A round-up of the top 10 beautiful cottages near Bristol, including budget-friendly, pet-friendly, and luxury properties with a hot tub or swimming pool.
Time to elope to artsy Bristol and explore the historic harbour, Cabot Circus and the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge?
On the river Avon in northeast Somerset, Bristol is known for its extensive Banksy murals, boat trips, balloon fiesta and even its pirating history. So, what better way is there to explore Bristol and the surrounding Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty than from some of the best cottages in Somerset and the Cotswolds?
Bristol is conveniently located, surrounded by the Somerset countryside and 15 miles from the Mendip Hills, where valleys and limestone gorges lie in store. With the city of Bath to the south too, this is the ideal destination to combine a city break with combing through the hills, coast and stunning countryside. The following selection of holiday cottages in Bristol includes pet-friendly accommodation, properties with a hot tub and romantic retreats for two.
List of the Best Cottages near Bristol:
1. The Old Hall (Westonbirt, Tetbury)
2. Whileaway Lodge, Strawberryfield Park (Cheddar, Somerset)
3. The Cowshed (Brent Knoll, Somerset)
4. Avonside Cottage (Pill, Somerset)
5. The Coach House (Bitton, Gloucestershire)
6. Jasmine Hut, Myrtle Farm (Warmley, Somerset)
7. Walnut Cottage (Dundry, Somerset)
8. Boundary Barn (Dundry, Somerset)
9. Butcombe Farm House (Butcombe, Somerset)
10. The Forge (Marksbury, Farmborough)
1. The Old Hall
Location: Westonbirt, Tetbury
Best for: A break in the countryside close to Bristol
Located in Westonbirt, just over half an hour’s drive from Bristol, The Old Hall is the sort of cottage where you can spend a day browsing Bristol’s street art or hiking through the hills before soaking your feet in a hot tub while birds hoot overhead. Pick up local produce from Somerset farms to prod and sizzle in your fully equipped kitchen, prop up your feet in front of the woodburner, or retire to the hot tub after your days out.
If you decide to spend a day inside, the holiday property is ideal for a romantic break, a family holiday, or even a friend’s vacation. The cottage, which sleeps up to four, has a large paddock outside for children to let off steam surrounded by farm pastures and the patio is kitted out with a huge hot tub in a private space. A few minutes’ drive from the Westonbirt National Arboretum, the cottage is also the perfect base for peaceful strolls in a tree garden that has over 2,500 species.
Facilities: With a huge backyard, blue-painted door, and a driveway with private parking, the Old Hall is a beautiful property. However, it’s not just outwardly attractive. Once you’ve ditched your coats and maps on the porch, head inside to stir up a brew in the kitchen, which is equipped with a microwave, kettle, toaster, dishwasher and a walk-in pantry with a fridge-freezer and washing machine. There are four bedrooms across the cottage, including a double, two singles and a kingsize, as well as extra pull-out and sofa beds for any additional family members. You may be fighting to use the regal, freestanding tub in the bathroom, as this is another luxurious touch.
2. Whileaway Lodge, Strawberryfield Park
Location: Cheddar, Somerset
Best for: A rural family getaway in the Mendip Hills
Searching for a rural hideaway that’s still just 40 minutes’ drive from Bristol? Make your way to Whileaway Lodge, Strawberryfield Park in the Mendip Hills. This peaceful rural position is in Cheddar, which does not refer to the cheese, but rather the stunning Cheddar Gorge, a limestone gorge that makes an excellent hiking, caving and climbing destination.
The holiday property also meets many other essential holiday cottage requirements: a fully-equipped kitchen, a cosy sitting room, Wi-Fi, and for those of you who care about the added luxury of a hot tub, there’s one outside on the wooden patio. Up to two pets are permitted on the holiday property for an additional fee, so they’ll also be able to join you as you explore Bristol, Cheddar and the rest of the Mendips.
Facilities: Whileaway Lodge, Strawberryfield Park sleeps four across a master bedroom and a bedroom with two singles. With a family bathroom between the four of you and an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area, there’s plenty of space for quality family time. Whether you rustle up something in the fully-equipped kitchen or place some prime Somerset cuts on the barbecue, there’s a dining area outside where you can tuck in. All that’s left is to dorn your swimsuits and take refuge in the hot tub, surrounded by sun loungers and ambient lighting.
3. The Cowshed
Location: Brent Knoll, Somerset
Best for: Large group holidays near Cheddar Gorge
What could be more peaceful than staying in a Somerset barn conversion a few minutes’ drive from Cheddar and just over half an hour’s drive from beautiful Bristol? The Cowshed is a spacious, modern cottage with all of the above requirements. While touches such as a six-person hot tub, firepit and rainfall shower provide a modern feel, the cottage was a farm building before its current conception. The stone walls remain, but the place has been transformed into a glam pad with a large backyard, patio doors and outdoor furniture for alfresco evenings.
When you’re not unwinding in your Somerset grounds, the cottage is in a central location for exploring north-east Somerset. You might want to begin by going caving or hiking around Cheddar Gorge, seeking out donkey rides in Weston Super Mare, or visiting the
Bristol city centre for boat trips and street art tours. Bristol airport is only a 20 minutes’ drive away if you’re returning home or extending your holiday elsewhere.
