Reviews

“Thank you so much for our Christmas stay at Pilgrim Corner, our family had a brilliant time staying here. The cottage is beautiful, and all of the personal touches just made it very special! The dog bits were greatly appreciated too! By far the loveliest cottage we’ve stayed in. Thank you so much, nothing was too much trouble. We hope to visit again soon.”
Bex Hall and family, Christmas 2019

“The moment we walked through the door of this beautiful, cosy cottage I felt relaxed. It was well worth the drive from London – and to do so over a long weekend would definitely feel like a break. The cottage is exquisitely decorated and perfect for a retreat at any time of year – my husband and I sat and watched the amazing Exmoor stars with a glass of wine by the fire. Since we have young children and spend the night’s at home this kind of thing made us feel like we’d had some quality time for ourselves. The house is spotlessly clean and spacious. Kitchen has plenty of space and great for home cooking. We didn’t need to eat out. Night times is totally quiet and peaceful, we all slept so well. Beds are so comfortable and luxurious. The hot tub in the beautiful garden, with scenic views across the landscape, was a real treat. We sat in it while the church bells rang out on a Sunday morning! The changing hut next to it is a great idea and means you don’t have to run across the garden in your swimwear! There’s enough space for more than one family with kids, and the en suites in the bedrooms make sharing with friends more comfortable. Great WIFI and quick and simple to access. Great TV! Kids had loads of space to play and loved the garden. We will definitely be coming back.”
From TripAdvisor, November 2019

“A great place to stay, really enjoyed our week here. Comfy beds and sofas etc. We enjoyed the hot tub. Thank you for the lovely cake!”
The White party, October 2019

“Wow, what an amazing surprise – the most beautiful cottage and perfect location! The cottage was so well-equipped with everything you could possibly need – such a sociable layout too! I normally hate surprises, but this one I am honestly over the moon with this one. Thank you so much, we will be back!”
Mr & Mrs Friend and Iyla, and all their friends, September 2019

“Lovely, welcoming cottage – tea and cake most welcome after the journey – even catered for the dogs with biscuits! Everything and anything you could possibly need. Beds very comfortable and the hot tub relaxing, a very nice addition to our visit. A beautiful setting by the church and Steps, we enjoyed the bellringing on Friday evening. The church is lovely lit up at night, we made a quick visit there and met and chatted to the verger who came to lock up. Following your recommendation to the pub at the harbour, The Old Ship Aground, we had an excellent meal. We also enjoyed The Apple Tree Tea Rooms a couple of times. Everyone we met in the shops, restaurants etc were very friendly and helpful and we learnt a lot about the local scene. Endless entertainment for my mother making her way through all your cookbooks!! Paul and Lucy were excellent hosts.
The Paul party, August 2019

“Staying at Pilgrim Corner is really as wonderful and as beautiful as all the reviews say. We were a family of six adults and two children, and it was than spacious enough for all. We love to cook and there are more than enough utensils – whatever the recipe – with a choice to gather around the table in the kitchen, dining room or garden. Pilgrim Corner is nestled at the foot of the steps leading to the 14th century St Michael’s Church and surrounded by similar picturesque cob-walled cottages in the historic part of Minehead on North Hill, far enough away from the town to enjoy the quiet, peaceful countryside and a 10-minute downhill stroll to the sandy beach and town centre. We’ve arrived back home feeling completely relaxed and with wonderful memories of our time at Pilgrim Corner and are already comparing diaries to plan our next stay there!”
Chrissie and her family, July 2019

“We had the most wonderful time. Stunning location, the hot tub has beautiful views. It has given the seven of us wonderful memories to treasure. And we may come back another time. Thank you!”
Sue and her colleagues, May 2019

“My wife and I travelled down to Minehead with our two daughters aged 15 and 12 and our dog Kassie for a well-earned rest. Pilgrim Corner is the ideal place to do this in a beautiful well-equipped cottage. Some lovely long walks with Kassie were then followed by a lovely relaxing afternoon in the hot tub! At being at the edge of Minehead in a peaceful part of town it is only a few minutes to walk into the main area for all the shops and places to eat. From our arrival with cake and treats for Kassie along with a bottle of fizz for Tanya as it was her birthday, it was perfect! You will not be disappointed with Pilgrim Corner – we’ve already booked again!! Thanks guys.”
The Eady family, April 2019, published on TripAdvisor

“Another good stay in Minehead with wonderful walks through the woods and along the beach towards Dunster with our cocker spaniels Lola and Charlie. It’s our second stay at ‘Pilgrim’, so when we said, ‘We’ll be back’, we meant it! We’ve now also stayed twice at The Old Sweet Shop. They are both great dog and people friendly cottages. We will be back for sure!
Duncan and Elaine Peberdy, March 2019

“Great 70th birthday surprise getaway! Second time here and it didn’t disappoint! Thank you for making the cottage so homely and ensuring everything ran so smoothly during our stay. I’m sure we will be back.”
Hannah, Danny, Gracie and Archie, January 2019

Read more guest reviews for Pilgrim Corner.

Check the availability of each of our cottages and book online:
Pilgrim Corner
The Oval Dunster
The Old Sweet Shop
Stone Barn

“Our third stay in this wonderful cottage. Gary and I always feel we’ve come home when we walk into The Oval. It was cold enough to have a roaring fire every night, which complemented the festive feeling with the Christmas tree and lights decorating the beautiful lounge. We love it here this time of year and have already booked yet again for next year! Many, many thanks for allowing my husband and I to ‘chill’ before the onslaught of Christmas. See you next year!”
Kathy and Gary Woodruff, Dec 2019

“A flying visit to Dunster and The Oval this time, but we’ve still really enjoyed our stay. After a long drive it was lovely to walk into this wonderful cottage knowing we’d be warm and cosy for the next few nights. The cottage was beautifully presented (as always) and the welcome treats were gratefully received. Even though we were only for a couple of nights, we still enjoyed lighting the fire and relaxing with a glass of wine. We also enjoyed two great night’s sleep in the very comfy master bedroom. We’re very sad to be leaving today but can’t wait to return in a few weeks to see in the new year. Thank you team, see you soon.”
Abby and Jonathan Foster, November 2019

“Thank you for providing such a thoroughly relaxing and comfortable environment for our stay. The cottage is cosy, extremely well appointed, well excellent facilities and everything we could possibly need while we were here. What an excellent base for exploring Dunster and its environs! In the two days we were here we ventured as far as Lynton and Lynmouth, Dunkery Beacon, Porlock and more locally to a ghost tour at Dunster Castle, late at night. Sitting with a glass of wine by the wood burner in the lounge was a real pleasure and I am sure we’ll all be returning to our day jobs a little more relaxed. Many thanks, and very much hope to stay again in the future.”
Dave, Andy, Dave, Simon and Chris, October 2019

“Excellent cottage, facilities first class, cannot speak highly enough of the whole experience. The welcome tray with lovely cake made the start to our holiday more enjoyable. We had a great time.”
The Rhodes party, August 2019

“What a great place! The cottage, the village, the castle, beaches and the friendly people. We visited all the local beaches, Minehead, Dunster, Blue Anchor, Porlock and Porlock Weir. We also visited Woollacombe beach and spent the most fantastic day (bit of a drive but so worth it). You can’t come to Dunster without going to the castle, we went in the morning, came back for lunch and went back in the afternoon – great! We had some great meals in Dunster, The Stag over the road (not too far to stagger back from), but our favourite was The Luttrell Arms, lovely food, good service, great atmosphere and friendly people. We also visited Tarr Steps, very pretty and lovely walks. The cottage is fantastic! It is so well-equipped and very cosy, and the outside area is great and sooo hot!! A lovely holiday topped off by the most fantastic weather. What more can I say apart from a massive thank you.
The Gutcher family, July 2019

“We have been visiting Dunster for many years, but this is the first time we have stayed at The Oval. The building has so much character and charm and is fully equipped with everything you could need. The extra touches left for us on arrival for mum’s 70th birthday were lovely and gratefully received after a long journey. We have had a wonderful holiday. There is so much to see on the doorstep and in the surrounding area. We hope to be back again soon.”
The Chapmans, June 2019

“Loved staying in this very historic house. It’s also very well-equipped. Many thanks for the welcome tea tray and cake – Daisy loved her treats too! Dunster is a great place to stay. Good shops, cafes, the Castle with its lovely gardens and the beach.”
Pat, Ken, Claire and Daisy the dog, May 2019

“I believe this is the fourth or fifth time of staying in The Oval over the last three years, we have stayed in two other cottages in Dunster but never out of choice! The Oval is our firm favourite, but it gets booked early so you have to be quick. It’s just a perfect home-from-home, we just can’t praise it enough.”
The Owen and Gregory family, April 2019

