Bowlish House
Bowlish House descritpion
A 15-minute walk from Shepton Mallet town centre and a 20-minute drive from Glastonbury, Bowlish House is a Grade II Georgian house with free Wi-Fi, a bar and a restaurant.
All the bedrooms at Bowlish House are fitted with an en suite bathroom, with either a bath or a shower. They all have a minibar and a TV.
In the morning, a full English breakfast is served. Lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are also available on certain week days.
The nearest rail station, Castle Cary, is 10 minutes’ drive from the house. Wookey Hole Caves is 15 minutes’ drive away while Longleat House and Safari Park is just over 30 minutes’ drive away.
Recommand
Low rates——No booking fees • Save money!Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices!
16 properties in Shepton Mallet——Including hotels, apartments, villas and more.
Manage your bookings online——Sign up for a FREE account·View a single booking.
169 independent reviews——We verify all reviews from guests who've stayed at Bowlish House. Find out more about Booking.com Reviews.
The staff speaks English——Bowlish House's staff speaks:English
Booking is safe——When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection.
Facilities of Bowlish House
Pets ：Pets are not allowed.
Activities ：Library
Food & Drink ：Bar | Restaurant with Dining Menu | Special Diet Meals (upon request)
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Services ：Packed Lunches | Meeting/Banquet Facilities | Fax/Photocopying | Honeymoon Suite
General ：Non-smoking Rooms | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)
Reviews for Bowlish House
Review 1：Nothing not to like other than that my stay was too short, but I will definitely be returning.
Review 2：Made very welcome on arrival and all through my stay. I did not feel that I was being discriminated against in any way as a single traveller which can so often happen. Stayed in the 4 poster bedroom and the bedroom and its bathroom had recently been refurbished to a very high standard. Excellent independent shower with plenty of hot water and a very comfortable bed. I am very fussy about pillows and I was so impressed with them that I asked where they had got them from! Delicious dinner cooked by one of the owners and a very enjoyable breakfast. Nice level of service. Enough attention so that you did not feel neglected, but nor did I at any point feel rushed or hassled. Lovely to stop in a place with character that is being sympathetically refurbished by its latest owners and where everything about the stay makes you feel relaxed and from your arrival almost immediately less stressed.
Review 3：Stayed here 12th Dec after visiting Longleat and then travelling to Bath the following day (roughly 30 mins drive from each). Stayed in a very comfortable triple room at the top of the house, had a very good evening meal and then an excellent hearty breakfast. Good value for a triple room in 4 star hotel - will definitely stay again when in the area.
Review 4：Not much to do in shepton mallet
Review 5：Amazing hosts, the best meal we have ever eaten, beautifully decorated and other guests were realy nice as well. We were having a mini moon and we loved it so much we want to go back next year and celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary.
Review 6：We love old character buildings ..... but perhaps others should be aware the floorboards creak with the slightest of movements.
Review 7：A very relaxing and comfortable weekend stay. We didn't have dinner but heard from other guests that it was excellent .... and if breakfast was anything to go by, I'm sure they were correct. We shall certainly find out next time, as we'll definitely visit here again.
Review 8：Unfortunately the toilet burst emptying sewage over the bathroom. Although this was fixed immediately we were not assured that the bathroom had received a deep clean or all the towels had been replaced. Also we were not given the option of changing our room. As the family room was located in the attic we could not see though the window as it was too high and too small.
Review 9：The service and staff were excellent. Also breakfast was very good.
Review 10：The creaking floorboards in the bedroom was the only minus, but this is to be expected with the age of the building - probably difficult to rectify the situation.
Review 11：Beautiful period home with lovely back garden view from dining room. We took advantage of having dinner in the evening at The Bowlish and so glad we did - absolutely beautiful meal - great chef. Likewise, breakfast was also excellent with great menu choices, and home-made breads. Friendly owner and staff. Staying in this beautiful old home was a lovely experience.
Review 12：My wife was unwell and we had to return home two days early. Management very solicitous.
