Strawberryfield Park – luxury lodges in Somerset

A stay at Strawberryfield Park luxury lodges in Somerset was the perfect solution to the stresses of 2020. Read about my visit to this family-owned collection of luxury eco-lodges in the beautiful Somerset countryside.

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Note: Please use this content for inspiration and/or future trip planning until it’s safe to travel. Click here for current UK government advice regarding Covid-19

Are you dreaming about escaping to a relaxing retreat? A tranquil space where you can wind down from what’s going on in the world. Somewhere to chill, soak up beautiful scenery, immerse yourself in nature and just get away from it all. A place that’s safe, clean and stress-free?

Last month, Mr Jones and I spent a few days doing exactly that and it did us the world of good. We might not have had the best weather but we definitely had the best time. Let me introduce you to Strawberryfield Park luxury lodges in Somerset where country living meets contemporary cool. The perfect place to safely get away from it all. And. Just. Chill.

Where is Strawberryfield Park?

Strawberryfield Park is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Draycott, Somerset, sandwiched between the Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels. Two miles away is the pretty village of Cheddar leading to the impressive Cheddar Gorge which cuts a craggy swathe through the Somerset countryside. Other nearby attractions include Wookey Hole, Glastonbury Tor and the charming cathedral city of Wells.

Read: 15 Fabulous things to do in Cheddar

The easiest way to get to Strawberryfield Park is by car. It’s about a 3 hour drive from London, 45-minutes from Bristol and 1.5 hours from Cardiff. Depending on which direction you’re coming from, you’ll either join the M5, A38, or the A39.

By train – take the train to Western-Super-Mare. For timbetables and ticket pricing check your journey on the Trainline website. From here take the FIRST bus number 126 to Cheddar. On Sundays it’s the 826. The bus journey takes around an hour and six minutes.

Luxury Lodges with hot tubs

Strawberryfield Park is home to 23 boutique, one and two-bedroom luxury lodges with hot tubs. Seven lodges are dog-friendly so your pooch can take a break with you. Each lodge is generously spaced out in 14-acres of land which used to be strawberry fields.

Once upon a time, strawberries were planted and nurtured in the straw strewn fields before being carefully picked, packaged and transported away to London by train. The Strawberry Line is now a cycle and walking trail. This is Somerset, land of Cider and Scrumpy and so it’s only right and proper that the site is bordered by apple orchards.

You might also like: How to spend 48 hours in the Wye Valley

Environmentally designed and built lodges

The lodges are a cut above. Architect designed and UK manufactured in Carlisle by Retreat Homes and built to the highest standards. They are extensively constructed from timber, from sustainable forests, with Western Red Cedar cladding and designed with the environment in mind.

Interiors are open-plan and slickly finished with high quality furnishings and state of the art equipment. Think NEFF appliances, Bang & Olufsen audio systems and Villeroy and Boch bathroom fittings with rainforest showers.

Al fresco living has been carefully thought through. Each lodge has a secluded south-facing decked terrace, Jacuzzi hot tub, outdoor dining furniture, barbeque, loungers and atmospheric night lighting. These have got to be the most luxurious lodges in Somerset.

Strawberryfield Park is a family-run business

The small family-run business is headed up by owner Mike and assisted by his son Tom and their dedicated team. The park’s gorgeous brown Labrador Bella also lends a paw when she’s not snoozing in the office. The team at Strawberryfield Park believe in excellent customer care and attention to detail and believe me it shows. Everything has been thoughtfully considered and executed with the utmost of care.

Covid safe

We arrived mid-afternoon to find the key waiting in the door of our deep-cleaned and sanitised lodge. Check-in was contactless and detailed arrival directions and instructions had been e-mailed beforehand so we knew exactly how it would all work. We needed to confirm by email 48-hours before that we were displaying no symptoms of Covid before we’d be allowed on site. All these systems left us reassured that they’d be no Covid risk during our stay at Strawberryfield Park.

Pamela’s Meadow

For our Somerset sojourn we stayed in Pamela’s Meadow, named after Mike’s Mum, who is responsible for the pretty planting in the meadow behind the lodge. The stylish, two-bedroom lodge with two en-suite bathrooms has a spacious living area and large outdoor deck.

Each lodge has its own unique style and décor and ours was light, airy and calming with neutral tones and accents of pale turquoise, petrol blue and soft oranges which suited us perfectly. Some lodges have a more contemporary and edgy styling so there’s something to suit every taste. The lodge was absolutely spotless and everything looked brand new.

The living area

The entrance area leads through a small hallway into the spacious living area which is flooded with light from the floor to ceiling windows and patio doors. Huge comfy sofas, rugs and a wood-burning stove make the lounge cosy and welcoming. The dining area seats up to four and original artwork is displayed on the walls. The huge flat screen TV and sound system were great for rainy day movies and there’s WiFi in all the lodges.

The kitchen

The kitchen at Pamela’s Meadow

The kitchen area is well equipped with NEFF oven, hob and microwave, in fact there’s everything you’d need to self-cater if you wanted to. A dishwasher (plus tablets), fridge freezer, toaster, kettle and coffee machine with pods provided along with all crockery, cutlery, cooking pans and utensils. We had everything we needed to prepare a cooked breakfast each morning and two evening meals which we cooked during our stay.

