Why go?
For those seeking quiet luxury in one of England’s most bucolic country settings, with farm-to-table cuisine and a thriving thousand acre estate to explore.
Honeymoon style
Foodies flock here as The Newt prides itself on being a ‘farm with rooms’, with nearly all produce coming from the estate or sourced locally. It also attracts low-key minimooners keen to put their phones away and switch off from the outside world, immersing themselves in the green landscape. A few hours here and everything seems to slow down. You begin to notice the scent of the country air, the shades of the surrounding trees and just how good the food tastes when it’s plucked from the earth a few metres away from the kitchen.
Set the scene
Inside this gated Somerset estate, a winding road leads to a higgledy-piggledy arrangement of converted farm buildings, some with a futuristic design edge. Friendly staff wearing yellow bow ties are encouraged to ditch formalities and be themselves, setting an easygoing tone and leading you to the main house to check in. The stone facade of the main house glows golden at dawn and dusk, and inside interiors can only be described as rustic luxe. Flagstone tiled floors meet exposed stone walls, with statement furniture and pops of bright colour. The Library and Drawing Room have panelled pale green walls adding a calming effect, and feature squishy velvet armchairs in rich jewel tones and open fires, with papers and games to keep guests occupied. Relaxing music soothes from a record player, and indoor leafy plants bring the outside in. It’s the little details such as a basket of ripe oranges and pears next to the reception desk which add to the authenticity of The Newt.
Before heading outdoors, guests can head to the boot room to borrow wellies and a cape before embracing the elements. It’s all about the land here, with the estate rearing cattle, sheep and a vast working walled garden built into the hillside. There’s also a farm shop, a gardeners cottage for pressing flowers, formal gardens and orchards and the nearby Farm Yard which has its own restaurant and separate spa. There are golf buggies to whisk you around and, in summer months, a romantic picnic can be arranged.
Rooms
In true Georgian style, bedrooms have panelled walls, slightly wonky yet soft wooden floors and large sash windows allowing you to take in the greenery that surrounds. Minimalist muted tones add to the serenity and the walls are adorned with a mix of modern and contemporary artwork. Each room features a four poster bed with crisp white cotton sheets, and individual antique furniture. For honeymooners, book Suite 1 which has outstanding views of the estate onto the avenue (the former driveway to the house, for horse-drawn carriages) with a secret love bench at the top. The bathroom is really special with marble sinks, an enormous deep bathtub perfectly placed to soak up the views of the formal gardens, and an antique cabinet with dried coral and perfume in crystal glass decanters. The bar is stocked with estate-made goodies such as sparkling cider, spiced apple oaties and truffle-toasted nuts.
Food and drink:
The Newt is built on a radical farm-to-plate ethos with delicious, fresh produce at the centre of everything. To start with, the in-house bakery fires up its ovens at 3am every morning, to ensure fresh sourdough is on the table by breakfast time and the butter comes from a nearby dairy farm where the cows listen to jazz music (no joke). The main restaurant is centred around an open kitchen, with tables spread across a modern orangery and grand wooden panelled dining room. Come evening there are white table clothes, lanterns and a modern chandelier casting a moody glow. The menu is truly seasonal, featuring three courses with all ingredients coming from the estate. The sommelier will advise on wine pairings, with many wines coming from the estate’s South African sister property, Babylonstoren. With live music in the evenings, the bar is a cosy spot for a night cap, or a garden herb-infused aperitif.
For lunch, the Garden Café is a must, the futuristic glass building is nestled on the hillside with panoramic views over the manicured walled gardens and endless stretch of rolling West Country fields. It’s a largely vegetarian menu with (curiously) a handful of meat dishes as sides. The quality of the produce and the creativity of the kitchen is show-stopping. In summer months, the Cider Bar thrives serving up cheese toasties with refreshing local pints.
The story:
The Newt opened in 2019, it had high expectations to meet, being the sister property to Babylonstoren in South Africa. A family home turned hotel, it has retained much of its homely feel and the family were very keen to bring the community together, and into the estate, so introduced their membership programme to encourage this.
Family-friendly:
There’s no kids club here but the staff make little ones feel totally at home. In-room amenities such as cots and pull out beds can be arranged and there are dedicated swimming hours at the spa. There’s plenty of outdoor activities to keep all ages busy and toddlers love the squirting frogs, which can be found in the working walled garden.
Spa:
Located in one of the converted stone barns, designed to bring the outside in, this is one of the most strikingly beautiful spas where you can fully immerse in the green that surrounds. The candlelit space features a steam room, sauna, salt room and an outdoor pool for cold dips and a thermal pool. Gusts sip Rosemary infused water, and sparkling Cider. Go at sunrise or sunset for the ultimate experience and book the couple’s Haman treatment, performed down in the callers.
Eco-friendly:
First and foremost this estate is a working farm (with rooms) and is pioneering the way in sustainable efforts. They hold an annual seasonal programme of events and workshops covering horticulture, traditional crafts, biodiversity, and nutrition – with a focus on how to grow, create and eat sustainably. They also host an annual Head Gardeners Conference, bringing together expert gardeners, designers, campaigners, and scientists to discuss and debate hot topics in the industry and specifically look at how gardening can have a positive effect on the environment and wellbeing.
There is huge emphasis on the importance of the soil (they have a no dig policy and organic principles to productive gardening, to maintain and promote soil health). The team ensures exceptional animal welfare, managing livestock within a regenerative plan, so that they contribute positively to the ecosystem. They are undeniably at the forefront of modern farming, using the latest technologies to increase crop yields and their entire fleet of ecommerce delivery vehicles are electric.
Location:
Located between the vibrant market towns of Bruton and Castle Cary, it’s the perfect location for exploring Somerset but equally this vast 1000 acre estate is a destination in its own right and many guests choose not to leave whilst checked in. Other nearby attractions are Longleat Safari Park and Alice Temperley’s HQ for a spot of shopping.
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