Imagine you have an achingly cool, eccentric aunt, who is culinary-school trained, has exquisite taste in interiors as well as a seriously impressive wine collection. She also happens to own a country estate complete with a Beezantium and Roman villa – among other delights to which she has invited you for a weekend of relaxation and good (no, really good) food.

That is what staying at the Newt in Somerset feels like. More family country house, than hotel.

The Newt surprised me. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but perhaps something along the lines of an exclusive members-only clubhouse. You know, the sort of establishment where the staff look perpetually sullen and the small plates menu consists of 5 different variations of soggy flatbreads drenched in tepid herb oil. How wrong could I be?!

Nestled in the bucolic landscape of Somerset, England, The Newt celebrates Somerset’s terroir, with menus that serve as a testament to the rich diversity of local flavors. From garden fresh vegetables to locally sourced meat and artisanal cheeses, each dish at The Newt paints a vivid portrait of Somerset’s culinary identity.

Fresh and seasonal.

How refreshing to taste food where the seasonings and sauces serve to enhance the natural flavors of the vegetables or meat, rather than mask it. Interestingly, in the Garden Cafe, you order a vegetable dish as your main course with a side of meat! Genius! I loved the naturalness of it all. No pretense, no fluff.

In the Botanical Rooms, the chefs worked diligently and respectfully alongside one another in a super clean, yet enviably beautiful kitchen. As a hotel guest, these details can be easy to overlook, but they do, in my opinion, speak volumes about the integrity of the chefs as well as the quality of respectful leadership. There was no shouting, no rushing; each chef, focussed on the task at hand. The result – elegant plates of West Country fare that reflect a creative and knowledgeable use of natural ingredients.

Some examples of dishes on the menu in the Garden Cafe and Botanical Rooms include: salt baked celeriac with pear and hazelnut, Tamworth pork loin in cyder & mustard sauce as well as Hadspen House apple pie with salted caramel and mascarpone ice cream (very delicious).

Breakfast was included in our stay, so, as a treat, I ordered the pain au chocolat. To my surprise, a golden, fluffy, crispy, wonderfully laminated (still warm) pastry arrived at the table (see above). It was absolutely filled with chocolate and ranked as one of the best pain au chocolats I have ever savored in my life. Of course, I couldn’t admit that until I had a second, just to be sure. Yup, the best.

The staff are immediately friendly and welcoming, making the transition from hectic home life to relaxing rural idyll, a restorative experience. Individual members of the team are not only attentive, polite and knowledgeable, but also seem to really care not only about the environment in which the hotel nestles, but also the atmosphere within the hotel. Notably, everyone has incredible things to say about the owners. This respect for the proprietors (Karen Roos and her husband, Koos Bekker) resonates with genuine admiration stemming from pride in working for individuals committed to a philosophy that transcends beyond just making a buck. I befriended a new chef during our first night’s dinner at The Botanical Rooms. She had moved all the way from South Africa to work at The Newt, and was deeply impressed and touched by the way the owners had made it their priority to check on her wellbeing, and make sure she had everything she needed.

As if a Roman villa, Beezantium, farm shop, cyder bar and spa weren’t enough, best of all The Newt in Somerset have their very own Gelateria. There, I discovered not only an array of delicious ice creams, but also deep fried croissant pieces tossed in cinnamon sugar drizzled with a sticky toffee sauce (see above). How could I resist? I also spotted some delicious apple curd and asked for a dollop! Heavenly. So heavenly, I just had to recreate the dish at home.

For more info on staying at The Newt in Somerset or joining as a member for day trips and fun events, visit their website here!

For the mini croissants, I used store bought puff pastry then cut the sheets into small triangles before rolling them into croissant shapes. I then deep fried the pastry until golden and, whilst still warm, tossed the mini croissants in cinnamon and nutmeg sugar. Click here for the recipe.