Abi Manning picks enchanting places to bask in the cosiness of the season
Osip, Bruton
Bruton’s Michelin‑starred restaurant has levelled up with the recent launch of four lush bedrooms, and is now making a strong case for the title of ‘UK’s most covetable gourmet escape’.
The rooms mirror the same peaceful minimalism and handcrafted finish of the restaurant and are a curation of exposed beams, oak flooring and locally crafted live‑edge wood furniture. The eagle‑eyed will notice exquisite elements that connect guests with the surrounding Somerset landscape.
This is a hot find for those appreciative of thoughtful, creative cooking. Chef‑owner Merlin Labron‑Johnson is a culinary wizard whose skills earnt him the Award for Creativity and Innovation at the Trencherman’s Awards 2025.
Southcombe Piggery, Dartmoor
There are heaps of opportunities for cosiness and creativity at this former piggery.
Spend your autumn visit snuggling by the fire on an upcycled chesterfield sofa, soaking in the roll‑top bath, or immersed in the Wild Spa with its wood‑fired sauna and twin outdoor baths. Private yoga sessions, Indian massage and gong baths provide further distractions.
Soul food is accompanied by bodily nourishment. Order a delivery of locally made Sri Lankan curry or arrange a private chef to whip up a foraged feast, cooked over flames.
Creative juices can be squeezed with a linocut-printing, flower‑crown making or forest‑bathing workshop.
The Old Smithy, Woolsery
Leave any preconceptions about rustic country living at the door of this beautiful upside‑down cottage in the north Devon village of Woolsery.
Polished concrete floors, expansive glass and contemporary design have been used to reinvent a former smithy, which holds a prestigious One‑Key Michelin rating. It’s part of The Collective at Woolsery, a regeneration of the village’s historic buildings which includes award‑winning pub The Farmers Arms, a village store and a farm.
The open‑plan living area is a cosy space for curling up in front of the roaring woodburner. A full kitchen is included – or simply open the gate between The Old Smithy and the pub’s garden for supper cooked by head chef Toby Neal.
Not after an entire cottage? The dinner, bed and breakfast package in a stylish room above the sister village shop is perfect for a romantic getaway for two.
Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa, Warminster
Bishopstrow offers a playful and refreshing reinvention of the manor house experience. Georgian elegance is balanced with modern-day sass in bedrooms packed with delicious colours, quirky features and lush views.
The jumping-off point for any stay here, however, is a meal at The Garden Grill, a farm-to-fork restaurant with a no-dig garden at its heart. Seasonal fruit, veg and herbs are grown using organic and sustainable methods, providing flavour and freshness all year round.
Beyond the bites and beds, there’s heaps to get stuck into at Bishopstrow, including an 18th‑century temple, walled garden, riverside footpaths, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts and afternoon tea by the fire.
Gaia, Widemouth Bay
Soothe the transition from warm days to the moodiness of autumn with a wellness break in hyper‑modern eco home Gaia.
The retreat sleeps up to ten and provides a cocoon in which to disconnect from everyday life. Should the outside world beckon, however, just outside its walls lie rugged Black Rock Beach, cafes, shops, sand dunes that go on for days, and the South West Coast Path.
Delve through the complimentary Cornish Food Box and land&water bath and body products (perks of booking one of Beach Retreats’ The Iconic Set properties), then take your pick from the abundance of in‑house options that will take you from stressed to serene.
Stretch out in the yoga room, melt away in the Finnish sauna or grab a blanket and enjoy a sundowner on the roof terrace. Stormy weather? Make it a movie night in the cinema room.
Enjoyed reading our curation of enchanting places to stay this autumn in the South West? Discover more curated round-ups.
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