The Talbot Inn

Style

Classic coaching inn

Setting

Somerset stableyard

The Talbot Inn hotel in Mells is the star of the village show: a converted 15th-century coach house with the same impeccable gastropub credentials as its sister, the Beckford Arms. Come on in for local ales, garden-grown food, a chat with one of the neighbours or just a lazy afternoon by the fire.

Facilities

Rooms

Eight, including one suite.

Checkout

11am. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates usually include full English breakfast.

Also

Learn local history in the Sitting Room – a 500-year-old beamed tythe barn that has been restored, kitted out with sofas and stocked with games. One wall is decorated with a mural depicting the history of Mells, from Roman times to present day. The room can also be booked for private dining, and the projector gets an outing every Sunday night for the Talbot’s weekly film screenings.

Free Internet Access

Pet Friendly

At the Hotel

Garden; petanque piste; library of films and books; free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, radio, hairdryer, hair straighteners, tea and coffee tray, and bespoke Bramley bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

We love Very Large Room One for its laid-back, luxurious feel – it’s definitely one to impress for a special weekend away, thanks to its freestanding bath by the window, sash windows overlooking the garden and spacious ensuite. The pretty pastel-green furnishings in Room Three also caught our eye, as well as its grand four-poster bed and bathroom tucked away at the top of a couple of steps (taller guests: remember to duck).

Packing Tips

Wax jackets and wellies.

Children

Baby cots for under-threes are £10 each a night. There’s one family room with two bedrooms, one of which has twin beds.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Join in the fun at the lively, long communal tables in the Coach House Grill, watching a suckling pig or trout sizzle on the spit, or seclude yourselves by the fire in the Snug. For people-watching, your best bet’s the Map Room.

Dress Code

Barbour, Belstaff and Burberry to fit in with the cool country set.

Hotel Restaurant

There are two. The Talbot’s main restaurant spills across a four-room warren of Bar, Snug, (indoor) Courtyard and cartographically decorated Map Room. The kitchen serves classic Brit gastropub fare (venison loin, Cornish pollock, buttermilk pudding with rhubarb, and the like), with an emphasis on ingredients that have been grown, cured or smoked on site.

Hotel Bar

The pub serves an impressive range of local ales (including Talbot Ale), Somerset ciders, local gins, a vast wine list and traditional bar snacks (The Talbot Inn's signature sausage roll deserves a special mention too). House cocktails include bellinis made with local peach liqueur and bloody Marys made with horseradish from the kitchen garden.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served 8–10am throughout the pub. The main restaurant is open daily from noon to 3pm and 6pm to 9.30pm.

Planes

Bristol airport is closest, 26 miles away (www.bristolairport.co.uk). Allow just under an hour for the drive. Flights land here from all over Europe, courtesy of airlines including KLM, Ryanair, EasyJet and Aer Lingus.

Trains

Get to Frome from London Waterloo in two and a quarter hours, with a change in Westbury, with First Great Western (www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk) and you’ll be 10 minutes away by car. Alternatively, hop on at Paddington and it’s a direct 90 minutes to Bath.

Automobiles

The hotel has free parking. The drive from London should take around two hours, depending on traffic along the A303. From the North, use the M5. It’s 20 minutes by car to Bath.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The Talbot Inn is in the historic village of Mells, set in some of Somerset’s most photogenic countryside – perfect for afternoons spent cycling, clay-pigeon shooting (try The Big Shoot near Wells), fishing, golf and horse riding or just rambling around.The Roman city of Bath is half an hour away by car, and you’ll also be within reach of Longleat, Stonehenge and Stourhead.

Eight miles away, Longleat is a stately home with a difference: lions roam the grounds and eagles soar in the skies. This epic safari park, the first of its kind in this country, has been bringing a tropical touch to Wiltshire for over 60 years. Just 13 miles away, south of Frome, Stourhead is a Palladian mansion with world-renowned grounds. Wander amid the grottoes and temples, and see who spots the famous film set first.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .