Evershot, United Kingdom
Summer Lodge Country House Hotel & Restaurant
Literary country house
Evershot, United Kingdom
Renovated
2003
Price
$$$
Rated for
Heritage Luxe WellnessOutside the door
The house
Red Carnation Hotel CollectionLiterary country house
Thomas Hardy fictionalized the surrounding village, and the hotel keeps that nineteenth-century pastoral rhythm with fireside tea and garden walks.
What it’s good at
Notable
A heated indoor swimming pool housed in a glass conservatory overlooking manicured gardens.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
Hardy’s ornate Victorian-era contributions, including decorative fireplaces and rich wood paneling, helped make the place what it is today.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Fore Street runs through Evershot, and the sixteenth-century Acorn Inn serves local ales just across the road.
The rooms
Bedrooms in the main house have chandeliers and crisp linens, while freestanding stone cottages open onto private gardens.
The water
Bring a swimsuit.
The pool and spa
The indoor pool sits under curved timber beams, and a candlelit spa tub rests against exposed stone walls.
The Restaurant
The conservatory dining room opens onto the lawn, serving local Dorset cheeses and vegetables grown in the kitchen garden.
The original Georgian mansion was expanded to plans by architect and author Thomas Hardy back in 1893, with four acres of gardens packed with flowers, colors, wisteria, roses, and yews.
At the table
The wood-panelled bar stocks over 300 whiskies, and afternoon tea arrives on silver service beside the garden rockery.
How it began
The estate began in 1798 as a dower house built by the Earl of Ilchester for neighbouring Melbury House.
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.