The Oval

This was our third stay at The Oval in 12 months, and it felt just as welcoming and relaxing as our stays in 2024. Walking in, it honestly felt like the walls were saying “Welcome Home”. It really is a home from home, with everything you need close at hand and cleanliness that’s second to none. Well done, team! Thanks too for recommending Reeves Restaurant. The food was great and the atmosphere lovely. It’s worth a visit, but book ahead. Thanks again, Lucy and team, for making our third stay so memorable. Deb, Ian & Nora.

We had a brilliant week in The Oval. It’s such a comfortable, special house, and the online photos don’t do it justice. From ducking through the front door to settling in, we thought it looked amazing. Everything we needed had been thoughtfully provided, and the house would make a great base in any weather. We were lucky with the sunshine, and the walking around here is stunning. There are lovely places to eat and drink nearby. The Forresters and Luttrell Arms both serve good food, though the Deli was hard on our bank balance! We especially enjoyed the circular walk at Dunkery Beacon. There’s also a great ridge walk along Grabbist Hill, and a circular route from Porlock Weir inland and back via the Coleridge Way, with a steep hill and a pint at The Ship. Thanks so much for having us. We’ve loved our stay and will definitely be back!

The Oval was spotless and really cosy, and the logs and kindling were much appreciated. The kitchen was well equipped, so we could cook when we felt like staying in. We also enjoyed a quiet day with Netflix when we didn’t fancy going out. Thanks for helping with our special requests and for being there when we lost the key, oops! We found plenty of places to eat and drink in Dunster, including Castle Coffee House, Tessa’s Tearoom, Reeves restaurant, The Stag’s Head pub opposite the cottage and Forresters Arms down the road. We also took a couple of nostalgic trips on the West Somerset Steam Railway and enjoyed Dunster Castle, especially the tearoom. Lynton and Lynmouth on the A39 had great countryside views, and the Blue Ball at Countisbury was a good stop for a meal. We’d recommend The Oval and hope to return for another train trip.

Lucy was great to deal with, and the communication was excellent. The cottage was lovely and spotless, and so was the local village. She even went the extra mile and posted our son’s teddy and sweatshirt back to us. We’d recommend staying here to family and friends. Many thanks, Mark.