Review of Babington House, by Kate Leahy

Nestled in the rolling Somerset hills is Babington House, a hotel and private members' club that's part of the Soho House posse. Overlooking an 18-acre Georgian estate in the tiny village of Babington, the hotel is just two miles along the road from the equally quaint towns of Frome and Radstock. This is the most hospitable make-yourself-at-home bolthole you'll ever check in to.

The house has 32 bedrooms spread across the estate. The Main House and Coach House have 23 individually designed en-suites, some with free-standing baths in the bedroom, whilst in the Stable Block there are five spacious family rooms. At the top of the driveway, The Lodge has three bedrooms and there are three more rooms to the side of the house and adjacent to Cowshed Spa, which have beautiful views over the walled garden. Guests range from wellied weekenders to romantic retreat-ers, plus a smattering of celebrities.

The Orangery, the main dining area for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is an elegantly rustic space with exposed slate floors, stylish olive leather chairs and floor to ceiling windows through which you can observe fluffy bunny rabbits bouncing across the pristine lawns down to the small lake. Food is beyond divine down to the very last morsel of each meal.

Breakfast is a help yourself continental buffet with the likes of home-made granola and muesli, delicious fruit salad and freshly baked warm pastries laid out on a large wooden table. The House Bar is open until a very respectable 3:00 am and is the kind of place you can plonk yourself early on in the evening and quite easily stay put until kicking out time.

Follow the whiff of Cowshed products from the side door and down through the garden to the actual Spa and you’ll be smelling of roses for days and days. Separated into two areas, Cowshed Active and Cowshed Relax, guests can book treatments, take a dip in one of the soaking tubs, swim in the pool or utilise the gym facilities. There is a also a 45-seater cinema which shows films on certain days and can also be hired for private use.
 
Attention to detail is apparent throughout and nothing has been left to chance. Each room has possibly the comfiest bed you will ever sleep on and enough pillows to avoid talk and ensure a perfect night’s sleep. Large sofa’s sit at the end of some beds and in front of a state-of-the-art plasma television accompanied by a handy DVD player. Just call reception to borrow a movie.

Bathrooms have complete wow factor. The large sunken and free-standing baths are as inviting as the soft robes and trendy flip flops and the rain shower trickles water on to your skin at the perfect pace. A hair dryer, set of straighteners and curlers mean every eventuality is catered for whilst the cake stand with miniature lip balm, deodorant, earplugs and other essentials is as exciting as a Christmas stocking.

Staff are in many ways the piece de resistance. They are professional to the core and super friendly. You sense they love Babington House as much as their guests. There isn’t a whiff of a staff uniform in sight but rather a smart causal appearance that reflects the premise of the place. This is a hotel that invites you to feel as if it’s your home. And that, you certainly do.