insideKENT Magazine Issue 26 - May 2014 | Page 115
GETAWAYS
insideKENT’s TOP PICK FOR ACCOMMODATION IN BATH:
Bath Lodge Castle
Set in the beautiful Somerset countryside about 15 minutes from the centre of Bath, Bath Lodge
Castle is a boutique hotel in the style of a stunning miniature castle. Relax and enjoy this welcoming
retreat which offers a much-needed antidote to our all too often fast-paced lifestyles.
Complete with battlements, arrow slits and a
portcullis, Bath Lodge Castle is actually the
principal of six gate lodges to one of the largest
estates in England. The land on which it’s built
can be traced back as far as 987 AD when it
was mentioned in King Ethelred’s Charter.
Fernleah, as it was then known, became Ferlege
in the Domesday book and by the 12th century
had become Farleigh.
In its lifetime, the Farleigh estate was owned by
many colourful characters, some of whom had
the misfortune of dying some extraordinary
deaths; George, Duke of Clarence, brother of
Edward IV, for instance, drowned in a butt of
Malmsey wine; while his daughter, accused of
treason and sentenced to the block, refused to
lay down her head so instead had it removed
from her shoulders by the executioner chopping
at her while they ran around the scaffold!
Even with the promise of a glass of wine and a
stay at a splendid hotel at the end, a journey
down the M3 can be disheartening, but arriving
at Bath Castle Lodge was a joy to the senses.
Despite the looming battlements, the castle’s
walled crescent driveway beckoned us in like a
hug and we knew our stay would be a warm and
welcome one.
We were greeted by the hotel manager who
insisted that we enjoy a glass of wine on the
veranda and take in the remaining evening
sunshine. The house white was particularly
delicious while overlooking the landscaped
woodland gardens and listening to the sound of
running water from the stream that cut through
the 3.5 acres surrounding the hotel. If you’re
adventurous enough, the hotel grounds also
boast a pavilion which houses a hot tub, infrared
sauna and refreshing bamboo shower. Now
thoroughly relaxed and having been made to feel
very much at home, we were shown to our
bedrooms.
Sumptuously furnished and exceptionally
comfortable, each room at Bath Lodge Castle
has been designed to make the most of its
interesting architecture: toilets in turrets, arrow
slits with wooden shutters (presumably to stop
any onslaught of arrows at night), angular
windows and large roof terraces between the
battlements. The soft furnishings have been
brought together to provide an air of romance a
building such as this deserves, and uses colour
palettes lifting enough to draw the stress from
even the tightest of shoulders. Egyptian cotton
linen, bathrobes and bath towels in every room
add a further touch of luxury. After a long soak
in the tub with some very fragrant Penhaligan
soaps, I slipped dozily between my sheets and
slept until morning.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the
hotel restaurant, Le Chateau. Using locally
sourced ingredients, the hotel chefs present a
modern take on classic French combinations to
satisfying effect. However, for breakfast, nothing
much beats a full English. For me, the epitome
of a good cooked breakfast is a properly poached
egg; silky smooth, pillowy soft and always a joy.
What a delight! My eggs were perfect. Slightly
hardened around the outside yet runny in the
centre, served with beautiful local dry-cured
bacon and toast made from home-baked bread.
Heavenly.
With some digesting needed, we chose to retire
to the drawing room for coffee and papers where
we discovered a charming reading nook set in
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one of the castle’s turrets; a cosy corner to curl
up and get engrossed in a good book.
Dinner is a wonderfully serene affair. Beginning
with delicious little smoked salmon rolls filled with
dill and cream cheese, I enjoyed another glass
of the delectable house white. With taste buds
roused, I dived into my perfectly cooked sirloin
steak soused in garlic butter and soaked up the
juices with thick and crisp homemade chips.
With barely enough space in my waistband, but
with what I considered enough for dessert (can’t
you always find a little more room?), I was served
a delicious melting chocolate pudding and cream.
As my short stay came to a close, I reflected on
the wonderful service and individual attention
provided by both the owners and staff. The care
and welcome of guests is the heartbeat of Bath
Lodge Castle. To stay here is to be at home,
albeit a particularly beautiful one.
Bath Lodge Castle
Nr Norton St Philip
Bath
Somerset
BA2 7NH
01225 723043
[email protected]
www.bathlodgecastle.com