Review 13：The friendliness and helpfulness of the management and staff. The excellence of the food.
Review 14：As with any 300 year old property there are a few things that are in need of repairing or updating, but we overlooked these things as we had such a pleasant stay.
Review 15：Gorgeous period property with some lovely original features. Attractive, cosy bar area, with wing back chairs and fireplace, and with good selection of drinks. Fantastic chef in the kitchen, our supper was superb.
Review 16：closes too early, 9PM I arrived at 10.30 due to a very poor long drive, to be greated by an angry owner, who was not welcoming. I stayed with a colleague we will not stay again
Review 17：Very nice gentleman serving breakfast which was good, well cooked.
Review 18：The creaking floorboards in the bedrooms were the only minus, but what would you expect in a house of that age.
Review 19：The owners were welcoming, friendly and helpful with suggestions on places to visit. The breakfasts and evening meal in the restaurant were excellent with home made bread and ice cream.
Review 20：From the moment we stepped through the door we felt like part of the family. Such a warm, inviting and welcoming place, Martin and Leonard made like friends who had come to stay. The food was outstanding, the cooked breakfast was simply the best we have ever eaten. The hotel is perfectly placed to visit Bath or Glastonbury/Wells or even a day trip to the coast. A wonderful break away!
Review 21：Couldn't get hot water for shower first morning but was because it's an old building and other guests were showering at same time.
Review 22：Lovely old building, very friendly staff, delicious breakfast with homemade bread and marmalade.
Review 23：No mirror near a plug, to be able to do hair. Wifi terrible! None in the top of the house! Made didn't finish jobs in our room, didn't replenish everything. Carpets very dirty.
Review 24：Bed was comfy. Good size family ( of 3) room. Lovely garden and breakfast room. Lovely house.
Review 25：Nothing that could really be done as it's an old property but the squeaky floors meant we heard every move above us, and on the stairs outside our room. Did not detract from a good overnight stay though.
Review 26：Room was lovely, modern clean bathroom and superb breakfast.
Review 27：Wifi did not work at all with my email. Reception weak. The house is just perpendicular to the main road, and the address given in the Booking.com information is so vague that so we actually drove miles past it. Pack light, you will have to climb stairs! Bathroom very simple.
Review 28：Charming House with historically decorated living rooms for the guests to use. Friendly hosts. Lovely table setting for breakfast.
Review 29：No view from room
Review 30：Really nice. Spacious room with two comfortable chairs. Nice bed. Really wonderful breakfast especially the home made bread and marmalade.
Review 31：Not a bad experience but the 10:30am check-out is rather cruel... especially on a Sunday morning after a wedding reception the night before!
Review 32：The atmosphere and location. The hotel was accommodating in letting us have our room an hour earlier than usual check-in so that we could change for a wedding.
Review 33：Room was very basic,not at all like photograph,creaky floorboards,not just a few floorboards in our room but all of them creaked.
Review 34：Old period house Beautiful staircase Breakfast in the conservatory was lovely.
Review 35：Wifi wasn't widely available everywhere in the house.. Could fault the stay otherwise.
Review 36：First impression of property was ithat it is completely underestimated. Leonard and Martin were excellent hosts and could not make us feel anymore welcome than they did. Very warm family run Bed & Breakfast. Attention to detail immaculate eg fresh cut roses on linen draped breakfast tables. Nothing too much trouble when requested. 'Lassie' the dog very well behaved placid dog.
Review 37：-shower control of temperature poor due to loose tap - table in room was uneven so things fell off -no staff manning reception
Review 38：It was comfortable & breakfast was good
Review 39：The room needed more careful servicing; the fridge had defrosted leaving a puddle and part of the shower cubicle was loose. The food was well above average but the prices in the evening are very steep. We suspected we did not have the nicest room as we had a tiny window.
Review 40：We stopped on our way to Devon to break the journey. Charming building and owners. Comfortable beds and clean room with complimentary tea making facilities.
Review 41：Bowlish House is a wonderful place to stay. A lovely old house with plenty of charm and character. Staff very helpful and friendly. We thought the evening meal was a little expensive but then when we tried the food we were very impressed. Would certainly stay there again.