“Once again we have had a wonderful time here at The Oval. After staying here for many years now we feel like we’re holidaying from the second we get here. It’s lovely to step into this cottage knowing that every last detail has been thought of, and we are relaxed within minutes. We enjoy lazy mornings in this beautiful cottage with coffee on the top terrace and nightcaps by the fire. Thanks once again, and see you at Christmas!”
The Foster family, Easter 2019

“The Oval is a highly characterful, comfortable and welcoming property. The layout of all the rooms is well-considered, with the living room being beautifully proportioned. However, it is all the little touches that make it such a pleasant place to stay – a welcoming pack, a tea tray with milk, cake and so on, and loads of toys for the kids (very helpful on a rainy Sunday). We like to cook, so the fact that the kitchen is so well equipped is a real bonus. It had everything – steamers, garlic crushers, all the right baking trays and so on. This is unusual for a holiday property. As for Dunster, it is a great base for a break. The village is beautiful, with lots of places of interest to visit (the Castle, the mill etc.), shops to see and places to eat and drink. ”
Helpful Holidays guests, April 2019

“We really enjoyed our stay at The Oval. The cottage is really quirky, warm and well-equipped. The weather has been really kind to us. We’ve enjoyed walks from the doorstep, and have been further afield to Lynton and Lynmouth, Porlock, and the Tarr Steps – all of which are lovely. We’ve had good meals at The Stag’s Head, Luttrell Arms and the Forresters Arms – watch out for the parrot! We will certainly visit Dunster again and we wouldn’t hesitate to book The Oval. Thanks for a great stay.”
Paul, Gina, Andrew, Sarah, David and Sam, March 2019

“We first discovered Dunster in 2010 and have returned each year since – which says it all. We’ve never stayed for a week during winter as we usually come at Easter, but we found Dunster and The Oval are even more beautiful at this time of year. The cottage is always warm and inviting and this time has been no exception. It has been absolutely lovely seeing 2019 in here. We’ve enjoyed walks along the beach in Dunster and Porlock, as well as Horner, but most of all we enjoyed lighting the fire and spending time relaxing here at The Oval. Thanks to everyone.”
The Foster family, New Year 2019

Read more guest reviews for The Oval Dunster.

Check the availability of each of our cottages and book online:
Pilgrim Corner
The Oval Dunster
The Old Sweet Shop
Stone Barn

“We have had a lovely weekend celebrating our parents Diamond Anniversary. It has been warm and cosy, especially with the log fire. We had a lovely meal in Reeves Restaurant, and also the Luttrell Arms. Thank you very much.”
The Dandos, Prices and Merediths, January 2020

“Amazing. We arrived at the cottage and were instantly transported to a magical place. With the log fire bring, the lights twinkling, and a glass in hand, it was the perfect Christmas. We sat in the hot tub and looked up at the stars, with no traffic noise and the church lit up with the bells ringing. The house is beautiful, so original and full of personality. We’ve loved every minute at The Old Sweet Shop.”
The Montiers, Christmas 2019

“We headed here with my family, friends and their dog. We travelled from London, but it was well worth the long drive – it’s the idyllic break – even for a weekend. Great big dining table in well-appointed kitchen made eating together fun and easy. The hot tub is big and brilliant, great for the adults once the kids are fast asleep. We spent time on the nearby beaches and forests. We all slept so well – the beds are so comfortable village is so peaceful. Would come here summer or winter. We will definitely be back. Lucy, the owner, is warm and wonderful and dealt with our queries quickly. Thanks so much!”
From TripAdvisor, November 2019

“Wonderful, wonderful cottage, perfect location, the cottage itself was so beautiful and quaint, the rooms very spacious and cosy very well maintained and spotlessly clean, had everything you could imagine, beautiful hot tub set in a lovely garden I cannot fault this. Lovely views, Minehead beach 15 min walk through lovely lanes. This is one place that we will be going back to!”
From TripAdvisor, October 2019

“We’ve had a wonderful time here at The Old Sweet Shop. Such a peaceful relaxing place to stay, every need catered for, even a bottle of bubbly for Dad’s birthday! Thank you, we will be back!”
Lianne, David and family, September 2019

“We really did enjoy staying at The Old Sweet Shop. It is a beautiful cottage with so much attention to detail you can see it has been very much loved (and rightly so) and was a perfect place to stay with my family. They all absolutely loved it including the dogs who were extremely excited and happy the whole stay. My daughter is now hunting the internet to find something similar to buy as she stated it was her dream home!”
Cathy and co, September 2019

“Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!! The Old Sweet Shop has been a real home-from-home for our family during our time in Somerset. This is our first visit to the area, and we really couldn’t have chosen a better base for our stay. The cottage has a wealth of character and the facilities here for a large family are excellent. We couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you so much for a wonderful week and for the fabulous little personal touches which made us feel so welcome.”
The Gibbins family, August 2019

“We have had a wonderful holiday at The Old Sweet Shop; the cottage is charming, with lovely décor and thoughtful touches in the bedrooms and bathrooms. The towels were fluffy, and the beds very comfortable. We were so pleased with the carefully put together ‘Welcome’ information binders (and the yummy homemade cake), which helped us acclimatise to the area and solved any riddles on how things worked! The kitchen is very well-equipped, with plenty of room to make meals and enjoy them around the table. We loved the beautiful garden and spent ages trying to name the various plants! My husband was born in Taunton, we enjoyed rediscovering the area, which is delightful. We had days out on the West Somerset Steam Railway (we loved the station café and bookshop!) and walking part of the coastal path. We had a lovely meal at the Luttrell Arms hotel in Dunster where the food was excellent and portions enormous. We also highly recommend Oggies Pasties! Overall our holiday has been practically perfect in every way. Thank you for sharing this beautiful home with us.”
Fiona, Tim, Thomas (from Houston Texas), Wendy and George (Suffolk), and Margaret (N Lincs), July 2019

“Thank you for a lovely five days, we have really enjoyed the time we spent in this lovely cottage. Everything was here, it’s a beautiful location and we have loved the hot tub after our days out. We would love to return again, this time with our partners.”
Vicky, Beccy, Derek and Debbie, June 2019

“We have all had a fantastic week, thank you! A super cottage and a fabulous location.”
Anne, Eddie and family, May 2019

“It’s our second time here, and we’ve loved every moment of our stay at The Old Sweet Shop – so full of character and so cosy. We love the hot tub, garden, cottage and the beautiful décor. We’ll be back again. And the owners are lovely 😊. Many thanks.”
Charlotte and family, Easter 2019

“What a beautiful cottage! Everything we needed and wanted for a week away with the family. The hot tub was awesome, and the garden beautiful. The attention to detail and the information pack were first class. We definitely recommend ‘The Apple Tree Tea Rooms’ in Minehead!! Thank you for helping us to make this week special.”
The Jones Family, April 2019

“An absolutely beautiful place in splendid surroundings with nice people too. Thank you for the goodies that greeted is on arrival, very much appreciated. The recommendation of the Old Ship Aground was also excellent, with great food and drink and excellent surroundings. Thank you again – you have it so right, just keep doing it! We hope to see you again someday.”
Roy, Gillian, Jane, Mike, Esme and Martin, April 2019

“OMG! What an amazing cottage. We stayed as a family ageing from 4 to 64 and everyone had a brilliant time. We followed your recommendation for an early evening hot tub dip during the Friday night bell-ringing at the church – it was magical. Lovely blustery walks along the beach blew the cobwebs away.”
The Vaseys and Brittons, February 2019

Read more guest reviews for The Old Sweet Shop.

Check the availability of each of our cottages and book online:
Pilgrim Corner
The Oval Dunster
The Old Sweet Shop
Stone Barn

“A fantastic girls’ weekend as always – and our first stay in Stone Barn. It was everything we were hoping for and so much attention to detail. We walked, we ate, we laughed, we cried – it was a full recharge of the batteries and we can’t wait to come back again later this year, this time with our men!!
Julie, Stella, Shirley and Andrea, February 2020

“Thank you for a wonderful Christmas stay at Stone barn. The property is lovely and so well equipped! Great location too 😊. Thanks for all the extra touches, we felt well looked after! Please book us in for Xmas 2020! Thanks so much”
Louis, Lucy, Georg, Syd and Sonny, Christmas 2019

“Wow, yet again! This place delivers every time. We arrived late at night to a warm Barn with music, cake and tea. This is an amazing place to stay, everything has been thought of in the Barn. There are stunning walks, lovely local pubs (our favourites are the Luttrell Arms in Dunster with its great atmosphere and food and The Old Ship Aground on Friday night for band night). Thank you again, we’ve had an amazing time and the hot tub is a real gem!”
The Cavanaghs, November 2019

“The Barn is really lovely, we loved the hot tub, especially on Friday when there was bell-ringing. The seaside was amazing, as was going to a seafood lunch at The Old Ship Aground! The walks are stunning around Minehead, we liked to coastal walk to Dunster. The Apple Tree Tea Room is great for a cream tea. Make sure you take a trip on the steam railway – it was really amazing!”
Andy, Angela, Katie and Kobi the dog, October 2019

