Swain House

Watchet is a sleepy town on the West Somerset coast, and while its day may have passed, its medieval harbour that once made it rich inspired Coleridge to write his famous poem ‘The Rime of The Ancient Mariner’. As for this stylish B&B, it makes a great little base for gentle explorations – you’ll find excellent hill walking, beaches, the coastal path, even a music festival in August. Once an antiques shop, it sits on the colourful, main street with a big window looking out onto the world. Downstairs, there’s a stylish dining room that doubles as a sitting room, with a sofa in front of a fire and hanging lamps at the breakfast table. Upstairs, lovely rooms wait, the sort you expect to find in a boutique inn. You get pretty armchairs, smart fabrics, padded bedheads and old-style radiators. Excellent bathrooms have walk-in showers, free-standing baths, robes and REN oils – exactly what you want after a day in the hills. Pub grub waits in town, posher nosh is a little further afield. The nearby car park is nicely priced, too.