Lodges with private hot tubs in Somerset

Somerset splits into a handful of distinct bases, and the right one depends on the kind of days you want around the hot tub. The Mendip Hills and the Chew Valley sit in the north, within easy reach of Cheddar, Wells and the lakes at Blagdon and Chew. Bath and Bristol are both close enough for a day out, which makes this the easiest part of the county for a first visit when you still want a rural base.

West of here, the Quantock Hills run down towards the sea. This was the first place in England to be named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it stays quiet even in summer. Cottages around the Quantocks sit close to Exmoor and the West Somerset coast, so the area suits walkers and anyone happy to trade a longer drive for fewer crowds.

The coast is a different trip again. Stays near Burnham-on-Sea and Brean give you wide tidal beaches and easy family days out, with Weston-super-Mare a short way up the shoreline. Inland, the Somerset Levels are flatter and slower, all open skies and water meadows, with Glastonbury and Langport close by. Anyone who wants to do little beyond walk, read and soak tends to settle here.

Couples, families and bigger groups

The stays here cover a wide range of sizes. At the smaller end are one and two-bedroom lodges and cottages, the smallest built for two, often set on their own, tucked into a single field or a quiet corner of a working farm. These are the places to book when the point of the trip is the hot tub, a long walk and an early night rather than a full itinerary.

At the other end are farmhouses and barn conversions that sleep ten or more, with one Somerset house taking more than twenty. They work for a milestone birthday, a family gathering or a few couples travelling together, and they come with the kitchen and dining space a group actually needs. Between the two sit plenty of three-bedroom homes that suit a family with young children or two couples sharing.

Dog-friendly Somerset breaks

Much of Somerset's accommodation is dog-friendly, though not all of it, so check the individual listing before booking if you are bringing one. Where dogs are allowed, the countryside does the rest. The Quantock and Mendip Hills have open access land and miles of bridleways, and the flat lanes across the Levels are gentle going for older or smaller dogs.

The coast helps too. Brean and Berrow keep their long sands open to dogs all year, while the town beaches at Burnham-on-Sea carry a May to September restriction, so keep an eye on the signs in summer. Out of season, those wide beaches make for flat, easy dog walks at low tide.

Days out from your lodge

Somerset rewards a bit of exploring beyond the hot tub, and what is easy to reach depends on where you have booked.

From a Mendip or Wells base, the first stop is usually Cheddar Gorge for its show caves and clifftop walk, with Wookey Hole nearby for younger families. Walkers can trade the crowds for Ebbor Gorge, a wooded limestone ravine and national nature reserve a few miles from Wells, or the high lanes around Priddy. Wells itself, the smallest city in England, is built around a medieval cathedral and the moated Bishop's Palace, and makes an easy half-day.

On the Levels, the draw is slower. Glastonbury Tor gives long views from its ruined tower. The Avalon Marshes nearby are one of the better wildlife sites in the south west, with marsh harriers and bitterns in the reedbeds, and large starling murmurations at dusk through winter.

West Somerset is strongest for coast and railway days. The West Somerset Railway runs steam trains for twenty miles between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead, with stops at Crowcombe and Washford, so a few cottages sit within reach of a station. Watchet has a small harbour and marina, Dunster a castle and a medieval village, and Minehead marks the start of the South West Coast Path and the eastern edge of Exmoor.

Closer to the sea, Burnham-on-Sea and Brean are the family beach days, with miles of flat sand at low tide. Bath is the bigger day out, with the Roman Baths and the abbey in a walkable, honey-coloured centre.

Planning a Somerset holiday

A few practical things help with timing. Somerset is spread out and rural, so a car makes the difference between one base and the whole county being in reach. The coast and the larger group houses are worth booking early for summer and school holidays, while midweek dates and the shoulder months tend to be quieter and better value. Winter is quietly one of the best times for a hot tub stay, with the tub on after a cold walk on the hills.

A couple after a quiet weekend and a family chasing beaches and days out will be happiest in different corners of Somerset. Settle on the area that fits the trip, then choose from the stays within it.