“We came down for a long weekend with four under-five year olds! We had the best stay, the Stone Barn had everything we needed and was well-equipped for the children. We will definitely be back at some point in the future. Thanks for a fab weekend.”
The Garretts and the Millings, September 2019

“Stone Barn is on the most beautiful road. The Barn itself is so homely and well thought-out. It’s a luxury to have an en-suite to each bedroom. It’s also so quiet and dark at night that you’ll find yourself sleeping so well and for so long. The hot tub was lovely for the cooler evenings and aching muscles. We all enjoyed our stay including two dogs who were welcomed with a big bowl of water and treats. Lucy, Paul and the team are doing a great job. It’s the best holiday let we’ve stayed in.”
The Darlings, August 2019

“Huge thank you for making our stay at the Stone Barn as easy and comfortable as possible. We found North Hill perfect for a quick stroll into town, yet far enough away to feel away from it all! The weather has been kind to us, and the Barn is so well-equipped that we’ve either lazed in the garden during the day or pitched up on the sandy Minehead beach for the day. We will recommend Minehead and especially Exmoor Character Cottages back home.”
The Fee Family, July 2019

“We have enjoyed staying in Stone Barn and loved North Hill, wandering around especially in the quiet of the evenings – even though it’s up hill! The Barn itself is beautiful, very well furnished and with everything you could need, especially in the kitchen. We know Exmoor well, and after a few years’ absence it was good revisiting familiar sites. To return to the hot tub was the icing on the cake! Thank you for such a lovely week.”
Sylvia, Bob and Laura, June 2019

“Lovely Barn with beautiful décor! We loved the comfy beds and the hot tub was used nearly every evening. We highly recommend the steam train, especially for young children, it was enjoyed by everyone. Dunster was by far our favourite place – yummy fudge from the Chocolate Shop, and a great cream tea at the tearoom next to the watermill. The castle itself was very interesting – even our five-year-old loved it. Also, we recommend the Wheelhouse restaurant in Minehead for dinner. Thank you for the lovely welcoming lemon drizzle cake, it was much appreciated after a long journey! We wouldn’t hesitate to stay in one of your beautiful properties again.”
Paula, Tom, Jo, Sam, Richard, Jessica and Bethany, May 2019

“After 60 years of living in and knowing Higher Town in Minehead, it is always a joy to return to the area with our extended family to stay at Stone Barn and The Old Sweet Shop. It is wonderful to see the updates to the cottages (all for the good), and we have all LOVED staying here this Easter. There are never enough days to fit in all those walks and eateries! Thank you Lucy & Paul for all your expertise and thoughtfulness – so appreciated.
Michael & Judy Peters (Suffolk), Alexander & Emma (London) and Charlotte & co (Oxon), Easter 2019

“A big thank you very much to Lucy, Paul and team for providing us with such a memorable week to relax and spend much-needed time catching up with family in an environment as special as this. The girls enjoyed everything, from the Disney bedroom to the hot tub. You have done wonders here and we really appreciate your hospitality. We will be back!”
Paul, Dee, Lydia, Ellie, April 2019

“What a wonderful barn! It’s in a stunning part of Minehead. It’s open plan, bright and very well arranged in every detail. Upstairs are the most fabulous views and living accommodation with all the comforts you need. Downstairs is spacious and both bedrooms have en-suites. Towels, bedding and beds are the best – and so comfy. Outside has a very well-kept garden and private corner for the hot tub. The parking was right by your bedroom which made packing so easy. And the location means we were able to walk everywhere. The hosts are there if you need them but leave you to enjoy your holiday. Lush cake, milk and plenty of helpful hints and tips for your stay. Going home now to book again!
The Hamblins, March 2019

“Beautiful Stone Barn located in the old town of Minehead. The owners Lucy and Paul have thought of everything!! It is furnished and decorated to a high specification. The welcome pack, which included tea, coffee, milk, sugar, water and cake was really appreciated after a long drive. The hot tub was relaxing in the evening, especially for star gazing. Stone Barn lived up to the photos and the real thing is even better. We will definitely be back again. Thank you again to Lucy and Paul for a memorable break.”
Tina, February 2019

Read more guest reviews for Stone Barn.

Check the availability of each of our cottages and book online:
Pilgrim Corner
The Oval Dunster
The Old Sweet Shop
Stone Barn