The Hollies Hotel, Martock

A fine rural hotel consisting of a Georgian house surrounded by its own gardens and a more modern annex, possibly based on former stables, at the rear. The rear annex contains conference facilities and possibly some self-catering rooms, and it's separated from the main building by a gravelled car park. The main building, apart from bedrooms, houses the bar and restaurant; the latter is Michelin-recommended. The bar is small and atmospheric, having a large Medieval-style inglenook, flagged floors and large timber beams. Staff are mainly friendly apart from one rather sullen young lady who clearly needs a bit of training. Given the restaurant's credentials, the wine list was disappointing, though there was a decent selection of Champagne. There was no real ale; Orchard Pig and East Coast IPA were on draft next to Guinness, Speckled Hen, Beck's Vier and Stella. It's a pity about the beer, otherwise it's a very nice venue and would be worth stopping off for lunch if you can survive without real ale for a while.

Official site of the Hollies, contains menu - www.thehollieshotel.co.uk

Official site of the Hollies, contains menu - www.thehollieshotel.co.uk