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"The Newt is more than just a hotel, it's a legacy," says Arthur Cole, head of programming at The Newt in Somerset, as he rumbles across picturesque farmland in a mud-splattered 4x4.
Read any of the reviews of The Newt in Somerset, a Palladian house hotel, farm and garden, owned by hoteliers Karen Roos and her husband, Koos Bekker, (both also preside over Babylonstoren in South Africa), and you'll come across a whole raft of superlatives to describe it: astonishing, magical, charming... All of these -- and more -- are true: when you arrive, you soon realise that this is one of the most idyllic country house hotels in the UK, arguably in a league of its own, yet you won't find the team who work here boasting about it.
When it opened in 2019, it did so quietly, with little fuss. This was despite the fact that there was no cost spared when it came to renovating the 17th-century Hadspen House, which sits at the heart of the estate, and the regeneration of the surrounding grounds (reportedly costing around £50 million). While the hotel garners rave reviews across the board, The Newt believes that the experience guests have, and the work it is doing on the land, simply speak for themselves.
"Yes, we are a finessed, luxury hotel, but we offer so much more than just a bed for the night," says Arthur. "Whether you come for the gardens, or the food [most of the ingredients used in the restaurants are sourced on the land], The Newt will still be evolving many years after I am gone. That's the plan, anyway."
Found near Bruton in Somerset, The Newt in Somerset sits in some 800 acres of, yes, bucolic grounds. From its walled apple orchards, boasting 267 varieties of apples, to its sprawling kitchen gardens, with 350 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs, there's so much to explore that you'd be hard pressed to cover it all in a weekend visit. Exquisite flower gardens, spread across 30 acres; include colour-themed 'rooms' of red, white and blue blooms; while wildflower meadows reside next to those with roaming buffalo herds; there's a hidden grotto; a deer park; an interactive Story of Gardening exhibit; a spa set amid herb gardens with nature-themed treatments; wild swimming ponds and even its own cyder-making facility... and that's just scratching the surface.
Most importantly, perhaps, is the fact that The Newt sits within a true working farm, with some 522 people employed across the whole business, including farmers, conservation managers, gardeners, scientists, beekeepers, and woodsmen and women. It means that guests can get up close to an abundance of nature and wildlife.
"We don't like to use words like 'sustainable'," says Arthur. "Because what does it actually mean these days? It is an overused term that has lost its meaning. 'Regenerative' is probably the closest term that I would use to describe us."
To find out more about the depth of work at The Newt, guests can book a farm tour to see the native British White cattle, Dorset Down sheep, water buffalo and wild deer herds that graze on the land. "Everything works in harmony," says Arthur. "They work their magic on the soil and create conditions in which pollinators and farmland birds can thrive."
Indeed, The Newt's land, woods, orchards and gardens are home to a wide range of wildlife and important habitats, including several species of reptiles, birds, and bats as well as, of course, the Great Crested Newt, for which the business is named. There's also a Beezantium, looked after by resident entomologist Thomas Oliver, which hosts thousands of bees, which roam aroundthe estate, pollinatingfruits, vegetables,flowers and crops.
"We are very conscious about what we do in terms of farming practices and our care for the land and wildlife. We see ourselves as caretakers of this little corner of England," Arthur says. "So, no insecticides are used; supplementary feed and bedding for cattle and dairy cows are home-grown and lambs are 100% grass fed."
He continues: "We try and supply as much of the produce for the restaurants as possible, which means that estate-based food production and processing saves thousands of food miles each year and guests can taste the freshest Somerset produce. Grass-fed British White cattle and Dorset Down sheep provide the highest quality beef and lamb to The Newt's farm shops, restaurants and online customers across the region. The milling wheat grown on the farm provides the flour for the bread, biscuits, cakes,pastaand other amazing products thatThe Newt'sbakersand chefscreate.WaterbuffalosprovidemilkforcheeseandyoghurtsmadeonestateeatTheCreamery."
