14 unique, luxury and hand-picked holiday cottages in SomersetRead about the area

While the inside was ok (although some kitchen items were missing, later provided by the owner) a shower rather than a fancy designer bath, with shower attachment would have been preferable. The TV was ok, but the DVD picture and sound were poor, suspect both old and and in need of updating. The outside looked tatty and in dire need of some TLC, front door difficult to open, broken gate catch, weeds everywhere and only old benches to sit on, fortunately we had our own easy chairs. Your pictures on the web site are obviously quite old! On the plus side it had great views over the Somerset countryside.....

Perfect location and accommodation for me.

When we first arrived, we found the location was idyllic. Due to the late check-in, 4pm. We arrived with much of the day gone so we headed out for a walk in the surrounding fields and country and thoroughly enjoyed it. That evening the owner, Sebastian popped by to meet and great us and was hesitant about us having a German shepherd. That make us feel very awkward to the point we almost up and left that same night. We booked through Rural Retreats and expressed we had a German shepherd and was told this was fine and not an issue. While I appreciate Sebastian is looking after his interests and explained of a previous time a dog did some damage - Rural retreats should stop large dogs being allowed as part of the booking. As I mentioned this made us feel very awkward and really dampened our whole experience and we felt we had to be extra cautious.

The location turned out to be very close to local amenities and was well placed as you wasn’t able to tell unless. There is plenty to see and do within the area.

I do think that the late check in of 4pm is a bit too late, the cowshed isn’t a large building and to allow 6 hours to clean it before the next guest can arrive almost makes the first day redundant, the cowshed could be cleaned within 2 hrs at most.

The welcome hamper was a nice thought however given their location and proximity to location wildlife and farms etc we would have liked to see some more organic or locally produced items, most of the welcome basket was from Tesco’s all except the butter and cheese if I recall.

The external courtyard was as described, albeit the gate latches were broken and we had to resort to use a breeze block to keep the gates closed while the dog was out there.

To summarise while we enjoyed the area thoroughly and certainly would return we unfortunately probably wouldn’t rebook this property.

Homely feel, and amazing views.

Lovely location, helpful owners

It was fantastic. We have a fabulous time, Sebastian was the perfect host. 100% would stay again!

The property was beautifully presented- quirky- with quality fixtures and fittings. It was clean, well equipped and the welcome hamper was well stocked. There were plenty of local walks, and Wells was also within walking distance! The owner was friendly but respectful of our privacy. Would love to re-visit.

Lovely and clean. Perhaps an oven tray and wine glasses would be
useful. Owners a positive delight and bought a parasol which was needed for the extreme unexpected heat.
Would return in the future and recommend.

Such a quirky place. Immaculate and tastefully decorated. Warm hospitality and a fabulous welcome basket on arrival.

Tiny quaint cottage - it was like stepping back in time to a very peaceful village in proximity to the wealth of the English countryside.
V comfortable and would highly recommend to discerning clients

Lovely quiet location, everything you need for a break away from it all.

Lovely quirky cottage in good location.

lovely toll house in a great location very friendly village, 3 nice pubs the ancient mariner has good food, the hamper was first class everything we needed, even the children in village was polite

We had a wonderful short break in the Toll House - beautifully decorated and maintained, with everything you could need including a really useful welcome hamper of bread, milk etc. The location is quiet but perfect for getting to various sights and attractions nearby - we loved Dunster and Kilve Beach. Thank you for a lovely stay!

Fantastic little place which is perfect for a short break..
good pubs, great local shops, great walks and plenty to visit nearby...
well recommended,

Excellent. Quaint, cosy and just what we wanted :-) Lovely basket of goodies (bread, biscuits, cereal, jam), milk, eggs, wine and cheese in the fridge. Lovely fire in the wood stove ready to light. Lovely bathtub too. There is no phone signal or wifi which provided a welcome break. The local pubs have it, if you feel the need to connect. Drove to Watchet and East Quantoxhead for a really nice day trip. Many thanks for all your thoughtful touches!

We really like unusual properties and this fitted the bill. The village was perhaps a bit disappointing as there was a boarded up garage and a bric-a-brac shop that never seemed to open! That said we tried out all 3 pubs and found the staff and the locals to be really kind and friendly.

