Chapel Studio
- Premier host
- Downhead, Somerset, England
- See on map
- Sleeps: 2 (+ baby)
- Bedroom: 1
- Bathroom: 1
- Minimum stay: 3 nights
Dating from Victorian times, Chapel Studio is a former place of worship on the edge of the Mendip Hills, transformed into a chic West Country retreat for two.
Owners Helen and Tim Mercer recently used the natural light-flooded space as a design studio, and as such you’ll find it styled to indulgent perfection. There are two sofas to relax on with a book, a grand piano to add an elegant soundtrack to your evenings, and well-chosen artwork gracing the walls.
(Tim is a celebrated portrait and landscape photographer, so you’ll also spot some of his photographs as you browse your new surroundings).
What else? There’s a sleek hand-built kitchen to help you whip up romantic suppers galore, complete with every holiday essential you could want (including the all-important dishwasher and microwave). There’s even a cafetière to charge your mornings, and an ice-bucket and Champagne flutes to fuel late-afternoon conversation.
Don’t feel like cooking at all? You can arrange chef-prepared meal delivery right to the door. Helen and Tim are also happy to provide everything from bubbles and chocolates to breakfast baskets and picnic hampers… just ask.
After your meals – whether home-cooked or chef-prepared! – lounge in the vaulted sitting room awhile, snuggled on the cushion-festooned sofa. Aside from the grand piano there’s a TV and DVD player to keep you nicely entertained, along with a stack of books to browse.
When it’s finally time for bed, simply head up the stairs to the mezzanine bedroom. Furnished with a kingsize bed dressed in 400-threadcount linen, you’re all but guaranteed a sound night’s slumber.
Keep readingAt a glance
- A stylish, light-filled former chapel for two, secluded in a rural hamlet on the edge of the Mendip Hills.
- The retreat is dog-friendly.
- There is a hand-built kitchen and bathroom on the ground-floor and a mezzanine bedroom.
- A selection of chef-prepared meals, local produce, treats, and hampers can be pre-ordered on request.
- The hamlet of Downhead is secluded on the triangle of Frome, Bath, and Shepton Mallet, with plenty to see and do.
Features
Dog Friendly
Facilities
Ground floor: vaulted open-plan lounge with sofa, chairs, TV and DVD player, Wi-Fi, grand piano, chaise longue, selection of books. Hand-built kitchen with dishwasher, oven, hob, microwave, cafetière, kettle, toaster, pots, pans, crockery, glassware, ice bucket. Laundry room with washing machine. Bathroom with WC. Stairs to mezzanine bedroom with kingsize bed and luxury linen.
Local Activities
Walking, cycling, picnic spots, diving, artisan markets, shops, galleries, festivals, historic sites, pubs, restaurants.
More information
After a lazy lie-in, freshen up in the gleaming modern bathroom, and then it’s on to discovering the many delights of the local area. Set in the rural hamlet of Downhead, Chapel Studio is perfectly-positioned in the triangle of Frome, Bath, and Shepton Mallet, so there’s plenty to see and do in just about every direction.
For starters, there are some excellent walks starting right from the doorstep – ideal if you’ve brought your best four-legged friend along for a well-deserved break. You’ll find Frome bursting with independent shops, galleries, and artisan markets, while slightly further afield lie Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge, Longleat, and the iconic Glastonbury Tor.
Of course, there are also plenty of fantastic pubs and restaurants to try. Helen and Tim have plenty of personal recommendations to share, including The Talbot Inn at Mells. Here you can also visit the UK’s smallest city and its 13th century cathedral, before heading back to your very own sanctuary at Chapel Studio.
Things to note
Minimum 3-night stay. Check in from 4pm, check out by 10am. Up to two well-behaved dogs are welcome to stay by prior arrangement, for an extra charge per pet per night. Babies and toddlers are welcome.