Also part of the set-up is the futuristic Avalon butchery which, with its light-drenched,double-height space, feels more like an art gallery than a typical butcher's. "It has been designed as a centre for excellence, not only for food production, but to give educational opportunities for budding butchers around the country", explains Arthur. "The facility is the sole supplier of estate-reared and locally sourced meat served across The Newt's restaurants and shops. With rare and heritage breed livestock born, raised, finished, and butchered on the estate, the butchery gives The Newt even greater control over the quality, provenance, and traceability of its meat. The Butchery aims to be a beacon for spotlighting British meat, raised and prepared in an uncompromising way. Alongside its butchery services, the butchery celebrates traditions once common across British country estates -- from potting meats, to slow-smoking legs of mutton.
It's no surprise, therefore, that dining at The Newt is a highlight, with three restaurants to choose from. The elevated, glass-walled Garden Café immerses you in nature with its views over the walled orchard -- the menu changes according to what has been picked from the gardens that day; while the Farmyard Kitchen features hearty fare and wood-fired cooking from an open kitchen. In the Botanical Rooms, found in Hadspen House, it's all about seasonal menus featuring the freshest ingredients from the estate -- from buffalo mozzarella with white beans to estate venison, beetroot, oyster mushroom and walnut. Save room for the apple pie with cyder caramel and buffalo milk gelato, which is not to be missed, and make sure you order a glass of glass of South African Mourvèdre Rosé made on the sister-hotel Babylonstoren's estate. You can choose to sit in the oak-panelled dining room (cosy in winter) or in the glass extension, which feels like a Victorian orangerie with its potted citrus and olive plants.
The Newt may be so much more than a hotel, but that's not to say it's not an exceptional one. You can choose one of 42 rooms which are found in Hadspen House, as well as carved out of historic outbuildings, and at The Farmyard. In the main house, bedrooms are thoughtfully designed, with a well-edited mix of antiques, stylish velvet chairs and simple four-poster beds. The interiors were conceived by Karen Roos, who was previously editor at South Africa's Elle Decoration. Needless to say, attention to detail is on point and full of character, with aged mirrors, Georgian silhouette art and glass bathroom cabinets filled with shells and bath sponges (like curiosities of old). It all works to complement the period details: panelled walls, fireplaces and original shutters of the Palladian house.
One of the joys of The Newt is how it continues to innovate with new developments having been continually introduced since it opened. "Many of us who work here were involved with The Newt from the beginning," says Arthur Cole. "We bought into what was an ambitious vision, but how it has developed has surpassed even our dreams. What's more, we're now taking The Newt's potential even further."
One of its recent big 'splashes' was the stunning recreation of a Roman villa within the estate, built after extensive Roman ruins were excavated. Visitors can now tour the visitor centre, take in the original foundations, and step back in time inside the reconstructed villa, which has hand-painted frescoes, artisan-made mosaic floors and working Roman baths. Its set in a vineyard (the hotel will soon make its own wine) and authentic gardens modelled on what the Romans would have grown.
Last year, the team also opened The Creamery—a café,dairyandfarmshop—foundatthe nearbyCastleCarytrainstation,whichhasdirectlinkstoLondon .Itstandsasareimaginationoftheoriginaldairyfacilitythatstoodhere ,usedbylocalfarmerswhobringmilktobepasteurisedbeforeloadedonthemilktraint oLondon .Addinganewtwististhisyear’sMaidofSomersetafternoonteaexperience ,setwithinarestoredBritishPullmancarriageinthegardens .Originallybuiltin1921 ,theheritagerailcarhasbegunanewlifeasaset tingfortheone-of-a-kindafternoonteaexperience ,featuringproducefromTheNewt (think:analmond ,orange&cardamomcakewithwhippedcoffeehangop--asoftchees ecreatedbyTheNewt’sheadcheesemaker) .
Once serving as a First-Class parlour car on the legendary Thanet Belle route, the carriage boasts rich marquetry, geometric trellis motifs, and high-backed armchairs upholstered in historic 'Autumn Tints' fabric. Glass-topped mahogany tables dating back to the 1920s, original brass fittings, and torch-style wall lamps complete the experience. Transporting guests to a bygone time, it’s another example of The Newt’s deftness of recreating magic from the roots of the past.