Very cute, fun and interesting house. Very well equipped. Linen would have preferred cotton. Lots of interesting pieces in house some of them could have have been better dusted. No wifi which is a big minus.

the property was dark and gloomy, had been shut up and smelt musty,

Lovely cottage but lacking in recycling facilities while was disappointing

Brilliant little hide away

Beautiful cottage, so quaint! Lovely sleepy village setting. The welcome hamper was ample and so generous - thank you!

Lovely little cottage in super village. Owner responded very quickly when there was a problem with the front door lock, could not have asked for more.

Fantastic

Excellent

Wonderful cottage in good location

My parents loved the toll house that we sent them to. Sounds like it was little and cosy and a perfect little getaway. Thank you!

A bigger bed would have made things more comfortable, lovely inside, pictures a little creepy. Don't think I would book a cottage without a garden again but did really enjoy the stay.

Fabulous little house in a fabulous setting.

Location was fabulous and the house although small is beautifully designed..

Lovely house in a great location, very clean, housekeeping on the whole was good.

Only a couple of negatives, no bed linen change on a 10 night stay and a lack of kitchen items (mainly storage containers for fresh food, which we bought and left, plenty of cutlery but no serving spoons and although there was a washer dryer, there was no clothes airer for delicates).

Superb location, well-equipped and beautifully clean.

The accommodation was perfect and the standard of housekeeping the best we have come across in 30 years of this kind of holiday. Congratulations to the owner, the company and the housekeeper!

Would have been five stars, but no heating in kitchen, so too cold to have breakfast there.

It was a lovely place in a beautiful location. Everything had been thought of to make our stay very enjoyable including providing a very extensive welcome hamper. Thank you.

A lovely location and so convenient for the town. Felt very relaxed and comfortable as soon as we arrived. Splendid hamper. We hope to repeat the experience as soon as possible.

A lovely house in an ideal location. Superb attention to detail. The welcome hamper was excellent. We will certainly recommend it.

Fantastic house in a wonderful location spotlessly clean all quality fixtures and fittings with an amazing welcome pack, what more could you ask for.

The property is first class in every way and the situation overlooking the cathedral is superb.

Beautiful, comfortable, well-equipped cottage in enviable position.

Beautiful house very comfortable, central and easy to explore Wells, short walk to supermarket. We also thoroughly enjoyed being able to use the bus service to visit other areas of Somerset enabling us both to enjoy the countryside, and not worry about parking.
An amazingly restful enjoyable holiday

Beautiful house in a lovely location and we had fabulous weather

This a beautiful home in a beautiful location. We would highly recommend it!

everything we needed was there.the hamper was fantastic and views from the front window onto the greenabonus' only critism was readingthe map provided.but we are not good at maps.we would be happy to go again it is very special.wonderful recital in the cathedral.

We love this home! The gorgeous location across the green from Wells Cathedral is matched by the lovely comfort and meticulously clean interior of this property. Every detail is anticipated and the house is so easy to relax in. It’s within walking distance of every amenity you could possibly want or need while in Wells. This may be our favorite Rural Retreats cottage - and we’ve stayed in many of them throughout the years. We can’t wait to return!

Home from home quality. Very comfortable and wonderful location!

Es war wieder alles sehr schön.

A very well equiped and luxurious cottage. We especially appreciated the very generous welcome basket and all the little extras that made our stay so enjoyable.

Lovely location in the heart of Bath and the hosts left a wonderful welcome basket!!!

Lovely flat but top of building!

Warm, comfortable and delightful flat

All good. Flexible customer service, and lovely selection of food goodies available for us on arrival

Location was brilliant - and the apartment very comfortable.

Lovely apartment, great location.

Lovely apartment in a great location.

Apartment was great but wifi is a must in this day and age

The apartment was amazing and in a fantastic location for exploring Bath, it was really clean and the house keeper was really welcoming..

It's a home from home, with a good bar 50m away.

Very well-appointed and in a great location in Bath.

Brilliant position to visit Bath

Amazing apartment and Joyce the housekeeper did so much to make our stay perfect. The welcome hamper was much appreciated and all of the instructions and information beforehand was really helpful.

