Reviews

“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

“There is everything you could need here to have a lovely holiday. The house is so beautifully equipped. The village and castle offer plenty of coffee shops and fine dining. Despite what must have been the wettest and coldest week in June for many a year, we have had a great time!”
Mo, Ian and Lynne, June 2019

“Thank you for another lovely stay. New recommendation this year include Dunkery Beacon and the surrounding woodland – beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife. Can’t wait to return here ASAP – fantastic house and so well-equipped!”
Chloe, Julian, Oscar and Darcy, May 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

“Our second visit to The Oval and again much enjoyed, the welcome pack was appreciated. The three of us walked in the area every day. We cannot recommend Dunster’s Luttrell Arms highly enough. We hope to return to The Oval and village!”
Peter, Paul and Connie, 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

“What a lovely time we had. I have never seen such an amazing village anywhere, and the house was gorgeous. Warm, well-supplied and cosy. The house is a very comforting place to be.”
Ray and Vivien, January 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

“Wow, wow, wow, what a beautiful home. We have loved staying here, so comfortable and cosy. It’s very well-equipped and everything has been thought of so we are feeling totally relaxed and don’t want to leave. We will be back, and we will recommend to friends and family.”
Dee and Paul, November 2018

“What an amazing home-from-home. It has everything you need here and more. The house is beautifully presented with comfort as its top priority. It is in the heart of the village with shops, pubs and restaurants nearby. The walking is awesome and just outside the door. No need to worry about cream carpets on our return to the cottage as the floors are tiled and make it easy to arrive home, sit on the old church pew and take your boots off. Plenty of storage for them too. Summer our very old retriever was so very settled here and loved her short walks to the dog friendly shops and pubs. We will be back till we find out own perfect home in Dunster. What a great village it is!”
The Connollys, November 2018

“We just had to come back to Dunster and wouldn’t choose to say anywhere else but The Oval. Our fourth visit with five of us, and we had another wonderful holiday. We visited our favourite places including Tropiquaria, Lynton/Lynmouth, Blue Anchor (the Driftwood Café) and of course Dunster Castle where we experienced the Halloween ‘Friday Fright Night’. We climbed to Bats Hill, the Iron Age fort, well worth it to see the Exmoor ponies and breath-taking views of Dunster village, Exmoor, Wales and beyond.”
Mandy, Jez, Ruby (8), Harry (4) and Molly (9 months), November 2018

“Thank you for a lovely welcome with cake, tea and milk in the fridge – and dog biscuits that Tino loved! Coming over from the Netherlands we had a lovely week, we walked for miles and miles, and hardly used our car. On our walks we met buzzards, a dipper, red deer, and more. The Oval cottage is wonderful, with so much character, and Dunster village is lovely, old and quaint. Exmoor is definitely an area to explore and visit again.”
Annemarie and Denise, from the Netherlands, October 2018

“Our first trip to Dunster and The Oval, both were fantastic! What a brilliant family holiday – we will be back! The house is spacious, we had five adults and a two-and-a-half-year-old grandson and we felt very comfortable. The location is a great base for with easy access to the beach, the steam railway, and Exmoor. The village is lovely, with a number of great places to eat. We are planning to return.”
The Hills, Oct 2018

“The Oval is a wonderful old cottage with a palpable sense of history the moment you walk through the door. We love the sense of history in the house, the uneven floors, the wonky walls, and the steep ascent to the outdoor balcony. Lucy has provided plenty of information about the origins of the cottage, which we found fascinating. We felt welcome immediately on arrival, with music playing and a delicious apple cake plus a tea/coffee tray waiting for us. These little touches mean so much! Happy to find that the cottage has been sympathetically furnished, unlike many gorgeous old properties which sadly evoke a sigh of horror from me when I look at the brochure pictures and see modern interiors. I work in the antiques industry, so this is a top issue for me! Our only complaint is that one week isn’t nearly long enough!”
The Langleys, September 2018

“Our first trip to Dunster and The Oval, both were fantastic! What a brilliant family holiday – we will be back! The house is spacious, we had five adults and a two-and-a-half-year-old grandson and we felt very comfortable. The location is a great base for with easy access to the beach, the steam railway, and Exmoor. The village is lovely, with a number of great places to eat. We are planning to return.”
The Allsopp family and Biscuit the dog, August 2018

“This was our first time in England and Somerset, and we feel at home. A wonderful house, beautiful village, nice people and a great landscape surrounding it, and friendly pubs (especially the Forresters). We came a long way from Bremen in Germany, but it was worth every mile. We’ll come back!”
The Schmidt family, July and August 2018

“We have had a great time staying in The Oval on our first visit to Dunster. What a gem! The cottage is great for location, and to a very high standard. The weather was perfect, and we crammed lots into the week. Fantastic, thank you.”
The Martin family, June 2018

“A really lovely place to stay, everything you need for a good family holiday. Excellent house with an atmosphere and plenty of imagination which could take you back to its early life. My grandson loved it! There’s plenty to do in Dunster, and most mornings we had an early walk to the Gallox bridge with our dog and then breakfast either in the house or on the main street. We would come back with no hesitation.”
Chris Dixon, June 2018

“Thank you for the lovely tea and cake on arrival (including treats for Marley), that was very thoughtful.Our grandsons were here for the weekend (six and one and a half) and they had a great time at the park and loved the castle. The cottage is great with everything you need to hand, tastefully decorated and very comfy. Lots to do and see in the area, we will be back again. Thank you again.”
Chris, Debbie, Chloe, Jacob, Alfie and Marley the dog, May 2018

“The owner of “The Oval” at Dunster (Lucy) spared absolutely no effort in making the cottage as welcoming as possible. Every “T” was crossed and every “I” dotted, things like:
a) Tea and coffee on the dining room table – all you had to do was boil a kettle
b) A delicious coffee and walnut cake
c) Some treats for the dog
d) Good concise and accurate information about Dunster and its amenities
e) Everything clean.
f) Lots and lots of little details that Lucy had obviously considered and put into the cottage that made our stay truly exceptional.”
Mr I Littler, May 2018

“The Oval feels like my second home as we’ve stayed so many times. I can honestly say there isn’t anything I would change as every single detail has been thought of. Nothing is too much trouble for the owner, Lucy and her team. From the beautifully laid out tea and cake on arrival to the exceptionally well kitted-out kitchen, this cottage is perfect, and I would recommend it to anyone. Not only is the cottage beautiful, Dunster itself is one the prettiest places I’ve visited and a great location for exploring Exmoor and the surrounding areas. On leaving The Oval earlier this month I’ve already booked our annual visit for next Easter next year and added an additional stay at New Year ….. says it all really.”
The Foster Family, Easter 2018

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