Travel / somerset
24 hours in Somerset
A golden retriever in a bright pink raincoat greeted us as we arrived at Homewood Hotel in Freshford on a blustery afternoon in mid-April.
He was having his picture taken out the front of this fine country house hotel near Bath next to a glamorous model (this one human) wearing wellington boots in a matching violent neon shade of magenta.
Tummy rubs complete, we entered through the ivy-clad Georgian facade to check in.
The reception desk was framed on one side by a wall covered in unusual antique clocks and a generous line up of help yourself pick n mix sweets on the other.
These first few minutes perfectly set the tone for our stay at Homewood – welcoming and generous with a balanced contrast of modern playfulness and classic charm.
The smartly decorated room was stocked with complimentary goodies
We were shown to our room on the first floor – one of the mid-tier ‘Marvellous’ double rooms.
Firm but comfy super king-size bed, huge TV on the wall, lovely views over the manicured gardens and a cabinet containing some complimentary choccies, brownies and fridge with plenty of room for our stashed bubbles.
By the time we’d made it to the spa, the wind had picked up and rain was starting to fall.
Undeterred, we enjoyed moving between the steam room, large outdoor sauna and choice of three pools with temperatures ranging from the just cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to avoid any wincing (the regular outdoor heated pool) to intensely hot, muscle melting indulgence (the indoor jacuzzi).
We were able to order a cocktail to the spa area (nice touch!) which we sipped in the delightful middle ground of the bath-temperature vitality hydrotherapy pool, refreshed by the gentle drizzle falling on our smug faces.
The hotel boasts a sprawling outdoor pool
Homewood’s Olio Restaurant continued the theme of relaxed indulgence.
The menu featured a choice of nibbles, sharing platters and small bites as well as a selection of mains from either the ‘Plancha and Skillet’ section or the ‘Classics’ which included steak and pasta dishes.
The food was simple with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients, many of them from the hotel’s no-dig kitchen garden.
After starting with some padron peppers and honey mustard chipolata, to straddle both the British and Mediterranean influences featured on the menu, we were brought our generous portioned mains – hers wild chestnut and oyster mushroom gnocchi and mine roasted halibut in a lobster bisque with spring onion and tomato.
Both packed a punch with a real depth of flavour in the sauces showcasing the hearty, home cooking style which left us both so satisfied that we asked for the dessert to be sent to our room (where a particularly naughty Eton mess got slowly messier before we remembered it in the early hours).
Child and dog friendly, Homewood Hotel is a perfect place to while away a lazy weekend
Homewood certainly caters for pets and children with grooming stations and self service dog wash for the former and an extensive playground in the beautiful grounds for the latter.
We kept that bit quiet from ours as we were rather pleased to have the peace and quiet at the end of a busy Easter holiday.
On a snatched night away like this on the rare occasions we do get to be kid-free, it’s certainly nice to feel transported and indulged with a hotel stay close to home.
Homewood certainly delivered on all fronts but also had a warm and convivial atmosphere that made for a particularly enjoyable and relaxing experience.
It managed to avoid both the stuffiness that you sometimes feel in a fancy hotel and the try-hard quirkiness of some of the boutique places that don’t quite get it right.
The next morning we saw our friend, the golden retriever, sitting on a chair next to his photographer colleague at the breakfast table.
He looked like he’d been equally relaxed and indulged.
Ben stayed as a guest at Homewood Hotel. For more information, visit www.homewoodbath.co.uk
This article originally appeared in Bristol24/7’s May/ June 2026 magazine
All photos: Homewood Hotel
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