I would actually rate the housekeeping service by Joyce, as excellent. However, our stay at Catharine Place, Bath was spoilt by disturbance from the flat above. Loud footsteps and creaking floorboards made a considerable impact on our sleep and ability to enjoy this beautiful, well situated property. Because of this, we will not be returning.

Housekeeping excellent. No wifi is an issue as is noise from neighbouring flats otherwise mark would be excellent

Big shout for Joyce who couldn't have been more helpful. Thank you.

Very good property in the heart of Bath. No excuse to not have wifi in the property these days.

Our 2nd stay here, 5 yrs after the first - had forgotten how much we liked it so have booked a return already. Lack of wifi an issue for some family members....

This was below the usual Rural Retreats standards. Bed wasn't very comfortable, some maintenance issues needed attention, including dangerous mirrored intrusion in hallway and peeling wall paper. Very hard to collect keys through housekeeper, who didn't answer the phone but always called back. Wifi is essential now, not an option. The commercial BT alternative is expensive and unreliable. Supply wifi as others do, even if it means charging a little more per night. Everyone else does that.

Due to the many stairs anybody who is disabled would not be able to access the place. I don't think that was on the literature. Fortunately the stairs made us fitter! But what a pleasure the apartment was.

Well presented and maintained cottage in a very quiet location (though some noise at 4.30am with locals going to work!). Good location for day trips out to Longleat, Cheddar Gorge, Bath and Weston Super Mare.

Lacking in outdoor space - no garden and just enough room for a table, chairs and barbeque but permitted access to the adjacent farmland with lots of little woodland trails more than made up for it.

Generally very clean, modern and well equipped but needed a little more attention to detail, we found popcorn under a dresser and a disposable cup under a bed. Left 2 sets of towels for 4 person accommodation but this was quickly resolved after leaving a message with the house keeper.

Outstanding cottage! A delight to stay in over Easter weekend. Really well equipped with some lovely extra touches including The White Company toiletries. Would whole heartedly recommend

Clean and well provisioned

It was just perfect for a laid back stay

The cottage was beautifully decorated and appointed and would have earned 5 stars were it not for the "no alcohol" policy which we thought slightly unnecessary and not made clearer at the booking stage.

Lovely cottage but with some odd views on having an alcoholic drink. Was there any particular reason for this?

Spotless cottage - everything you needed and more!

The apartment was lovely, really clean and comfortable, it was Christmas and the sitting room had some lovely Christmas decorations. The welcome hamper was most generous. Sarah, the housekeeper, was so efficient and helpful, good concise instructions and offered us an early arrival time. Parking worked really well , I would thoroughly recommend this apartment.

This was a beautiful apartment with all amenities provided. A lovely food hamper was waiting for us on our arrival. Everywhere was clean and there was a beautiful private garden. The building was steeped in 250 years of history and was a great base for our visit to Bath.

Great location and it's a nice feeling leaving the front door - one very minor point it's worth letting people know that the access stairs are quite narrow; they are quite a challenge when you're carrying a large suitcase.

I would recommend it to anyone.

Great place, great service, nice care package on arrival. Thank you.

The new housekeeper was very helpful, and presented the apartment very well,all immaculate.

Lovely property. Housekeeper excellent, very helpful.

Fantastic the apartment and the housekeeping service provided

Our housekeeper was great but the apartment was poorly maintained. We only had enough hot water for 1-1/2 showers per day, until we figured out that the owner had the system set to heat water in the morning. Also the bathrooms both needed updating and the furniture was tired and worn.

Location - excellent; kitchen excellent; room size - excellent; bathroom linen - excellent - the White Company. Access - poor; hand basin taps - poor; shower room - fan not working, shaver socket not working.

The Yard is equipped with all amenities and has good beds. It is tastefully decorated and located in an environment that we love very much. A great house from which you can undertake a lot, but in which you can also retreat for peace.

We loved every minute of our stay from beginning to end. The hamper was the best we have ever seen, generous and full of local products. The converted barn was spotlessly clean with a fantastic kitchen and for us the highlight was a glass conservatory which overlooked the expansive field. There was a superb outside setting and you feel totally private. Everything was as brand new. We would highly recommend The Yard to anyone who wants a relaxed, quiet and comfortable stay in the countryside. Di and Steve have thought of every comfort required for a stay away from home.

