Looking for a winter break in the UK? The Newt in Somerset should be at top of your list…
Debrah Dhugga
Luxe columnist
People often ask me which is my favourite hotel in the UK. Well, I have a couple depending on where in the UK, but this is certainly in my top picks. I can’t recommend a break here enough for either a special occasion or a winter getaway.
About The Newt
They built the main house in the 17th century and remodelled it during Georgian times. Capturing the essence of a Georgian family home, its restrained, classical beauty is offset by playful design. While the original working Stable Yard has been transformed into sophisticated accommodation, retaining characteristics harking back to its equestrian past.
The Newt in Somerset has been recreating the magic and folklore of Georgian times. Inspired by records from the archives, when the inhabitants of Hadspen House would leave the country for the city at Christmas, this year’s tale, ‘I Believe in Miracles’ puts a new spin on the story, as seen through the eyes of a little girl named Apple.
If the humans of Hadspen House stayed at home for Christmas, would the woodland creatures still come out to play? With a sprinkling of Newt alchemy, Apple and her merry band of woodland animals come together in the house and gardens for plenty of mischief, feasting and festive fun. Step into The Newt’s extraordinary world of wonderment to experience the festivities first hand and celebrate this special time
of year.
The history of The Newt
The Newt is a working ‘farm with rooms’, named the World’s Best Boutique Hotel at the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023. It has also been awarded three Michelin Keys in the guide’s inaugural hotel awards in 2024. With 2,000 acres of land, much of which is used for arable and livestock farming, its 30 acres of formal gardens welcome 250,000 visitors annually.
The gardens were shaped over the last two centuries by successive enthusiasts and some of horticulture’s most significant names. Some of which including Penelope Hobhouse and Nori and Sandra Pope, whose experiments with colour delighted visitors in the mid-1980s.
Today’s visitors can enjoy garden-to-table menus, horticultural courses and workshops, fresh produce in the shops and botanical treatments in the spa, along with an annual programme of talks, workshops and events led by The Newt’s knowledgeable team.
The estate’s ethos is to combine traditional practices with modern facilities and thinking, farming in a circular way that gives back to the soil. Livestock and
crops regenerate each other to create a balanced ecosystem. A deep respect for the land and all creatures living on it inspires everything.
The Newt’s ever-changing events programme takes a festive turn throughout November and December. Alongside daily garden tours, cider tastings, and interactive exhibits, visitors can book onto a guided Dawn Walk through glistening winter gardens. At this time of year, there’s always a beautiful central Christmas tree, fires roaring, chestnuts roasting, and a magical wine and cider list. The Newt is not only a great place for adults to enjoy, it also has a fabulous family offering too.
Location
The main hotel occupies a beautiful palladian-fronted, red-gold limestone Hadspen House, first built in 1687 and home for two centuries to the Hobhouse family: activists, politicians and conservationists. It stands on a working estate between Castle Cary and Bruton, and Patrice Taravella has entirely redesigned its gardens.
Design
The Newt is an English country house – no curtains at the lovely sash windows and no unwanted cushions placed on the beds, the walls of the natural, unadorned spa and the unfussy, Scandinavian style of the bedrooms and bathrooms, are a mix of modern and old.
Dining
The Botanical Rooms enjoy elegant and seasonal dining, inspired by and gathered from your surroundings. We invite you to feast on estate vegetables, the choicest cuts from the salt room, and dayboat fish from the Dorset coast.
Spa
Relax and unwind in the spa with its indoor-outdoor pool, steam room, sauna
and fabulous treatment rooms. Reconnect in the Medieval Herb Garden, sit for a
manicure, get some added stress relief through couples’ mud therapy, or enjoy a proper washdown in the hammam, the list is endless.
The Newt is something special. A destination in its own right. ‘A country estate
reimagined’ – with around 900 acres to relax and explore at your leisure. As evenings draw in, fires crackle and baths steam, there’s no better time to book a truly memorable escape to The Newt Somerset. Pack up your finery, walking boots and enjoy.
Rates
Rates start from around £550 a night bed and breakfast.
How to get there
You can fly to Bristol from Newcastle it’s only a 40 minute flight and The Newt is approx. 40 minutes from Bristol Airport.
