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.

The Angel is the expensive option for staying in Chippenham. It is in the centre of town, opposite…read morethe Bear, which is undergoing refurbishment at the time of writing. the Angel was extensively modernized in 2007, with a modern block of rooms and a gym with pool added. Rooms in the main block are spacious and attractively decorated (we had one of the four poster rooms looking down on the Market Square). Heating was a little erratic in this cold snap. Staff were friendly and helpful, and seemed remarkably young. Food in the restaurant in the evening was of a reasonable standard, priced a little over average for the area, although the breakfast was poor. The "English Breakfast" was sausage, one egg, bacon, beans, mushrooms and hash browns, with toast and coffee. The mushrooms were cold, and the egg was, well, odd. The main lounge is popular for tea and coffee, with various locals as well as guests visiting while we were there.

Stayed here for a week on business. Glad that this was located close to businesses but wish they…read morewere open a little later so I could check them out at the end of a long day of business. The hotel room was comfortable and clean. TV channels were minimal and sometimes would be glitchy.

I arranged a bridal tea for my daughter who was getting married that weekend. Our party included…read morethe bride and groom, my mother, two sisters and niece. The grounds were absolutely breathtaking, I wish we had arrived earlier to see more of them. We were seated for tea in a living room area and eventually were able to order. My sister joined us late, after we had placed out tea orders. When they brought our sandwiches and scones my sister ordered tea for herself. They never brought it. She asked again after flagging down someone. She eventually had to find the kitchen to get her tea. After the trays were dropped off we never saw our server again. Never came to clear the table, give us our bill, refill our teas, it was unbelievable. I was embarrassed that I had set up our tea at this place, with such poor service. And tea was 45 pounds per person, I would expect better service.

Love this cozy and warm feeling at this place. Nice staffs and very helpful. Views are amazing!read more

A delightful B&B located about a 20 minute walk from the centre of Bath…read more The staff were warm, welcoming and helpful. They provide a map arrival and are happy to book taxi's (about £8 ride into town), restaurants and tours. Each room has different features so take a look online before booking. I stayed in one of the rooms on the top level which was spacious and relatively quiet. There is a room that sits next to reception and the breakfast room which I imagine might be too loud unless you are up early catching worms and the like :)

Wonderful stay here! Delicious breakfast, with cooked to order options and specials that were…read moredelicious, as well as fruit, yogurt, pastry, cereals, juices, coffee tea etc. The bed was quite comfortable. We were in a family suite downstairs that was very quiet with a good queen bed and a twin in a separate room. A door opened to the backyard with seating areas. There was tea, coffee, mini bar and a lovely bathroom. The inn also has a full honesty bar upstairs for any extra drink you may want before or after dinner. It's a 35 min walk into town, with options of taxi or bus. A 10-15 min to a couple restaurants that are on the river nearby. Also there is a lovely path along the river, great for a morning walk, not too far away. Cheers!

Nice place with eating area and lounge area. There is outdoor seating. Food not served 3pm to…read more6pm. Best to have reservations for supper. Nice people.

Castle Inn is a quaint 12th century pub in the heart of Castle Combe village, located on the edge…read moreof the beautiful Cotswolds. It has been lovingly restored to offer a classic Cotswolds pub and B&B to guests with open log fires, exposed beams and many original features. Located in the Castle Combe market place, the historic inn has seen the likes of Oliver Cromwell (English politician and military officer) pass through its doors. After touring through the Cotswolds, we stopped at the Inn for some lunch. We were one of the first guests to arrive that day and were seated promptly. Their restaurant serves a surprisingly creative British menu with many gluten free options and features an extensive wine list. I had yet to eat fish 'n chips on this trip and so I went with the Lager Battered Catch of the Day which came with a pea puree, dripping chips, and curry sauce. This was probably the most interesting fish 'n chips I've had to date. I've never had it come with 'dipping sauces' before. I normally just have it with a bunch of malt vinegar, but dipping it in that curry sauce was so incredibly delicious! Woah! The pea sauce was also interesting, but I found myself continuously going back to the curry. The dish was also perfectly fried with a crispy outside, moist inside, and it was not oily at all. This was honestly the best I had while in the UK and I still think about it months later! If I had malt vinegar it would have been even better. My other half had some local beer with the Breast of Creedy Duck w/ Leg Ragu, Braised Onion, and Asparagus and Turnip. This dish was lovely and nicely presented. My husband really enjoyed it. The lag ragu in braised onion was very flavorful and I would have eaten an entree size of that. Our little one had mac n' cheese. It was a bit pricey for a lunch, but given the location, limited options, history, and quality of products; it's understandable. The service was a bit slower than we would have liked (that may be my American expectations speaking), but overall, we had a lovely time and enjoyed our lunch in this magical little English village. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