Brilliant property so well appointed with top quality equipment comfortable with all minor details taken care of. Wells and Glastonbury near by. Brilliant.

Everything was perfect. Accommodation and fittings were first class and the setting was so peaceful.

Wonderful place to escape to. Incredible attention to detail. Amazing welcome hamper, lovely simple and effective design yet somehow spacious. Great location.

The cottage was very comfortable for two people but may have been more of a challenge for 4 adults e.g. sharing one bathroom. The decorations and furnishings were excellent - lots of thought had been put into conversion from stables to a cottage. The owners lived just 50 metres away and were there to greet us and chatted with us before our departure - much appreciated, as was the superb 'hamper' which exceeded our expectations and was easily the best yet on a Rural Retreats stay. Being away in February was always going to be risky, but the cottage was very well heated (underfloor heating) and it benefited from a lot of windows, making it light and airy. Great place for a couple.

We had an amazing break away at The Yard! It is one of the best cottages we have ever been to - beautiful location, finished to a fab standard throughout, amazingly equipped and the owners were very friendly and welcoming. While there we went to longleat and cheddar gorge which were both about 30mins away and we went to Bath which was a 50min journey, all great places to visit. We cannot wait to return and make more family memories in such a beautiful cottage!

Well furnished comfortable house in a quiet surrounding. No noise or light pollution. Owners living next door was helpful.

Is was a 100% perfect holiday property. Outlook, space quality of all facilities was absolutely brilliant - and the welcome hamper, well, that was something else!, a true taste of everything local and best. It had that extra little touch of class.

Perfect location in wonderful countryside. Beautiful accommodation: comfortable, well furnished and complete hamper on arrival. Many places of interest within 20 mile radius and several very good eating venues.

Above our expectations. Private lovely location and a very high standard of accommodation. Nothing was too much trouble for the owners and we will return to this property.

We had a wonderful time at The Yard, Somerset. This high quality conversion was spotlessly clean, comfortable and in a pleasant setting. The owners were welcoming and very generous with their hamper contents. We would be more than happy to stay again particularly as there is an abundance of things to see and do in the area not just in Somerset but in neighbouring Wiltshire and Dorest too. We came home feeling very relaxed after our stay. Thank you to Steve and Di.

Very comfortable property. Clean and well equipped with excellent facilities. Welcoming hosts.

A wonderful property to stay in, beautifully designed and well furnished to a high standard. Lovely bedrooms and shower room with views out over fields and multiple door access to the outside.
Very close to many of the great places to visit in the area. We had a wonderful time. Thank you

Best cottage in uk very good

The best Rural Retreats property we have stayed at, and we have stayed at quite a few over the years! Well converted, quality fixtures and fittings, warm and clean. A credit to the owners.

The Yard is a tranquil, comfortable and cosy retreat. You want for nothing.

Comfortable and warm. All the equipment in the cottage is top quality. It is in a lovely setting and convenient to visit all the attractions of Somerset

Everything was to an extremely high standard. Would recommend this property to others without hesitation. Owners very helpful too.

Simply the best accommodation we have stayed in. Our hosts were very helpful, thoughtful and friendly. The welcome hamper was the best we have received upon arrival.

The actual cottage was beautiful, lovely garden with fabulous added touches. Loved the White Company toiletries and the BBQ coal etc was great.
The reason I didn't give the property 4 stars is the hamper given should not have been gluten free & contain nuts.
Also, I should of read the description carefully before I booked. No alcohol to be permitted, who goes away and doesn't enjoy a glass of wine!!!!!!

Was pleasantly surprised. The Cottage was tastefully done. Was as the pictures looked. Had everything we needed. We all felt really at home there. Lovely feel about the place.
Would definitely use again & recommend to family etc.

Clean, comfortable cottage. Beautiful surroundings and well equipped.