Facilities: You’ll struggle to find fault with the facilities at The Cowshed, considering that this cottage has a courtyard for alfresco dinners and evening drinks, a six-person hot tub under cover in an open barn, and a farmhouse table where you can dig into dinners fashioned up in the ground-floor kitchen. With Wi-Fi, private parking for three cars, a highchair, and kitchen amenities that include an oven, fridge, wood stove, and microwave, all the essentials are covered. Your group can also spread out across the two bathrooms and three bedrooms, before congregating together in the courtyard or lounge, which has a Smart TV and Bluetooth speaker.
4. Avonside Cottage
Location: Pill, Somerset
Best for: Holidays over the River Avon
Located in a historic village in North Somerset, Avonside Cottage is a pet-friendly property on the River Avon. The charming cottage is just a 20 minutes’ drive from the Bristol city centre, a 25 minutes’ drive from Weston-super-Mare and a 15 minutes’ drive from the historical Ashton Court Estate in the south of the city. This is a great location for spending days at Portishead Beach after eating your morning tea and toast over river views.
There’s a quirky feel to this two-bedroom North Somerset cottage, thanks to bright décor, splashes of red throughout the open-plan living and kitchen area, and a wood-panelled dining area and bedrooms. Don’t worry about any cabin fever, because the outdoor space is quite roomy too and there’s a seat outside if you want to take a brew outdoors. This will prove handy if you’re taking your canine on holiday with you: one well-behaved pet is welcome and the terrace is enclosed to keep them safe and sound.
Facilities: When you’re not eating out in the beautiful village pub or other nearby restaurants, pop by one of the village shops to pick up some fresh produce and get sizzling in your kitchen. While small, it’s well kitted out with an electric hob and oven, microwave, fridge-freezer, dishwasher, and a washing machine. When you’re having a quiet night, the living area has Wi-Fi and a TV with a DVD player if you want to stick on a feel-good film or two and get out the popcorn. Away from the ground floor, the bedrooms include a double bedroom and a twin bedroom, the ideal setting for a family.
5. The Coach House
Location: Bitton, Gloucestershire
Best for: A couples’ retreat between Bristol and Bath
The Coach House is the perfect retreat for two. Peacefully positioned down a quiet lane in the beautiful countryside, the pretty cottage is in a small Somerset village named Bitton. Between Bristol and Bath, you’ll have two choices for a city break, and at the same time, the edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is under a mile from your doorstep.
Roll out of the attic bedroom, and enjoy your morning coffee on the cobbled patio behind the former coach house. The day’s plans might contain peaceful cycles in the Cotswolds, sightseeing in Bristol, shopping in Cabot Circus, or driving down to the Bristol Channel to get some ocean air. North Somerset attractions such as Bristol Zoo and Cheddar Gorge are only a short drive away, as are shops and restaurants.
Facilities: If you’ve been searching for Bristol holiday cottages that have lots of character and plenty of peace and quiet, The Coach House delivers on all fronts. With room for two in an attic bedroom, this is a small-but-mighty former coach house with quirky décor, a small, modern kitchen and off-road parking for one car. The ground floor consists of the kitchen, bathroom, kitchen, sitting room and patio doors that open up onto a shared courtyard area.
6. Jasmine Hut, Myrtle Farm
Location: Warmley, Somerset
Best for: A shepherd’s hut stay nearby buses to Bristol
How about a holiday property that’s a little different? Jasmine Hut, Myrtle Farm is a shepherd’s hut – a one-floor, wooden studio that sits in its own little gravel patch overlooking the Somerset fields in Warmley. With its own small hot tub and outdoor furniture, this is the kind of place where you can spread out and soak up the countryside air away from the city.
Still, this cottage isn’t cut off in the slightest. Bristol is only a 25 minutes’ drive from Jasmine Hut on Myrtle Farm, and there’s a bus that departs from the station five minutes’ walk away that can get you into the city within 40 minutes. For more city wanders, historic Bath is under 10 miles from your front yard and the Cotswolds is even closer, with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty starting just three miles away.
Facilities: Whether you’ve worn yourself out exploring Bristol’s historical sites and trendy harbour, or you’ve outdone yourself with hikes, cycles, and other outdoor pursuits in the Cotswolds or the Mendip Hills, you can always count on a soak in the hot tub to restore you upon your return to Jasmine Hut, Myrtle Farm. Just because you’re staying in a shepherd’s hut doesn’t mean that you don’t get the facilities you’d expect from a self-catering cottage either. The studio-style accommodation includes a walk-in shower room, a woodburning stove, microwave oven, induction hob, fridge-freezer, smart TV and bed compartment. While there isn’t Wi-Fi, 4G coverage is sufficient.
7. Walnut Cottage
Location: Dundry, Somerset
Best for: A rural family break, 20 minutes’ drive from Bristol
Based in Dundry, seven miles south of Bristol, Walnut Cottage is a three-bedroom holiday property that’s elegant, cosy and traditionally styled. The living area has earthy tones, a warm woodburning stove, and a dining table with six chairs for family meals. With a large kitchen and three bedrooms, you’ll also be happy to find that the accommodation continues outdoors, where there is a raised wooden decking and sinkable seats overlooking a well-kept lawn and a patchwork of lush, green Somerset fields that could make you think that there’s nothing but farm animals for miles.
