White Hart Somerton

Somerton, Bristol, Bath & Somerset, United Kingdom
Book from GBP Book from £63 per night

White Hart Somerton

Somerton, Bristol, Bath & Somerset, United Kingdom

21st-century style in a welcoming 16th-century pub with 8 unique rooms and an unmissable restaurant

21st-century style in a welcoming 16th-century pub with 8 unique rooms and an unmissable restaurant

They say, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it”. So when sister pub The Swan Wedmore proved to have a winning formula, the team quickly struck gold again with this delightful market town pub-with-rooms. Since then a third, Timbrell's Yard, has popped up in Bradford on Avon. And all share the same warm, relaxed ethos.

In picturesque Somerton, this ancient inn overlooking the market square and pretty church has 8 bedrooms - each with their own quirky charm. Some have claw-foot bathtubs, others retro wallpaper or antique trunks; all have super-comfortable beds and indulgent local Bramley products. But best of all is the laid-back restaurant, run by an ex River Cottage chef, whose ethos is local, seasonal produce. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, which called for deliciously smoky roast beef with all the trimmings. Looking around, we saw a happy mix of couples, families and groups all enjoying a homely rural welcome. Lovely stuff.

Highs

  • A superb restaurant, serving fresh, regional fare: fish from Bridport, game from Kingsweston and delicious desserts
  • Just 8 lovely rooms that offer comfort and style in spades
  • A lovely market town setting with beautiful surrounding countryside, and within easy reach of the A303
  • Run with real care and attention by a friendly and knowledgeable young team
  • Excellent value for money

Lows

  • A pub-with-rooms rather than a full-service hotel - don't expect room service
  • The rooms at the front (1, 2 and 3), could be subject to road noise, but double glazing has been fitted to minimise this
  • Rooms are not designed for long stays; no wardrobes or chests of drawers
  • No parking at the pub but there are free carparks a short walk away

Best time to go

The White Hart is open all year. In spring and summer, you can enjoy the Mediterranean planted terrace and garden; autumn allows day trips to arboretums and Stourhead to see beautiful tree displays. In winter, this would be a cosy bolthole thanks to open fires in the bar.

Our top tips

  • Bring bikes so you can cycle around the flat Somerset Levels, with their unique marsh and ditch systems. In winter, the Levels are famous for birdlife, including murmurations of starlings. Staff can arrange bike hire if this is easier
  • Coincide your visit with Shepton Mallet's quarterly antiques market at the Bath and West Showground
  • Great for...

    Cheap & Chic
    Family
    Foodie
    Great Outdoors
    Romantic
    • Pub with rooms
    • 8 rooms
    • Restaurant and bar (open daily)
    • All ages welcome
    • Open all year
    • Pool
    • Spa Treatments
    • Beach Nearby
    • Pet Friendly
    • Disabled Access
    • Car recommended
    • Parking
    • Restaurants Nearby
    • WiFi
    • Air Conditioning
    • Guest Lounge
    • Terrace
    • Garden
    • Gym
    • Concierge Service
    Room:

    Rooms

    Stylish and eclectic, all rooms have amazingly comfy beds, Egyptian linens, and luscious local Bramley products.

    At the front of the pub, Large Room 1 is light and airy thanks to gorgeous dual aspect windows. Medium Room 2 has soft, feminine pale lemon tones and steps leading up to an ensuite with beautiful claw-foot tub.

    Super Room 3 is the show-stopper, with a fabulous four-poster and in-room claw-foot bathtub backed by a cool mosaic wall. Antique-style furniture reminds you of the building's long history, and restored sash windows overlook the 13th-century church.

    If you're happy without a view, we thought Small Room 4 was the best value. Despite the name, it felt spacious, with a French-style bed and fabulous walk-in shower.

    Those needing twin beds should book Small Room 5 (a quiet and simply decorated room) or Medium Room 8 (lovely New-England-style tongue-and-groove panelling). Be aware that the latter has the kitchen’s extractor fan outside its window, though this should stop around 11pm.

    Our favourite, with its hand-printed balloon wallpaper, was Medium Room 6, overlooking the terrace. Also charming is Medium Room 7 with beautiful dream catcher-feather wallpaper, and a bathroom adorned with flying ducks.

    Features include:

    • Hairdryer
    • WiFi

    Eating

    With Tom Blake, ex River Cottage head chef, at the helm, we had high hopes for the imaginative upmarket pub grub, and it totally delivered. Menus list all of the artisan West-Country suppliers (sustainable Bridport fish, Pitney veg) and the bar serves all English beers and ciders.

    We Sunday lunched on old spot pork belly - delicious crackling, sweet apple sauce - and smoky, succulent roast beef topside, with red wine gravy. The friendly team recommended a rich chocolate terrine pudding with salted caramel popcorn, strawberry sorbet and pistachio crumb. Definitely a good call.

