Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

A lovely inn lost in peaceful hills on the Somerset Levels – a great base for a night or two of affordable luxury. Outside, cockerels crow, cows graze and glorious views from the beer garden drift downhill for a couple of miles – a perfect spot for a pint in summer. Inside, you'll find friendly natives, sofas in front of an open fire and a timber-framed bar, where one airy room rolls into another giving a sense of space and light. There are beamed ceilings, tongue-and-groove panelling, logs piled high in the alcoves. Bedrooms – some big, some huge – are just the ticket. They come with whitewashed walls, cast-iron beds, varnished floors, power showers or double-ended baths. One has a daybed, others have sofas, another has a private courtyard. Delicious food flies from the kitchen, perhaps half a pint of Atlantic prawns, West Country lamb with dauphinoise potatoes, orange and mango cheesecake; in summer you can eat in a courtyard garden. There are local stables if you want to ride and great walking, so bring your boots. Five berths for camper vans wait above the beer garden, too.