As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to Somerset & Exmoor, Jackie King picks out a selection of Farm stays, camping, B&Bs and self-catering.
There's a huge range of accommodation in Somerset and Exmoor, covering all budgets, for single travellers, families and those looking for a base to explore this fascinating region. We've assembled a selection of places to stay, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Our selection includes a wonderful Elizabethan manor house, a traditional cottage with panoramic views to Cheddar Gorge, a range of self-catering cottages in the shadow of Glastonbury Tor, a lovely Tudor farmhouse on a working organic farm that provides delicious home-cooked, locally produced food, and a fantastic yurt retreat on a working Dairy Farm in the beautiful Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Google map: shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities in our Green Travel Guide to Somerset & Exmoor:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Local food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
Places to stay in Somerset & Exmoor
Hindon Organic Farm, Exmoor, UK
Tucked away in a secluded valley on the National Trust Holnicote Estate, this 380-hectare stock farm is within touching distance of Minehead, Dunster, Porlock and the coast. hindonfarm.co.uk
Gorge View Cottage, Mendip Hills, Somerset, England
An traditional cottage recently fully renovated to exacting environmental standards. Situated on a small lane, conveniently located in Cheddar village, with panoramic views to Cheddar Gorge, it is perfectly placed to explore the Mendip Hills area. gorgeviewcottage.co.uk
Somerset Yurts, Somerset, England
A fantastic yurt retreat on a working Dairy Farm in the beautiful Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The traditional Mongolian yurts are spacious while the nearby Dutch Barn is equipped with excellent kitchen and bathroom facilities. somersetyurts.co.uk
The Treehouse, Somerset
A fantastic luxury treehouse with a private self contained garden and stunning views. Explore the countryside then relax in the cedar hot tub or in front of the wood burning stove. Perfect for a family or as a couple's retreat. treehouseholidays.co.uk
Blackmore Farm, Somerset, England
A wonderful B&B in a unique 15th Century, Grade 1 Listed Manor House with many period features including oak beams, stone archways and medieval garderobes, and views of the Quantocks Hills. blackmorefarm.co.uk
Pool House, Woolavington, Somerset, England
A Grade II listed, Georgian village house B&B that has had a stylish modern makeover - the bedrooms and reception rooms are bright with tall sash windows and there's a cosy wood-fired stove in the drawing room. poolhousewoolavington.co.uk
Woolchamber Cottages, Simonsbath House, Exmoor, UK
The clue’s in the name: a 300-year-old barn – the woolchamber – has been converted to create three self-contained cottages with exposed beams and bags of charm. simonsbathhouse.co.uk
Exmoor House, Somerset, England
Escape to the heart of Exmoor at this lovely guesthouse with great food, everything is homemade, and menus tailored to guests' requirements. House parties can be accommodated too. Walk, cycle, explore and relax. exmoorhouse.co
Dunkery Beacon Country House, Exmoor, UK
Walkers, cyclists and gourmets rejoice! This former Edwardian hunting lodge is the ideal base for active exploration, nestling beneath 518m Dunkery Beacon and offering a drying room for hikers and bikers. dunkerybeaconaccommodation.co.uk
Exmoor Centre, Exmoor, UK
Get back to basics at this unique centre that provides affordable accommodation aimed at enabling young people to explore the wilds of Exmoor. exmoorcentre.co.uk
Exmoor Owl and Hawk Centre, Somerset, England
Though the moor’s regal red deer understandably grab the most attention, birdlife is also rich here – and this specialist centre, based at a delightful 15th-century National Trust farmhouse, offers the chance to learn about owls, hawks and eagles. exmoorfalconry.co.uk