While it may be peaceful, the rural cottage is still well-connected. Bristol is approximately 20 minutes’ drive to the north, Weston Super Mare and its sandy beach are 35 minutes’ drive to the southwest, and the historic towns across the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are less than 25 minutes’ drive to the south.
Facilities: The set-up at Walnut Cottage feels both modern and traditional at the same time. Despite being styled upon a traditional country kitchen, there are modern appliances such as a fridge-freezer, electric hob, built-in oven and microwave where you can impress with your cooking skills. The living room has Wi-Fi for modern entertainment, but old-style cottage décor and a woodburning stove that inspires late-night reading. Across the holiday property, there are three bedrooms, including a child’s single bed, a large bathroom, and off-road parking.
8. Boundary Barn
Location: Dundry, Somerset
Best for: A retreat for couples or smaller families
Boundary Barn is the sort of cottage where you can tuck into fresh farm produce on your table over the Somerset countryside while sheep bleat in the background. Located in Dundry, seven miles south of Bristol and its iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, this wood-and-stone cottage has a double bedroom and a single bedroom, making it the ideal Bristol accommodation for couples or small families.
Boundary Barn, as the name suggests, was once a farm barn, but it has been renovated into a fashionable holiday rental in the Chew Valley with its own private driveway and enclosed patio. For country pub eats and pints, the village pub is just a few minutes’ walk from the doorstep and there are also shops or farm shops within a short drive of the site where you can source ingredients for alfresco dinners.
Facilities: After ascending the stone steps to Boundary Barn, the first thing you’ll encounter is the patio and French doors. Inside, the open-plan living area consists of dining, sitting and kitchen sections. The latter is where you’ll be able to prep your picnic lunches using the electric oven and hob, fridge and freezer. When you’re not having breakfast in bed or out on the patio, the TV and Wi-Fi provide extra entertainment. All of this is over one floor, meaning everything is easily accessed.
9. Butcombe Farm House
Location: Butcombe, Somerset
Best for: Special big-group occasions with a private pool
Butcombe Farm House is located in Butcombe, a small village on the northern tip of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This location is as luxurious as it gets: based in a Grade II-listed former farm house, there are eight bedrooms, parking for up to 10 cars, and the highlight of it all, a huge private courtyard that has a barbecue, two hot tubs and a large, outdoor swimming pool (available between May and September). It doesn’t matter how chilly it is, because the pool is heated. If you’re here to visit Bristol city, it’s only half an hour’s drive to the north too.
Surrounded by 40 acres of farmland and with a dining area that can play host to 26 people, the cottage is well-suited to special occasions and large gatherings, whether it’s a family reunion, a big birthday or a work occasion. All of the bedrooms on the ground floor have their own ensuite bathrooms and Wi-Fi access, ensuring that all guests (including disabled visitors) are catered to.
Facilities: With room for 22 across eight bedrooms and six bathrooms, Butcombe Farm House naturally has a range of high-quality facilities to cater to large groups. This includes a woodburning fire in the sitting room and oil-fired central heating to keep you all toasty, as well as three travel cots and highchairs for younger visitors. The kitchen area has a double oven, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a dishwasher and five electric hobs for all those who wish to rustle up their own meals. There are plenty of options as to where to eat, including a couple of dining tables and seating scattered throughout the grounds. The bedrooms include family options with ensuites, all with access to the Wi-Fi connection.
10. The Forge
Location: Marksbury, Farmborough
Best for: A two-bedroom cottage for those with limited mobility
Based in Marksbury, a small village 10 miles from Bristol, The Forge is a homely cottage with a traditional feel. That includes stone brickwork on the exterior and exposed wooden beams on the interior, based opposite the village church. Set across one ground floor with one double bedroom, the cottage has been designed and furnished for people with poorer mobility.
The roadside parking will ensure that it’s perfectly easy to visit nearby attractions, which include the Ashton Court Estate located a 35 minutes’ drive away and the cities of Bath and Bristol under half an hour’s drive in either direction. With the Cotswolds and the Mendip Hills on either side, this is also a good option for those who are looking to seek out places of natural beauty.
Facilities: Just because this is a one-bedroom cottage across one floor, doesn’t mean that facilities are far and few in-between. The open-plan living area has a kitchen that’s equipped with a double oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and freezer for your fry-ups and picnic making. The shower room has an accessible walk-in shower, and there’s roadside parking to get to and from the cottage. If you’re wondering about planning out your itinerary and having some evening entertainment, there’s a TV and Wi-Fi too.
Book Your Next Break with Breakfree Holidays
With so many different holiday rentals up for grabs, you might want to keep browsing the top cottages in Somerset and the Cotswolds. Breakfree Holidays provides cottages with pet-friendly interiors, hot tubs and many more features to make your family, couple or time with friends extra memorable.
Credit: Some of the images in the post have been provided by Sykes Cottages.