (or is it 6) course menu is excellent, with a good selection each evening. The price is at the higher end of the scale, but I was perfectly happy to pay for the quality of the food. The chef is also happy to be adaptable, as proved when I asked for plain pasta pre-marathon! The breakfast was also very good. Homemade fruit compote and yoghurt, a selection of cereals and then the delicious full english. I've never seen a full english presented so well, and boy did it taste good! Slightly sad to see the absence of beans, but I think that's more my fault for not asking for them. Ashwick House made me realise the value of a weekend in a country house hotel. Not something I've done that much, but I have now made a mental note to indulge myself in the future. I think I'll definitely be returning to enjoy this magnificent area of the West Country. (I haven't mentioned any of the history of the house, as I'll let you enjoy discovering this when you stay!)

Follow the river,cross the cattle grid : where were we going as we followed the directions across…read moreExmoor to Ashwick House ? It turned out the directions were as well thought out and attentive to detail as Ashwick House itself. The house,beautiful in its individuality and graceful in its decor was at the same time comfortable and welcoming. A nice touch: the host came out to greet us as we arrived and later showed us around some of the private rooms. The food was excellent;the menu varied and we particularly enjoyed sitting in the hall before the wood burning stove savouring the first drink of the evening whilst hearing from our host and hostess about the history of the house. We did not see the red deer this time but we'll be back to this special place

This place was really nice! Overall I liked it a lot. The staff was friendly and the food was…read moregreat, especially for a hotel! They were really accommodating and the grounds were just gorgeous! The hotel is located right on the sea in the town of Sidmouth. It was a perfect beachy location and the town in super cute with bunting everywhere. The beaches are rocky instead of sandy which is completely foreign to me but I guess that's how the beaches are there. My observation however was that they definitely prefer an "older"crowd which tended to be crabby and openly snarky, which made me feel like I was staying in the world's nicest nursing home hahaha.

Absolute fantastic stay. The hotel is in a great position right on the sea front. If you have a…read morebedroom with a sea view that would definitely be a bonus. The hotel takes pride in it's service, you have to wear a jacket and tie to the evening meals, not used to that, but it was great fun. All the staff are helpful and friendly. Rooms are nice and have everything you need for a good stay. They have good facilities as well including an indoor and outdoor pool and spa. Overall the stay was great and I think we may be going back next year.

Welcome to the Castle Hotel at Taunton. This historic Norman fortress has witnessed over 9…read morecenturies of turbulent history. In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth's officers gathered here on the eve of the Battle of Sedgemoor, where they were defeated by the forces of King James II. The infamous Judge Jeffries held his Bloody Assize in the Great Hall of the castle shortly afterwards. Over 200 rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion were tried, convicted and then hanged, drawn and quartered. A further 800 were transported to the West Indies to work on the sugar plantations. The building we see today is a Grade II listed, 18th century reconstruction of the original Norman castle, but does incorporate the original east gate, Castle Bow, which boasts 13th century features.

Where to begin! Staying here was a highlight of my recent, and first trip to England. I was coming…read moreto do some family history work at the archives in Taunton, as well as visit Glastonbury Tor. When I read this was an actual castle with medieval beginnings, I was immediately drawn in. Then I visited their website and read a few reviews and I booked it! It's a unique experience to say the least. Coming through the front, revolving door had an old world charm that was very welcoming (even though I snagged my luggage). The front desk staff were all super friendly, accommodating, and professional. The room was huge! I don't know how I ended up with a suite but I certainly did not book it nor pay extra so, the only conclusion is they upgraded me because it was available? No matter, I was in awe! I cannot recommend this place enough, it's a castle! Unforgettable.

Wow, love this place. It's a hidden gem, an enchanted garden. To reach the hotel, you walk up a…read morepath which is flanked with large beautiful sculptures. We were really going to the five times award winning restaurant, Terra Madre (part of the Slow Food network), for their 3 course lunch at £14.95 en route to our destination in North Devon, so did not have time to book ahead. Booking is essential. So we were offered the Bar Menu instead, which was actually a very good choice, 3 home made tapas dishes for £9.95, which consisted of a rather large bowl of piping hot buttersquash soup with two slices of homemade crusty bread, garlic prawns, hake in tomato cassoulet, garlic mushrooms, and Moroccan style lamb casserole. We added a couple of side dishes of mixed salad and homemade sourdough bread and olive oil. What a feast, all so, so delicious too! Fresh and more-ish, yum! With the booked lunch, you get a free ticket for the Sculpture Park, otherwise it is £4.50. After the meal, we had a look at the interesting art gallery cum dining hall. Some lovely pieces of art and paintings which can be bought. There are also tables outside to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, have a drink or eat al fresco. Will need to return to wander round the Sculpture Park properly, in such a relaxed and beautiful setting.

Broomhill lies in one of the most glorious valleys in North Devon surrounded by hundreds of acres…read moreof woodland and bound by its own stream. The Broomhill Sculpture Park displays one of the largest permanent collections of contemporary art and sculpture in the South West. 300 sculptures by over 60 sculptors are sited in 10 acres of garden that present a wonderful balance between art and nature. This place is quite fantastic and is apparently one of very few art hotels in the UK. During your stay you can not only walk around the gardens and view all of the sculptures, but you can even purchase them afterwards (if you bring a very big chequebook!!). The gardens were a little drab when we visited, (but it was December!!), but I would imagine that during the warmer months they are quite breath taking. An art gallery is situated in the main dining area of the hotel itself and has many many pictures to view and purchase. The place caters for all sort of events such as weddings, large and small parties and corporate events (with its very own corporate facilities). The hotel is also renowned for its many Jazz events held throughout the year. The rooms are very reasonably priced and you get alot for your money. They are very spacious and have everything you need to make your stay very comfortable, with beautiful views over the Devon countryside. The setting is very rural and therefore very quiet and makes for a very relaxing stay and a very quiet nights sleep. The staff are a husband and wife combo (Dutch), and are two of the friendliest people you will ever meet in this business, who could not do enough to help you (especially if you like to drink tea!!). The food is organic and sourced from the local area, which is probably why it tastes absolutely fantastic (the Morroccan food is especially nice). Even if you don't stay at the hotel you should try out its restaurant, which is also very reasonably priced considering the standard. If I was going to be very very fussy then I would have to say that the alcohol is a little pricey, but I suppose it is a hotel after all. Saying that, if you visit their website, you will find that the hotel does do a number of offers to bring the price of staying at the hotel down even further i.e. B&B and reduced price evening meal. A must stop when visiting N. Devon.

Gorgeous food and nice surroundings.read more

Sometimes, you find yourself surprised by the simplest of things, such as bed comfort, room size, a…read moreworking shower, clean furniture etc. Premier Inn runs a good ship, offering all of these things while not being 'perfect' in every way. All we really wanted was a good night's sleep in a comfortable room while we visited friends in Devon, and that's exactly what we got, plus a decent shower, clean bathroom, good air conditioning and a peaceful atmosphere. It's also really handy for the racecourse and the Sunday morning car boot sale, and there's a big Tesco across the road if you need supplies. What might we change? More towels, please! I can think of quite a few four-star hotels that this Premier Inn would put to shame, and we didn't spend a fortune on the room, either. We skipped breakfast, but it's available at the adjoining Beefeater Grill. Parking is also very good.

Fantastic feel hotel but conected restraint expecive, but tesco over Rd and walking distance is…read morenewton Abbot town so wetherspoons for meal or breakfast.