Pub with rooms Mells, Somerset | The Talbot Inn, Somerset

Overview

Set within an ancient cobbled courtyard, the 15th-century Talbot Inn oozes charm and character. Close to the village's manor house, rows of unspoilt stone cottages and the historic church where war poet Siegfried Sassoon is buried, the inn fits perfectly into its feudal setting.

Its energetic and passionate owners have restored the inn, creating a stylish, sophisticated bolthole for local drinkers and diners, walkers with their dogs and weekenders from the city. It's certainly a special place, a warren of snug rooms and passageways, with crackling winter fires, rugs on wood floors, flickering candles on old dining tables, a cracking beamed bar for a relaxing pint or two, and effortless service from charming, handpicked staff.

You can while away a long summer's day in the pretty garden, replete with petanque pitch, or the ancient cobbled courtyard has chairs and tables under posh parasols. Don't miss the Coach House Grill Room, where food is grilled over charcoal and wood and served at long wooden tables with pitchers of wine. There are also regular wine and food nights, as well as supper clubs.

Rooms from

8 doubles: £110

Good to know

Amex not accepted, Visa / Mastercard / Maestro all accepted
Alfresco & private dining
Limited parking available + village lane

Town and city
Don't miss the chance for a day out in fabulous Frome, a short drive away, boasting a weekly market and plenty of boutiques and cafes.

Outdoor adventures
With the gorgeous rolling hills of rural Somerset on your doorstep, explore the surrounding countryside by foot or bike.

Rooms

The Talbot has eight stunning bedrooms, all offering the quality, comfort and attention to detail expected in a top hotel, but with the informal charm and character of an inn.

Simple and modern rooms overlook the garden or pretty courtyard, boasting comfy armchairs or sofas for curling up with a cuppa and a good book. Expect natural sea-grass floors, local artwork and sleek furnishings alongside beds topped with Egyptian cotton sheets, Siberian goose down duvets and Vintage Welsh blankets.

All have bath and shower (apart from room 5, which only has a shower), and two feature roll-top baths parked quirkily by the bed. Pamper yourself with the Talbot's own Bramley natural bath and body products and make good use of all the thoughtful extras, which include the bath thermometer, the teapot and tea cosy for your morning cuppa, the homemade cookies, and the Roberts radio. You will feel like you are staying at a very special place but somewhere where you can still feel very much at home - that's the charm and appeal of The Talbot.

Restaurant & bar

The inn offers an exciting, seasonally changing menu with a genuine, local feel. Nearly everything is made, cured or smoked in-house and local ingredients are used, including meat and game from surrounding farms and produce grown in the pub's kitchen garden.

The menu blends more imaginative dishes, perhaps pan-fried brill with crab risotto and samphire, with perfectly executed pub classics like beer battered fish & chips, the Talbot burger or a ploughman's with homemade sausage roll and pickles. Leave room for a treat - chocolate brownie with clotted cream - from the short and enticing desserts menu and enjoy one of their succulent roasts on Sundays. For those looking for something a little lighter after a rural ramble, delicious snacks are available throughout the day.

Among the inn's three ales and weekly-changing guest beer is its own Talbot Ale, brewed at the Keystone Brewery. Alternatively, sup a pint of locally brewer cider or try the inns' own rather special 'Talbot Bloody Mary'. An interesting, accessible and varied wine list offers affordable but exciting wines from small producers in both the New and Old World and there's a solid selection of wines by the glass.

Private dining

Across the cobbles from the inn is the Sitting Room, perfect for a private dinner for up to 14 people, with set and sharing menus on offer.

Things to do

Cyclists are spoilt for choice in rural Somerset. Close to the Talbot is the 23-mile Colliers Way, linking Dundas, Radstock and Frome. The trail is Route 24 of Sustrans National Cycle Network. Those looking for some equestrian fun should head to Rectory Farm Riding Stables, part of a working farm at Radstock.

Just a stone's throw from Glastonbury, a visit to Clarks Village is a true shopping experience. Here, you can shop in stylish surroundings comprising paved walkways and landscaped gardens. There are many designer and high street stores, a restaurant terrace for alfresco and indoor dining and a choice of all-important coffee shops.

Standing in extensive parkland near Frome and Warminster, Longleat House is a perfect example of Elizabethan architecture. The house includes many fine paintings and artefacts, and possibly the most valuable private library in the world. Longleat is also renowned for its safari park.