Burcott Mill Guest House, Mendip Hills
Burcott Mill Guest House is one of the only working watermills in Somerset; it’s Victorian cogs still churn away producing organic flour. Friendly owners, Louise and Steve French, have sensitively converted some of the mill buildings into b&b rooms. burcottmill.com
Exmoor White Horse, Exmoor, UK
A warm refuge plumb in the middle of the national park at Exford, this substantial 16th-century inn is the epitome of a village hostelry – just the kind of place you long to arrive after a day out on the moor. exmoor-whitehorse.co.uk
West Withy Farm Cottages, Somerset, England
These comfortable and well-equipped holiday cottages, situated on a 23-acre farm in the heart of Exmoor, are a great base from which to explore the region. exmoor-cottages.com
Folly Farm, Mendip Hills
Folly Farm Centre is at the heart of Folly Farm nature reserve, a stunning 250-acre reserve close to both Bath and Bristol, owned and managed by Avon Wildlife Trust with comfortable en-suite group accommodation available for up to 45 people. follyfarm.org
Walkers Farm Cottages, Somerset, England
Not only are you slap bang in the Somerset Levels - paradise for birdwatching and horseriding - but you've got four RSPB reserves and four Wildlife Trusts within touching distance. walkersfarmcottages.co.uk
Wimbleball Lake, Somerset, England
It’s all about the water: this site, managed by the South West Lakes Trust, is set alongside its eponymous mere, and is the perfect spot for windsurfing, kayaking, sailing and rowing, with courses and craft for hire at the Outdoor + Active Centre.
Halse Farm Caravan & Camping Site, Exmoor, England
The site, a long-standing holder of a David Bellamy Conservation Award, is great for kids, too, who can watch lambing and shearing. halsefarm.co.uk
Channel View Caravan Park, Exmoor, England
There’s a romance to the Exmoor coast that’s hard to top: the poet Shelley felt it, bringing his bride to Lynmouth on honeymoon, and wooded valleys inland breathe life into the tragic tale of Lorna Doone, with locations in Oare and Badgworthy Valley. channel-view.co.uk
Porlock Caravan Park, Exmoor, England
This charming caravan park is nestled in the vale of Porlock, near Minehead. Enjoy the sea air with a stroll along the picturesque South West Coast Path, and follow in the steps of a literary legend along the Coleridge Way. porlockcaravanpark.co.uk
The Webbington Hotel & Country Club, Mendip Hills
The Webbington Hotel & Country Club is a giant sized Best Western with 54 rooms converted from an Edwardian manor. Leisure Club facilities for the guests include a tennis court and on site restaurant and bar. Ideal for access to the Mendips and Bath. webbingtonhotelandspa.co.uk
Tordown, Somerset, England
This Glastonbury B&B offers a peaceful, luxurious break in a Victorian house on the slopes of the magical Glastonbury Tor. It provides many forms of healing from Reiki to Hydrotherapy Spa treatments with an on-site mini Spa. tordown.com
Orchard House, Mendips, England
Orchard House, self-catering serviced apartments or bed and breakfast in the Chew Valley, perfect for cyclists or walkers wanting to explore the Mendips. Situated on routes 3 and 410 National Cycle routes, a stop off for Lands End to John O'Groats. orchardhouse-chewstoke.co.uk
BEST WESTERN PLUS Swan Hotel, Wells, Somerset
Located in the shadow of Wells Cathedral, the Best Western Plus Swan Hotel, with over 600 years of history, offers modern rooms, a stunning wedding venue and self catering apartments in a traditional setting, perfect for visiting the Mendips. swanhotelwells.co.uk
The Swan, Wedmore, Mendip Hills
The Swan, Wedmore is a bustling local pub with seven individually designed and supremely comfortable en-suite guest bedrooms and an outstanding kitchen led by Tom Blake from River Cottage who cooks using local ingredients: simple, unfussy, fresh. theswanwedmore.com
Fernhill Farm, Mendip Hills
Fernhill Farm, a herd of cowsheds on a 160-acre working farm in the Mendips, converted into an alternative, relaxed accommodation for up to 55 people in eco-camping barns and Ramshackle Arcs. Super green & earnest, groups from 10-200 catered for. fernhill-farm.co.uk
Old Barn, Mendip Hills
The Old Barn is a beautiful and historic holiday cottage located in Somerset, England, offering cosy self-catered holiday accommodation for up to five people all year round within easy reach of the Mendip and Quantock Hills, Wells, Bath and Bristol. oldbarncroscombe.co.uk
Uplands Cottages, Mendip Hills
Uplands Cottages in the Mendip Hills are surrounded by unspoilt countryside and woodland heaving with wildlife. 4 cottages are individually situated, built of natural stone and offer a peaceful, relaxing environment near the Village of Winscombe. uplandscottages.co.uk
Folly Farm, Mendip Hills
Folly Farm Centre is at the heart of Folly Farm nature reserve, a stunning 250-acre reserve close to both Bath and Bristol, owned and managed by Avon Wildlife Trust with comfortable en-suite group accommodation available for up to 45 people. follyfarm.org
Woodpecker Lodge, Somerset, England
A tranquil, 5-star luxury eco lodge in the heart of the picturesque Somerset countryside, perfect for exploring the surrounding hillsides. Relax on the shaded balcony and enjoy a private sauna. millmeadow.co.uk
Lee House, Exmoor, UK
The eight en-suite bedrooms at this charming, stone-clad Lynton guesthouse ooze elegance and individuality. leehouse-lynton.co.uk
Gable Lodge, Devon, England
A pride in Lynton and the local area marks out this Grade II-listed Victorian guesthouse: food miles are minimal – meats, fish, eggs, yoghurts, jams and even tea and coffee are all sourced from suppliers in the Exmoor region. gablelodgelynton.co.uk
The Denes, Devon, England
The Denes is a warmly traditional B&B, most of its five rooms en-suite (one exception with private bathroom) and all with TV and wifi available. thedenes.com
Longmead House, Exmoor, UK
Egyptian cotton bedding and feather-and-down pillows soothe the beds, quality toiletries scent the bathrooms, and wifi and flatscreen TVs fulfil multimedia demands; some rooms are rustic – exposed beams, a cottagey vibe – while others are more grand. longmeadhouse.co.uk
Croft House, Exmoor, UK
This delightful guesthouse – built for a sea captain in 1828, and retaining period features – nestles in the heart of Lynton Old Town, a hop away from the visitor centre, coast path and cliff railway down to Lynmouth Harbour. lyntonbandb.co.uk
Little Owl, Knowstone, Devon, England
Little Owl Cottage is a 16th century thatched roof cottage, hidden away in the small village of Knowstone on the edge of Exmoor. It is the perfect luxurious and comfy romantic hideaway, full of character with original wonky cob walls and bread oven. rosecottagedevon.co.uk
Dean Steep Holiday Cottages, Exmoor, UK
Beautifully secluded up on the moor, yet only a mile from Lynton and the coast at Lee Bay, these 12 stone-built bungalows provide a cosy base for exploring the national park.
Woolchamber Cottages, Simonsbath House, Exmoor, UK
The clue’s in the name: a 300-year-old barn – the woolchamber – has been converted to create three self-contained cottages with exposed beams and bags of charm. simonsbathhouse.co.uk
West Hollowcombe Cottages, Exmoor, England
Four stone barn conversion cottages on a hill with wonderful views across wooded valleys, pastures and moorland of Exmoor National Park. Ideally situated for walking and exploring the surrounding coastal towns and beaches. westhollowcombe.co.uk
Bucklegrove Caravan and Camping Park, Mendip Hills
Bucklegrove Caravan and Camping Park started as a tearooms in the 1940s, but these days, tables and chairs have made way for beautifully-manicured camping pitches with mature trees and shrubs, but you can still grab drinks and snacks. bucklegrove.co.uk
For more information on characterful places to stay, nearby visitor attractions and activities, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Somerset & Exmoor