    Evening meals might include a kedgeree scotch egg with raita starter, or a veg sharing plate with marinated courgette. For the main, perhaps go for an informal stone-baked flatbread pizza (spicy lamb, feta and mint) or a more traditional pork chop with orange, wood-roasted potatoes, rocket and salsa.

    In the morning, breakfast was served on the sunny terrace. Our baby son was offered warmed milk and his own portion of scrambled eggs (there’s a daytime kids' menu, too). We went for a slightly more decadent version: chorizo sausages, creamy scrambled eggs and hearty toast, washed down with cloudy apple juice. Sat there with the Sunday papers and fresh coffee, we really felt on holiday.

    Features include:

    • Bar
    • Breakfast
    • Kids' meals
    • Organic produce
    • Restaurant
    • Restaurants nearby
    • Vegetarian options
    Eating:
    Activity:

    Activities

    • Explore Somerton's thriving arts scene, little boutiques, and beautiful 13th-century church. An ancient Saxon town, there's also an old Market Place and various alms houses
    • Further afield, the pub team can recommend country walks and sites to visit - they have a number of local maps and guidebooks
    • Clark's Shopping Village (a 15-minute drive away in Street) has a plethora of high street and designer outlets., while Shepton Mallet's Kilver Court has a Mulberry outlet shop (30 minutes' drive)
    • Glastonbury's National Trust-managed Tor gives panoramic views of the Somerset Levels, Dorset, Wiltshire and Wales. And don't miss the iconic town's ruined abbey
    • Other local National Trust properties include Lytes Cary (a medieval manor house), Stourhead (magnificent gardens) and Barrington Court (a Tudor manor house, with an arboretum)
    • For an afternoon activity, the pub team can organise bike hire, horse riding lessons, or golf. Fishing, clay pigeon shooting, hunting and tennis are also available
    • Kick back and sample the pub's fine selection of local ales and ciders

    Activities on site or nearby include:

    • Birdwatching
    • Cider tasting
    • Cycling
    • Fishing
    • Golf
    • Hiking
    • Historical sites
    • Horse riding
    • Museums / galleries
    • Plantlife / flora
    • Shopping / markets
    • Tennis

    Kids

    The White Hart is family friendly; our baby son was welcomed with open arms - instantly making us feel relaxed, too. There are no specific kids' facilities but there's a small garden and Somerton has a public play area. If travelling with a baby or toddler, do bring a monitor - as soon as the team saw ours they asked which room we were in and recommended where to sit based on where we’d get the best reception.

    Best for:

    Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

    Family friendly accommodation:

    All but the Small and Medium rooms can hold an extra bed or baby cot, note that no room can take a family of four. Super and Large room categories have bathtubs

    Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

    Babysitting:

    Available on request

    Baby equipment:

    • Baby cots (with bed sheets)
    • High chairs

    Remember  baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking

    Children's meals:

    A good-value kids' menu, ranging from homemade pizzas to hummus and carrot sticks or pollock fish fingers and chips. Nearby, The Courtyard Cafe serves cream teas and has a kids' play area

    Kids Activities on site:

    • Small garden

    Kids Activities nearby:

    • Somerton play park
    • Greenbanks outdoor heated pool
    • The North Somerset coast
    • Longleat Safari Park
    • Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole caves
    • Puxton Park
    • Noah's Ark Zoo Farm

    Distances:

    • Airport: 1 hour (Bristol)
    • Shops: 2 minutes
    Kid Friendly:

    Location

    The White Hart is set in the small town of Somerton in Somerset, southwest England - convenient for the A303 and M5.

    By Air
    Bristol (49km) and Exeter (77km) are the nearest airports. Both have good links from other cities within the UK and Europe, but if you're coming from further afield you'll probably arrive at London Heathrow (240km).

    By Car
    Being in rural Somerset, you'll want either bring your own vehicle or hire a car. The pub is an hour's drive from Bristol or around 3 hours from London, and there's a free long-stay car park in Somerton.

    By Train:
    Castle Cary is 18km away and Bridgwater is 29km away - both have good links from Exeter, London Paddington and other UK cities - see Seat 61 for more details. London Heathrow is linked to London Paddington by the high-speed Heathrow Express rail line.

    Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

    More on getting to the UK and getting around

    Airports:

    • Bristol 49.0 km BRS
    • Bristol 77.0 km EXE

    Other:

    • Beach 35.0 km
    • Shops 0.1 km
    • Restaurant 0.1 km

    Our guests' ratings...

    Based on 9 independent reviews from i-escape guests

    9/10
    Room
    9/10
    Food
    9/10
    Service
    9/10
    Value
    9/10
    Overall

    {{ review.rating }}/10, ,

    Rates for White Hart Somerton

    Arriving on: