The Three Horseshoes

Rooms

The 5 sumptuous bedrooms above the pub are as wonderful as the food. Four of the rooms share a landing, and the fifth has its own private entrance from the garden terrace. Local designer Frances Penn styled each room with neutral tones and luxury furnishings. Beds are handmade by Reylon (and are humungous), furniture is antique, duvets are goose down and lighting is statement. Expect pitched ceilings with exposed beams, and muted colours creating an elegant finish.

Room 1 faces the side of the pub and has a very inviting window-side bathtub. Room 2 faces the front and features one of the largest bathrooms of the lot, with an in-set bath. Rooms 3 and 4 overlook the garden and church and can interconnect. We stayed in the latter, the larger of the two, and adored hearing the church chime next door as we ensconced ourselves in the giant bed. This room is also good for dog owners as it has a little entrance hall where you can hang coats and dry muddy paws. Room 5 is separate from the others and has long views over the church and rolling fields beyond.

All rooms have Opal coffee machines, Wildsmith toiletries and coffee table books on art, history or interiors. There are also free snacks on tap; rooms 1-4 share a snack cupboard in the hallway, while Room 5 has its own supply of homemade biscuits, chocolates and crisps. Milk, soft drinks and cold alcoholic drinks can be brought up from the bar on request.

Features include:

• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Toiletries
• WiFi

Eating

Margot Henderson and her chef husband Fergus are known figures on the London foodie circuit, so you know you’re in for something special here. The main pub is an intimate space: there are just two rooms - the bar and the dining room - separated by a vast inglenook fireplace that glows in the centre. Styling is simple and traditional, with heavy curtains, paintings, beams and flagstone floors setting the scene for a medieval-style banquet in this historic building.

Menus change twice daily, and dishes are based on seasonal and local ingredients. Timeless English classics are given the limelight, and meat features heavily (but there's always one veggie option; request in advance for vegan). We visited at Christmastime and dishes were hearty and stodgy - think pig trotters, sausage rolls, pies - which felt apt for the season. But there are lighter options too; we began with delicately cured trout, and Jerusalem artichoke with shallot. Then went full carnivore for mains: chicken and bacon pie, and bacon chop with prunes and sauerkraut. Puddings were also English classics - treacle tart, sticky toffee, pavlova etc - a little uninspiring, in our opinion, but they tasted jolly good. The red wine was flowing (there’s a decent wine list), and service was friendly yet discreet. We were there mid-week and it was completely full. This is already a destination pub for in-the-know foodies.

Breakfast is a much simpler affair. We got two options - one hot, one cold - scribbled on a blackboard. Naturally, we ordered one of each, and both were delightful: sweet and sticky granola with soaked fruit and honey; poached egg on sourdough with bacon and roasted tomato. The coffee was exceedingly strong, which pepped us for a day of exploring the Somerset countryside.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• There are lots of pretty countryside walks from the pub, taking you around the village and further afield - maps are available to borrow
  
• Head into upmarket Bruton (5km), where there are excellent cafes and restaurants, boutique shops, and a famous art gallery
  
• Nearby Frome (14km) is gorgeous, a small market town with great cafés, historic architecture and a surprising abundance of vintage boutiques. It hosts an excellent artisan market on the first Sunday of every month
  
• Stroll around the magnificent lake, mystical grottoes and rare exotic trees at the National Trust’s Stourhead Gardens (14km)
  
• Spend a day at Longleat Safari Park (20km) - drive through animal enclosures (lions, tigers, rhinos), explore the famous maze and wander the enormous house
  
• At certain times of the year, Bath & West showground near Shepton Mallet plays host to one of the largest antiques and flea markets in the country. With stalls selling anything from tea sets and books to kitchen units and chairs, it’s a thrifter’s paradise
  
• Beautiful Bath is within day-tripping distance (38km) - we love its boutique shops, buzzy street market scene and the famous Roman Baths

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Walking

Kids

Children are welcome here, and most rooms can fit extra beds. There's a playground next door to the pub, and lots of green space all around. But the dining room has more of an intimate, grown-up vibe, and there's no kids' menu (though simple, kid-friendly meals can be tailored on request).

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Rooms 1 and 4 are the largest so are the most suitable for additional beds or cots for children. Rooms 3 & 4 can interconnect, making them perfect for a family stay. Kids will like the free snacks on offer!

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Three Horseshoes is set in the small village of Batcombe, Somerset. It's 10 minutes from Bruton, 30 minutes from Bath, and approx 2 hours from London.

By Air:
Fly into Bristol (45 minutes away) or London Heathrow (2 hours away). From either, we'd recommend hiring a car.

By Car:
Being in a rural location, it's best to bring your own vehicle. The Three Horseshoes has a car park with plenty of spaces and an electric car charging point.

By Train:
The nearest station is Frome, 20 minutes away by taxi. Trains from London Paddington take 2 hours.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.