Review 42：WiFi hit & miss and only available in the rooms, not lounge bar or public areas
Review 43：Everything else! Owners, Martin & Leonard, are superb hosts. Recommend you eat in the restaurant as the food is sublime.
Review 44：very tight parking area
Review 45：The staff were so very helpfull (almost overly so) The evening meal and breakfast were freshly prepared. The property has a pleasant walled garden area.
Review 46：Nothing - everything was very nice. If the weather had been better I'd have taken a book into the lovely garden!
Review 47：The owners and staff were friendly and helpful. Excellent hot, hot shower. Sunday lunch was superb quality and value, with a great choice of wines by the glass.
Review 48：The shower took 30 minutes to empty of water and left behind grease and muck. The filter needed a jolly good clean. When I told them about it I was disgusted with the answer of'is it doing that again ' I would have thought if it had happened before it would be checked very very regularly
Review 49：The peace and quiet
Review 50：Hardly a bad experience - rather a minor inconvenience - but the floors squeak; only an issue if one gets up in the night! Being an old and listed building, there is probably nothing that may be done to rectify this.
Review 51：My above rating tells it all.
Review 52：This is an 18th Century Merchant's house which is being lovingly looked after by its owners since (2013). Lots of original features but also king sized beds and very fluffy towels. Nothing is too much trouble and the food is wonderful, fresh, local and or hand made. Gourmet restaurant 5 days a week. Big rooms high ceilings, wonderful 3 nights. Very convenient for Wells, Street, Mendips, Glastonbury and much more.
Review 53：There is nothing not to like.
Review 54：Bowlish House is an authentic early 18th century rich merchant's house with many period pieces. Charming. The owner is very helpful and welcoming and the breakfast is outstanding.
Review 55：Standard of bedroom mainly, eg sash cord windows would not open easily and tended to fall down from position set. Could not agree with such favourable comments given in visitors' book.
Review 56：Food & helpfulness/friendliness of staff. Good suggestion for alternative dinner venue when chef not available.
Review 57：Bed a bit too soft wifi connection poor. Difficult to watch TV from bed due to positioning of TV. Would have liked a bit more on breakfast plate (eg 2 sausages,2 eggs). Original welcome a little cold although did open up some more conversation the following morning.
Review 58：Central location Tasty breakfast, freshly filtered coffee. Good tray variety in room.
Review 59：I visited the hotel because I was doing family history research. My great-great grandfather Moses Stone and his family live there in the mid 19th century. It was fascinating to stay in the house where he lived. The present management are restoring it beautifully with great taste, and the food is brilliant.
Review 60：Needs double glazing in room 1 because of location near noisy road
Review 61：Manor House decorated beautifully Room 1 comfortable with lovely bathroom Our Host & Staff were awesome Breakfast was outstanding Location was perfect for our visit to Bath Perfect for walks in the country side Warm & Cosy
Review 62：Dining room, which is a conservatory, was a little cold to start with for breakfast but warmed up .
Review 63：Great welcome, lovely traditional charm to the public rooms and bedrooms. Very considerate hosts. Fantastic dinner
Review 64：Perhaps breakfast could have offered cereal and fruit etc before the booked breakfasts.
Review 65：The house is magnificent and beautifully renovated in keeping with the era it was built. A friendly and helpful host. Large comfortable rooms. Excellent food.
Review 66：Hard bed/weird pillows Treated as second class compared to large wedding party Inflexible attitude to drinks in bar - plenty of lager for other guests! Owners' large dog in restaurant! Worst cooked breakfast I have ever had - my sausages were inedible and, initially, they forgot my husband's breakfast
Review 67：Nothing
Review 68：The actual fabric of the building very worn, paper hanging from cieling, old damp patch visible, wood paneling poorly filled and painted .. A great shame as building is beautiful.
Review 69：Staff were good
Review 70：Everything from the location near Bristol and Bath to the characterful house, a lovely room with view over the garden, great bathroom facilities, and a lovely bar area and simply fantastic dining, one of the best meals we've ever had!
