The Credentials
Nestled between the rolling Somerset hills, the market town of Bruton manages to feel at once ‘sleepy’ and achingly ‘trendy’. You can barely move on the high street for excellent restaurants and elegant interior design stores – even ‘The Spar’ has a fine foods section with locally farmed organic meat, produce and dairy. Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo and Sam Taylor-Johnson now call Bruton home and it is heralded by some as the ‘new Chipping Norton’ – Vogue recently went one further and declared it the ‘new Notting Hill’. But for all that Bruton is the ‘new everywhere else’, what it certainly isn’t… is NEW. Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric settlements here, the village is home to a 12th-century abbey and much of the high street is mediaeval in its origin.
It’s at the bottom of the high street that you’ll find boutique hotel Number One Bruton and you won’t miss it, the punchy interiors spill out onto the road; a daffodil-yellow door zings against arsenic walls. Inside, the pink sitting room teems with Murano chandeliers and we’re warmly greeted at reception, not just by its delightful manager Ameliia, but by a rainbow-coloured armchair.
Sleep
Amelia shows us to our room in the 12th-century forge, which is resplendent with original quirks and features. Exposed beams, limestone walls and industrial crittal windows yield to poppy, pastel shades and Hockney-esque artworks. The soft furnishings are a mix of traditional ticking and soft linens, there are handmade Indian lampshades and sheepskin rugs. There’s a free-standing bath in the room with chunky brass taps. And I notice (whilst soaking in it) that hidden just behind, set into the wall, is a painted tile. It’s a portrait of a moustachioed man, whom I’m convinced is Ryan Gosling but later learn is writer of, ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ John Steinbeck. Steinbeck spent several months living in Bruton and had the following to say about his time here…
‘I wish you could feel this place, just let it seep into you…
there’s a goodness here… something that clears your eyes’
Apt then, that he’s immortalised in ceramic beside the bath. And as I soak, it’s not just Bruton that seeps into me, but geranium and soapwort too – because the hotel has its own deliciously scented products made from essential oils which are available to purchase at reception.
The bed is wonderfully comfortable and generously proportioned. In fact, everything about the room feels generous – there’s a fully stocked fridge where everything is complimentary. Apple juice by The Newt and Peter’s Yard crackers with Westcombe Cheddar and creamy honey make the perfect welcome snack.
Dine
Osip – the hotel’s partner restaurant received its first Michelin star 2022. Sadly, Osip is closed on a Monday, so Amanda on the desk kindly booked us a table at the Newt. We dined in The Botanical Rooms, which is truly excellent.
Breakfast is served in the serenely decorated Osip on enamel tableware. It is a simple but indulgent spread, all ingredients are organic where possible and locally sourced. There’s freshly made coffee, ricotta, house granola, crispy cruffins, ham and local cheese, all crying out to be washed down with a big glass of Somerset apple juice.
The Crowd
I came here once during Glastonbury Festival and the place was crawling with London musos, dripping in wristbands. This visit takes place on a Monday in January and so is naturally quieter but at breakfast, we find ourselves amongst well-to-do arty types and eulogising foodies.
The Best Thing
There’s just so much to do in the area and ‘Number One’ feels like the perfect place from which to explore. There’s Bruton Abbey, The Hauser and Wirth Gallery and The Newt in Castle Cary where the gardens are exquisite and they recently uncovered a roman villa.
The Worst Thing
The fact that we didn’t get to try their Michelin-starred restaurant Osip, but we will be back.
The Details
A stay in the old forge starts at £220 per night.