My recent stay in Taunton was bittersweet, as I was in town for my brother's funeral. Having booked…read moreweeks in advance, my only request was for a quiet room. Unfortunately, I was assigned a room overlooking the parking lot dumpsters with a non-functional heater. Despite reporting the cold radiator, the staff simply told me to turn the dial up--which I had already done to no avail. The dining experience was also a letdown. While the presentation was an attempt at "Michelin-style," the £10 mullet portion was tiny and swimming in excessive herb oil, which was difficult to stomach after a long day of travel. On a positive note, the breakfasts were good, the location is convenient, and it served as a helpful meeting point for my family. If you stay here, I recommend double-checking that any special requests are actually communicated to the staff.

Lovely hotel with accommodating staff. After a long day of travel from Lodnon it was a short 5…read moreminute cab ride from the train station. It had a huge bath to decompress after the long day of travel. The attached pub was great with a good selection and a relaxing patio. The included breakfast was very good and checkout was very easy.

Widbrook is just lovely. I felt like I was staying in a house from a Jane Austen novel. =)…read more I'm in love with this place. If I had to imagine a bed and breakfast in the English country side, this would be it. The hotel is organized with a main house (living room, check in, dining room) and separate living quarters surrounding the house. My cousin booked two rooms for us and we had the entire second floor to a English country house all to ourselves. The name was really cute too. I think our rooms were called Chaucer and Shakespeare? Rooms were spacious. We had a comfortable bed, big bathroom. Tub and shower. We had free tea and coffee in the room and a small tv (w/ cable). The windows opened out (no screen) and we had a view of the green landscape surrounding the property. The room was also very well heated. Which was good, as the nights were quite chilly in September. We dined twice in the main house. Once for dinner and also for breakfast. Dinner was really good! Breakfast was good too. We could order a full English breakfast off the menu. And we also had unlimited fruit, cereal, breads and jams (LOVED fresh jam). I remember having smoked salmon w/ eggs, English toy soldiers, sausage and hot tea. So stuffed! The gardens surrounding the hotel are beautiful. Take a bit out of your day to stroll around. We found fruit trees, berry bushes and wild flowers. Very picturesque. Widbrook also has a heated pool. So take the opportunity to relax and take a dip! Parking is available on-site for your car. Very beautiful English bed and breakfast in the countryside. My stay was wonderful. =)

Great property, wonderful staff. The rooms are split between three buildings and the websites does…read morenot do it justice, very nice, clean and comfortable! The restaurant is also great - dinner was very very good, and the breakfast is very impressive in both quality and quantity!

This review is on the history, architecture and pub scene as we did not eat there. This is true…read moremedieval at its best. Cosy, dark and old world. Amazing. The George Hotel and Pilgrims' Inn, originally known as the Pilgrims' Inn of Glastonbury Abbey, is the oldest purpose built pub in the South West. By the mid 1800s, it was known simply as the George Hotel, before a name change combined the two. It stands out on High Street not only because of its age, but it's an imposing edifice, three storied with mullion windows and a front facing of paneled stone. Above the arched front door are three carved panels bearing the coats of arms of Glastonbury Abbey and of King Edward IV. The original features continue inside with oak beams and an atmosphere which at times can only be called medieval.

Gorgeous 15thC Inn, with very creatively decorated interior and a great comfy atmosphere and lovely…read morefriendly staff. I understand this has recently changed hands so we tried the food again and it was delicious. I had the steak and Ale pie and the banana and honey pancakes and my friend the Macaroni Cheese and we were both comfortably full and very happy with our choices. My only gripe was the only 2 choices of cider, Blackthorn and some other one I don't remember the name of. This is Somerset - go wild ;)! All in all though a really good experience - I would recommend this to anyone passing through