The Garden Room at The Priory

There aren’t many ancient country house hotels tucked away down a stone-walled alleyway just off a bustling high street, so The Priory is a rather unusual find.

Push open the heavy wooden door to discover a Grade II*-listed building set in four acres of English cottage gardens and overlooking the banks of the River Frome. Expect old stonework, hidden archways and unique architectural features at every turn. To describe it as idyllic would be an understatement.

There’s evidence of a dwelling at the site from as early as 809, and it has been a nunnery, monastery and private home in its former guises. The decor has been kept delightfully traditional to honour this heritage, a theme running through each of the individually furnished guest rooms of the main house. Additional accommodation can be found in the renovated 16th-century Boat House.

A bold concession to modernity, The Garden Room restaurant is a glass-walled, green-oak-beamed dining room overlooking manicured lawns and riverbank.

Here, head chef Stephan Guinebault distracts guests from the views by transforming impeccably sourced produce into classics such as mint-crusted rack of lamb with truffle pommes anna, char rhubarb and celery, roscoff onion soubise and a lamb and olive oil jus. For a treat-yourself dinner, the rosemary-roasted Dorset ‘Devon Red’ chateaubriand is knockout.

Trencherman’s tip

The Priory offers a reduced same-day-arrival rate for spontaneous nights away.