See what I wrote in 1st part of review

It's a lovely house, great setting, beautiful garden, clean and well decorated. Local people were very pleasant and friendly. Good family-friendly holiday (except for stairgate issue mentioned below). Kitchen great for cooking and the basket of food was a really kind addition. I slept in the downstairs bedroom and it was such a comfortable bed.

We were pretty surprised when we arrived and discovered the no alcohol policy. We were a small group with infants and I'm pregnant so it wasn't a big deal, but if you're going to tell adults they can't drink alcohol then it should be made pretty clear in advance. There was something about "please no drinking on the farm" in the online particulars but we had no idea that meant no alcohol in the house all weekend.

The main problem was the lack of stairgate at the bottom of the stairs. I specifically inquired about this before booking and made sure there would be stairgates. In the days before we arrived we spoke to the owner who confirmed the stairgates would be in place. But when we arrived the bottom one wasn't there, and we found it broken in the cupboard. I was pretty disappointed as this was very important to me with two toddlers.

Outstanding cottage, finished to a high standard, place was spotlessly clean, lovely welcome hamper upon arrival.
April the owner was more than accommodating, couldn't fault it. Great NYE break.

Very well equipped. Comfortable cottage. Great location

We loved this cottage beautifully decorated and everything you could require for a relaxing break.

Cannot fault the accomodation but was a little surprised to find it was a shared garden. This perhaps needs to be made clearer.

Stunning cottage and location. Great for the family and added bonus of having access to the farm. My nephew (3 yrs) loved the goats and the duck castle😀 Also my mum (84yrs) loved the downstairs bedroom. Something for all ages. Definitely recommend a stay and look forward to trying other Rural Retreat cottages.

Perfect in all respects

Truly exceptional, very relaxing Easter weekend away with family.

lovely cottage

We had a lovely time at this house. There was ample space, and the kids found stuff to do. There were a couple of minor problems during our stay; they were taken care of quickly, transparently, and effectively.

This cottage is so gorgeous and has absolutely every luxury fitting you can think of while maintaining its period charm. Easy to get to and handy to all the local sites. Little M&S up the road and a farm shop 5 minutes away as well as two Pubs.

Cottage is top, very nice and charming and with all equipments available (fully in line with the description).
Support from Nikki (house keeper) was perfect.
Small "weakness": nice garden, but no view on the landscape.

A gorgeous old house in a beautiful part of the world
The garden is lovely and my two little granddaughters loved the swings, slide and sandpit

Beautiful home, perfect for our wedding weekend!

We have stayed at many holiday cottages but this one was by far the best. The furniture was comfortable and it was very well equipped. It is the first time that night lights have been provided and in the kitchen there were trays, chopping boards and good quality pots and pans. Items such as cling film, foil, dishwasher tablets and detergent were provided. (It is amazing how many other cottages only provide enough for a few days even when the booking is for 2 weeks or more.) Even the seating in the conservatory was good quality and outside there were cushions for the chairs and sun lounger as well as an umbrella. The linen and towels were good quality too.
Of course the cottage itself is lovely and is in a convenient location because it has over 20 interesting places to visit within 45 minutes' drive.

Really wonderful English cottage! So beautifully presented. Everything very high quality and exceptional attention to detail. Spotless. Great location too with so much to do though relaxing in the garden was also a delight. Spent four nights there. Wish we had longer. Entertained fantasy of making the owner an offer to buy it!! Caretaker also very helpful during stay - we couldn’t work the TV — and they popped around that afternoon to explain controls! Important because Wimbledon was on! On finding out my son and husband love tennis - they also dropped around good rackets and new balls so we could use a nearby court. They went out of there way to make sure we had everything we needed - which we did. If you like the look of the cottage and it’s in the right location - don’t hesitate to book.

Excellent facilities, beautifully finished cottage , great base for exploring the area- will definitely return!

Nice stay. Lovely house and gardens. House was very clean with all mod cons. Underfloor heating in one of the bedrooms didn't seem to work very well though. Needs television in a reception room. Cant really watch tv in the kitchen comfortably with a large family, nor in the play room.
Overall, very nice stay.

Beautiful property in a lovely rural setting providing all the home comforts you need and friendly helpful hosts on site.
Friendly pub down the road but remember to pack the wellies!

