Simonsbath House Hotel

A very good hotel, food good and plentiful, breakfast good choice Rooms comfortable, but mind your head on doorways to some as this is a very old building with doorways fitting to the age it was built Staff helpful and friendly A great place for a base for a walking holiday

I have just returned from a four night stay at Simonsbath House Hotel for an Alpha Painting Holiday. The hotel is very old but comfortable and spotlessly clean and from the moment I arrived, I was made to feel very welcome. Andrew, the owner, is a man of boundless enthusiasm and extremely knowledgeable about the local area. There is a lot of history to the hotel itself and he was able to share some of the stories with us. The rooms have everything you need to keep you comfortable and you are provided with a hospitality tray to allow you to make your own tea and coffee. You are also given a glass bottle of drinking water every day and a small bottle of fresh milk if required - these can be replenished anytime by visiting the reception desk. There is absolutely NO mobile signal unless you are on EE network, however I found the Wi-Fi to be very good and was able to phone home via the internet. I was also able to stream something on iplayer without a problem. This is a great place for star-gazing if that’s your thing; the hotel is in a designated dark sky area and it’s really worth going outside and looking up if you are blessed with a clear night. The hotel has a lounge filled with comfy old leather sofas and a fireplace and adjacent to this is an incredibly well stocked bar! There is also an extensive wine list with a range to suit any budget. Now of course, I need to mention the food. Wow! A twice daily highlight to look forward to! Although we were on a limited menu as we were a group booking, every meal was a joy, from perfectly cooked poached eggs with breakfast to a fabulous three course dinner in the evening. Over the four night stay, I enjoyed sea bass, slow cooked rib of beef, baked salmon fillet with Hollandaise and Somerset lamb and that was just the mains! Starters and homemade desserts were wonderful too and I can’t mention them all but suffice to say, a creme brûlée with a perfect crisp caramel top is certainly the way to my heart. Finally, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Andrew and Louise for making us feel at home and looking after us so well, thus making my painting holiday so enjoyable.

We spent a very comfortable 3 days at SBHH in the September heatwave. Well appointed ensuite room overlooking Barle Valley; extensive, excellent breakfast and dinner menus, cosy bar (very well stocked!) and lounge. Andrew, Louise and their team were very helpful and keen to go the extra mile including a lift to Withypool to enable us to walk back, coffee flasks and 'packed breakfast' on a day trip to Lundy from Ilfracombe. Many thanks for a memorable short break.