First Look: Yarlington Lodge, Somerset’s New Exclusive-Use Country House Escape

‘Sprankel or Winston?’ The answer you give depends on whether you’re a champagne lover or want to go with the local flow and choose The Newt’s stunning home brewed cyder. I’m more Sprankel personally but the Winston is in an entirely different league from the toxic orange Strongbow cider I know of old (and less alcoholic). 

Ever since The Newt landed in Somerset in the spring of 2019 courtesy of Karen Roos and Koos Bekker (who also own South Africa’s Babylonstoren from where the sparkling Sprankel hails from), they’ve been determined to change not only the reputation of cider (most of us remain ridiculously uneducated, yet we Brits drink it more than any other nation), but also the very face of hospitality itself. Having started with opening the gardens, they now own and operate nine businesses under The Newt umbrella, spanning hospitality, farming and retail. 

I’m one of the first in to see their newest addition: Yarlington Lodge, an exclusive-use property that has been three and a half years in the making and is just a few minutes’ drive from the main Newt hub. Conceived as a private rural retreat for multi-gen family gatherings or groups of friends, it is, as my American companion commented, just what Americans would fall over themselves for: the kind of British bucolic idyll so beautifully depicted in Merchant Ivory films.

Inside the charming honeystone house though, a modern sensibility takes hold. It has been entirely redesigned for contemporary homely comfort by Roos herself, who undertakes all the design elements at The Newt.

The house itself dates back to 1830, when it was built as a rectory, but its story stretches back much further: the land is said to have been gifted to Catherine Parr, whose portrait dominates the stairwell under the newly enlarged light well. Interiors draw on Roos’ love of Napoleon-era campaign furniture, Jane Austen, and a broader passion for English literature and history. In practice, there are polished black and white floor tiles, velvet striped walls, canopied bedroom ceilings, hand-chosen books, bespoke commissions and collectible pieces, including vintage Fendi chairs, sourced from Italy and beyond.

Bedrooms – some hugely generous in proportion and with names including Josephine, Jane Bennett and Mrs Dashwood – come with squashy sofas, writing desks and vast bathrooms, some dripping with marble. Farrow & Ball Lulworth blue walls are a distinct nod to playfulness throughout. 

Aside from the main house – which offers eight bedrooms, alongside generous entertaining spaces including a formal dining room, an informal breakfast room, and a pantry setup that can flex for families travelling with staff – there are two other buildings (the coach house and the cottage) in which to stay.

There’s a cinema room, a tennis court, croquet lawn, a bougie basement bar, a wondrous cutting garden, table tennis, an outdoor pool, and an indoor hydrotherapy pool. For everything else – including restaurants, gym and spa – you can head up to the main Newt hotel and grounds on ebikes, on foot or in a buggy. It can be rented altogether or separately, the team having tried and tested every iteration possible.. 

Our group, a motley crew of journalists gathered from all over the world, were the first to put the team to the test as real (and highly demanding) guests. Particular highlights for me were the staff – exceptionally nice (a butler team and private chef is available throughout your stay) – and the glorious Palm House with its high ceilings and soaring plants that doubles as a bar, place to hunker down in, or – as we enjoyed – a fabulous venue for a large group dinner. 

Having seen the kale being smoked and wilted over the outdoor fire and been told that the beef (literally the best I’ve ever tasted, so meltingly soft was it) came from the British White cows we saw in the fields on our way here (they are a rare breed and The Newt owns the biggest herd in the world), everything felt very rooted to the locale – and utterly delicious. Usually one to avoid bread, it was impossible not to dunk hunks of their own baked sourdough in the yellow creamy butter. But I felt I deserved it – because before dinner I’d been given my first ever trophy. In just 35 seconds, I’d won the croquet contest. And trust me, the stakes were high and competition fierce. Cleverly, The Newt’s croquet matches are completely unique – because, those who know know that proper croquet is the most vicious, expletive-ridden, friendship destroying game in the world. And that would deeply unsettle the peace that exudes from this very special corner of Somerset.

Need to know:

Yarlington Lodge accommodates up to 32 guests across three distinct residences, which share the historic walled garden, extensive grounds, indoor-outdoor pool and Palm House for entertaining: 

• Yarlington Lodge: The eight-bedroom Regency rectory.
• The Coach House: The former stables and carriage store reimagined as a four-bedroom residence. 
• Cottage in The Wall: A four-bedroom hideaway which was formerly a gardener’s cottage.

Book it: Prices at Yarlington Lodge are from £10,500 per night for exclusive use across the 16 bedrooms at the Lodge, Coach House and Cottage in the Wall. The house and the cottages can also be booked separately. For more information please visit thenewtinsomerset.com.