The bedrooms

Main bedroom

The two bedrooms are also beautifully decorated with large comfortable beds with high quality bed linens and duvets with original artwork displayed on the walls. There’s plenty of wardrobe space with hangers, iron and hairdryer. There’s very little to choose between the two bedrooms although I’d say the second bedroom and en-suite are possibly just the tiniest bit smaller. The second room can be made up as a double or twin.

Second bedroom and ensuite

The en-suites

Talking of en-suites, each one has a large walk-in shower with rainforest and hand-held shower. There are ceramic toilets and basins plus a large heated towel rail filled with soft, fluffy towels. Cole and Lewis toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are also provided. There was no bath tub in our lodge but rumour has it there are gorgeous free-standing tubs in some of the lodges.

Ensuite to main bedroom

Luxury lodges with hot tubs

Hot tub at Pamela’s Meadow

If you’re looking for luxury lodges in Somerset with hot tubs you’ve just found a whole park full! Every lodge at Strawberryfield Park has its own hot tub which sits on a secluded south-facing terrace. I spent a wonderfully relaxing hour one afternoon in the hot tub, sipping bubbles and watching little birds flit in and out of the shrubs next to our deck before watching the sun slip below the glorious Somerset scenery.

The large, walled, deck area has sun-loungers, outdoor dining furniture for four, a barbecue and a nice range of potted plants. The lodges are nicely spaced out so our deck felt completely private and although the park was full we didn’t see anybody else during our stay.

The deck area and hot tub

The decking area is beautifully lit at night with a starlight ceiling in the covered dining area, downlighters on the lodge and strip lighting along the deck walls.

The deck at night

Outside, at the back of the lodge, is a pretty wildflower garden, planted and maintained by Pam. All the plants are from cuttings or seeds from her own garden. The nearby table and chairs made a nice spot for breakfast which overlooks a large grassy space. At the front of the lodge is parking with room for two cars.

Garden area at Pamela’s Meadow

Welcome hampers

A range of extras can be ordered in advance ready to welcome you to your lodge. Flowers, bubbles, a breakfast hamper of local produce, cake and balloons are all available to help you celebrate in style. We had a lovely welcome gift waiting for us on arrival – thank you Mike. The flowers were gorgeous and lasted for at least ten days after we got home. Not the case for the bubbles!

What to see and do near Strawberryfield Park

The Cider Barn

If you don’t fancy cooking head to the Cider Barn which is just a two-minute walk away. They offer a small menu of stone-baked pizzas, chilli and jackets with a range of Somerset ciders plus all the usual bar drinks. They also serve up a large dose of character and an eclectic assortment of music with occasional open mic nights. Definitely worth a visit.

Cheddar

The village of Cheddar and its attractions are just two miles away. We had an excellent meal at the Bath Arms on our first night. The village is very charming for a look around with lots of cafes and restaurants and some good pubs, we liked the White Hart.

If you love hiking you’re in for a treat. We spent one afternoon hiking the magnificent Cheddar Gorge. It’s also worth driving through when you arrive just to take in the scale of it all. The views of the reservoir and across Somerset from the top of the gorge are stunning.

Climbers can scale the 444ft cliffs or for the less adventurous there are caves to explore, although these were closed during our visit due to Covid-19 as were the Escape Rooms. We visited Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company to see how they make authentic Cheddar Cheese which tastes so good we bought some to eat back home. Read about15 fabulous things to do in Cheddar.

The City of Wells

The Cathedral City of Wells is just six miles from Strawberryfield Park and is a must-visit. It’s the smallest cathedral city in England but punches well above its weight in terms of things to see and do. Visit the imposing cathedral and take a wander up Vicars’ Close nearby. Built over 650 years ago it’s said to be the oldest residential street in England and it’s beyond gorgeous.

The medieval city was incredibly picturesque dressed in its autumn foliage. The Bishop’s Palace with its moat, the wells, for which the city is named, and its glorious gardens shouldn’t be missed.

Final thoughts

A break at Strawberryfield Park is all about spending quality time together in a stylish retreat and their boutique luxury lodges in Somerset fit the bill perfectly. I loved the contempory style, comfortable furnishings and beautiful location. I’d stay again in a heartbeat.

Attention to detail was spot on from start to finish and we felt totally secure with the extra actions put in place to ensure a Covid-free environment.

We thoroughly enjoyed both the lodge and the local area and returned home feeling refreshed, relaxed and revitalised. Exactly what we needed. Thank you to everyone at Strawberryfield Park who made our visit so enjoyable.

Need to know

Strawberryfield Park is for couples and families with older children looking to relax in tranquil surroundings, enjoy nature and the surrounding countryside. The two-bedroom lodges are perfect for two sets of couples. We had friends join us for a couple of nights during our stay and there was plenty of room for all of us to spread out and relax without feeling on top of each other. The fact that both bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms is a major benefit.

Why not think about book up for early next year?

One bedroom lodges start at £420 for a 4-night stay in January.

Two bedroom lodges start at £649 for a 4-night stay in January – excellent value when split between two couples.

There are 7 dog-friendly lodges.

Strawberryfield Park, Draycott, Somerset, BS27 3FN

www.strawberryfieldpark.co.uk
01934 533280

Read more about Strawberryfield Park in Sally’s review over on SallyAkins.com

Our stay at Strawberryfield Park was complimentary, however, all views, opinions and love of a stylish, luxury lodge are totally my own.