Chunky knits and wellies at the ready! Jo Rees handpicks smart rural inns and dining pubs with rooms for an autumn getaway in the South West
The Holcombe
At this foodie getaway in Somerset’s Mendip Hills, owners Alan Lucas and Caroline Gardiner oversee a seasonal, low‑waste menu that utilises their own homegrown produce and the best from nearby artisan suppliers. Their raised beds and polytunnels are as much a part of the team as Truffle the house hound, and garden‑to‑plate dining is the defining culinary ethos.
The inn itself reveals rustic‑modern charm. Recently renovated bedrooms mix British‑made textiles with antique finds, while three lodges offer a little more privacy and views over fields or kitchen plots. Two bedrooms are dog‑friendly and one has a log burner – perfect for a cosy afternoon snooze in front of the fire after a stomp through the surrounding countryside. Follow with a beautifully prepared supper and a comfy bed for a weekend reset that’ll see you through to Christmas.
The Cotley Inn
On the Cotley Estate at the foot of the Blackdown Hills in Somerset, this 17th-century inn blends rural charm with a seriously good food game and warm hospitality.
Seasonal menus range from fine cooking like walnut‑crusted duck with szechuan sauce to casual eats such as bratwurst and wood‑fired pizza in the garden, so you can mix it up on a weekend away. Everything is sourced hyper locally, including vegetables from the kitchen garden and meat from the field across the road. Sunday lunches are a robust affair featuring yorkies the size of your head and tankards of proper ale.
All bedrooms in the Grade II‑listed former stables come with goose‑down duvets, Egyptian cotton sheets and birdsong, but for the best room in the house book The Holt. The stylish barn conversion is set over two floors and features a king‑size bed, roll‑top bath and spacious living space.
Sign of the Angel
The ancient village of Lacock may be famous for its appearances in TV period dramas like Downton Abbey, but the village’s real star is this charming 15th‑century coaching inn. All wonky beams, crackling logs and candlelight, it’s a hugely atmospheric spot for an autumn weekender.
Its two‑AA‑rosette culinary offering lives up to the splendid setting, and centres on Modern British cooking crafted from local ingredients. No weekender should conclude without sampling the fabulous Sunday lunch, which includes the likes of roast rump of beef with treacle beef croquette and horseradish cream.
Bedrooms are dressed for comfort with feather duvets, duck‑down pillows and homemade welcome treats. There’s also a guests‑only sitting room for chilling out between feasts and countryside adventures.
The Old Coastguard
There’s magic to be found at The Old Coastguard in the fishing village of Mousehole. From its scrubbed wooden tables to the palm‑fringed terrace, everything leans into its Cornish coastal setting – right down to a menu dictated by whatever the Newlyn dayboats bring ashore.
Head chef Danny Garland (ex‑Ottolenghi) doesn’t just stop at fish, though: local meats, cheeses and inventive plant‑based dishes get their due in a brasserie‑style menu that’s casual but accomplished. Feast on dishes like monkfish with whipped cod’s roe, kimchi butter and mussels, or head to The Crab Shack in the sea‑facing garden for easy eats like brown‑crab toasties and scallops in the half‑shell with seaweed butter.
The addition of guest rooms gazing over Mount’s Bay, Vispring beds, an award‑winning bar and sea air make The Old Coastguard a potent remedy for the stresses of a busy working week.
The Bath Arms
On the edge of the Longleat Estate in Wiltshire, The Bath Arms balances heritage charm with quietly luxurious touches. Inside, the bar buzzes with chatter over pints of traditional ale and world‑class wines, while the restaurant delivers unpretentious seasonal fare that’s rooted in the landscape.
Chef Jack Chapman’s menus shift with the seasons, featuring meat and game from the estate, venison from Dartmoor, daily landed fish from the south coast and comforting puds like apple crumble to share.
Sixteen bedrooms, set across the main house and former stables, feature crisp cotton sheets, Bramley bath products (a sister business) and a soothing Wiltshire-inspired palette.
Enjoyed reading our pick of wild weekends for an autumn escape in the South West? Discover more curated round-ups.
We choose the companies included in our features based on editorial integrity. Occasionally, some inclusions will be handpicked from clients with whom we have a commercial relationship.
