The Langford Inn & 3 more of the best boltholes near Bath
There’s something about Somerset’s landscapes that take your breath away. Windy, narrow country lanes (Londoners beware) that give way to lush fields, morning mists that rise above the woods and candyfloss skies where birds gather at sunset. It’s a backdrop steeped in legend and the antithesis of urban living.
Nested on the edge of Somerset’s Mendip Hills, just 30 minutes from Bath, lies The Langford Inn, a recently refurbished 17th-century country inn offering a bucolic weekend getaway for city-weary souls. Butcombe, the brewer and hotelier, took over the pub’s reins in 2019, kick-starting a huge renovation project and reopening its doors in 2021. This year, even more spaces have been given a stylish sprucing-up: there are now 10 boutique bedrooms ranging from cosy doubles to sweeping suites, located either in the main building or adjoining stable block.
Langford Inn
After a three-hour drive from London, past lanes peppered with stone cottages and lycra-clad cyclists, the sight of this idyllic spot, bathed in the late afternoon sunshine, was a delight. The bar, painted in soothing slate blues, with oak beams and snoozing dogs beside chintzy armchairs, offered the warmest of welcomes: a place to pull up a bar stool and order a G&T or a Butcombe ale (made in its brewery in nearby Wrington) before checking into our room for the night.
If you’re looking for space to spread out, the Superior Family Rooms are light and airy, sleeping up to three guests, with honey-hued panelled walls, floral upholstered headboards and bathrooms big enough for a party. While a bath would have been a welcome addition, the shower was pleasingly powerful and came with complimentary Bramley toiletries.
When it comes to dining downstairs, seasonal, locally-sourced produce takes centre stage here. This corner of north Somerset, after all, is the home of cheddar cheese and Thatchers cider. Crispy pig cheek terrine with burnt apple ketchup and Ston Easton Farm lamb belly were among the starters served up in the elegant dining room, while the just-caught Brixham plaice with confit new potatoes and chicken butter sauce was light and mooreish. It’s worth saving space for pudding — the choux bun filled with homemade apple and elderflower compote and caramelised white chocolate cream was as decadent as you’d imagine.
Langford Inn
If you can tear yourself away from this cosy retreat and its roaring fires, exploring the area of outstanding natural beauty on your doorstep is a must. Cheddar Gorge, with its soaring cliffs is one for the hikers, while the genteel cobbled city of Bath is 30-minutes away, and Bristol, with its waterfront cafes and art galleries, is just 20 minutes away.
Doubles start from £94 per night, on a bed and breakfast basis. butcombe.com
Why not explore these 3 other top hotels in Bath?
GuestHouse
A Georgian bolthole brimming with whimsy, there’s an innate sense of fun at this boutique hotel, part of the colourful GuestHouse string of hideaways in Bath, York and Brighton. If you’re arriving by train, they’ll send a pink cargo bike to the station to whisk away your luggage so you can enjoy the leisurely 15-minute stroll down the River Avon. Inside, a topsy-turvy Alice in Wonderland theme pervades – the keys in reception are held in a giant dolls house, as are the coffee facilities in each room. The walls are a mish-mash of patterned wallpaper and modern art; on one there’s a display of kaleidoscopes, another has antique cameras, and another a miscellaneous display of ceramic pots. You’ll love the vinyl players in the rooms and the complimentary pantry on each floor, loaded with sweets, popcorn and homemade cookies. Don’t miss the hearty British classics on the menu in the restaurant downstairs: think chicken pie and Somerset steak, or the spa in the vaulted basement.
Read the full review here.
The Pig
There’s nothing quite like the shoulder drop you get after a day exploring bustling Bath and returning to this lungful-of-fresh-country-air escape in the Mendip Hills, just 20 minutes from the centre of town. This honey-walled country house happens to boast one of the largest kitchen gardens of all The Pig hotels with an easy-come-easy-go feel that helps guests feel totally at ease here, whether you’re on a grown-up getaway or with your very-active brood. Locals love it just as much as the city dwellers who make a beeline on Friday evenings and stay all weekend. Rooms are classically country chic, in soothing sages and buttery beiges, with roll-top baths and antique desks. Wander through the wildflower orchard and past the beehives (you’ll enjoy the honey at breakfast) before heading over to the Potting Shed for a head-clearing treatment.
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Royal Crescent Bath
A first glance of the staggeringly beautiful Royal Crescent and you’ll feel as if you’re an extra on the set of Bridgerton and staying here means you can live the fairytale of residing on Bath’s most desirable street, even if just for a night. Occupying two Georgian townhouses, with wide lawns and lavender beds at the front and an acre of lush gardens at the back, Royal Crescent feels like a serene escape in the heart of the city. Guests are encouraged to follow in the footsteps of the Georgians who came to Bath to improve their health and indulge in the hotel’s famed spa, with a 12-metre heated Relaxation Pool, plus a wealth of holistic treatments on offer, as well as a Taittinger spa garden. Suites are worth splurging on, with ornate ceilings, chandeliers and spectacular views facing out over the town. If you’re coming in spring, why not take a two-person flight in the hotel’s hot air balloon for a bird’s-eye view of Bath’s Unesco-protected Georgian architecture.