We all had a lovely time in this beautiful house. We thought it was respectfully restored, meticulously kept and thoughtfully presented. It was really well equipped, and a pleasure to cook and relax in.
Many thanks to the housekeeper who was friendly and helpful. The welcome basket far exceeded our expectations too. Thank you.

Beautiful cottage - comfortable and very well equipped with some great facilities for both kids and adults. Would have been perfect if located in village or town but there is plenty within short drive.

Probably the best cottage we have ever stayed in. A beautifully restored property with full amenities; all top quality and very comfortable.

Really old cottage beautifully renovated in an excellent location within walking distance of two pubs and a great farm shop also nearby.

Well presented - attention to detail and support when there was a power cut; a personal service which was appreciated.

You won’t find better! It’s a special place, so well thought out as a holiday destination. It is suitable for families, couples all year round.
We particularly liked its location and it’s quiet ambiance. Froze, Bath Westbury and Bristol all very handy as is the train from Westbury to Exeter...direct and in 60 mins!

Relaxed comfortable place to holiday in a pretty location, wondrrful holiday.

St Edmunds Court was a fabulous retreat and all the family enjoyed their stay here. It was clean, comfortable and a perfect stay for us all.

Clean and comfortable quiet posistion.
Nice bedrooms
Pretty dog friendly garden

Very comfortable and well equipped.

Accommodation was up to RR standard and met our expectations. Garden was good and enjoyed walking our dog in the attached fields and woodlands, but would have benefitted from a larger table for outdoors dining. Entrance on to the main road would benefit from a mirror as it is completely blind.

Beautiful property, very spacious, lovely peaceful location. Very handy pub just opposite. Perfect location to explore the area.
Just be aware that it's a property that doesn't allow any alcohol on the premises.

We were unwell during our stay but there wasn’t a more comfortable place to be! Every detail was appreciated.

The property was immaculate. Everything we needed was provided for. The beautiful, huge gardens kept our children and dog entertained when we weren't out. We enjoyed some wonderful rural walks around the area, and it was close to Longleat Safari and other interesting places for day trips out. We didn't mind, but be aware that you cant leave your dog in the house whilst going on an outing. We loved it so much, we're thinking of coming back again next year.

Wonderful - exceeded our expectations.

Cottage was clean and very comfortable. Gardens absolutely beautiful. I suggest having details about the extensive gardens for exploring. Useful to have instructions about how to get oven to work. No mobile reception at cottage so it would be helpful to be provided with the landline number. Can opener is broken and no cheese grater.

Fab hosts and a great stay. We accidentally left a bottle Champers and lots of booze in the wine fridge, but the hosts deserved a little treat!

Thank you. We would stay again.

Holywell House is a beautiful property, very well equipped and beautifully furnished. It was very peaceful and comfortable, we would definitely recommend this property. Unfortunately the local pub is closed at the moment for refurbishment which was disappointing.

Holywell house is a beautiful, comfortable and well equipped holiday home. The welcome hamper is much appreciated too. We have visited twice now and will definitely book again in the future. Cannot recommend highly enough.

A fine, clean, well-cared for house. Very comfortable and well-equipped.
We were expecting the "stunning views" from the 1st floor to be open countryside, but they really are only the garden fence at the back and a building site at the front, so we felt the brochure description over enthusiastic in this respect.

We had a wonderful holiday at Holywell house. It is very central to visit Somerset, Devon and Dorset. The owners have put so much effort into the property which made for a very comfortable stay. Everything was spotlessly clean and modern. The beds and sofas are very comfy too. All mod cons are provided and lots of lovely extra touches like white fluffy towels and toiletries and a wonderful food hamper left for us. It is one of the best properties we have stayed at in the UK. All holiday homes should aspire to be like this one. We have already decided we will be booking again next year!

Excellent standard of accommodation and very well equipped.

High standard of accommodation with first class facilities.we were pleased to see they still had the the decorations up which delighted the younger members of the family.

The house was perfect exactly what we wanted. Interior was all brand new and very clean throughout.
Great value for money!

Fantastic house, beautifully finished, really well equipped with everything we needed for an excellent Christmas stay. The owners live next door in the pub and were very friendly and helpful.