Review 71：Warnings in brochure re smoking, lost keys, late check-out. Clear and honest, but somewhat alarming and could probably be more diplomatically expressed.
Review 72：comfort, cleanliness, welcome
Review 73：Didnt like the sqeaky bed. Had to move it off a moving piece of floorboard. The bed frame was not secured properly.
Review 74：Liked the feel of the property. The staff very friendly and very helpful. The breakfast lovely and the breakfast room had a lovely setting.
Review 75：No lift so had to lug heavy suitcase up 2 flights of stairs.
Review 76：Old property full of nooks and crannies. Bathroom modern and clean. Lots of toiletries available. Bed comfortable but slightly lopsided. Breakfast good.
Review 77：The welcome was excellent and all the staff were very helpful . Its a nice place to chill ,the room we stade in had a new bathroom and was very comfortable . Good value for money. Great breakfast.
Review 78：We loved the unique quaintness of the house and the food was of an exceptionally high standard. The home baked bread served with breakfast and their own home made marmalade was a delight, so yummy I wished I could have brought lots home with me. Definitely worth a stop over if you are visiting Shepton Mallet or surrounding areas!
Review 79：we found the staff unhelpful...for example when we asked where there was to eat within walking distance we were told nowhere and that we should go to wells. We didnt want to drive so it would have been nice for them to suggest ordering us a taxi or taken any sort of interest in making our stay better instead of making unhelpful jokes
Review 80：we really liked the house and our room and the breakfast was excellent
Review 81：Personally, I don't have anything that I did not like. However, I am a person who likes traditional English B&Bs. The hotel is in an older country home so it is not modern. There is no elevator and no air conditioning. We knew that when we made the reservation so that was no problem for us...it just adds to the charm of the establishment. If you are looking for modern conveniences, this is probably not the place for you.
Review 82：Staff were very friendly, helpful. Mu husband and I had a glass of wine in the lounge and had conversations with the proprietor. The hotel itself is very lovely. English breakfasts were great. The hotel was exactly what we were looking for...charming, full of character and history, with wonderful staff.
Review 83：Nothing.
Review 84：We have some experience of West of England country hotels and this was the best. We needed a good base in the area and were made very welcome and felt entirely at home. Everything was spot on. The staff were flawlessly helpful, even when we hit them with some complex check-out arrangements on the last morning. Food and service were extremely good, unlikely to be beaten in the area (we tried a couple of others nearby). It is also very convenient for our business in the area so we will definitely be back!
Review 85：Leaving.
Review 86：What a great place. The people are lovely, very caring and very happy to oblige. For a 280+ year old place it's comfortable, pleasant and clean, just watch out for those floorboards, their a little squeaky! A great place to stay and eat. We'll be back.
Review 87：Parking was not as easy as described
Review 88：Very helpful with the booking mix up through booking.com, nothing was too much. Quiet location but not too far from towns/shops.
Review 89：It is not possible to check in after 2300 hours.
Review 90：The proprietor and his staff were very welcoming and attentive. The freshly cooked breakfast was delicious - including home-made bread and marmalade. The location was convenient for the Bath and West Showground.
Review 91：Apart from a couple of creaking floor boards absolutely nothing.
Review 92：We liked the location for exploring; the condition of the house was what we expected for a house of that age; the staff where really nice and courteous: the food was good and the value for money.
Review 93：Very small breakfast,no cereal,fruit. Noisy road outside at times.
Review 94：Lovely Hosts Great room ,very comfortable bed Good quality complimentary drinks. Really fantastic Building,sleeping in History!
Review 95：Not enough parking but it wasn't an issue as could park locally for free no problem.
Review 96：Friendly staff, delicious breakfast. Good location close to local attractions. Beautiful surroundings.
Review 97：There is a step on the landing, which is difficult to see and I fell over it. It needs to be marked somehow, so that others do not trip.
Review 98：Almost everything: beautiful old house with lovely furniture; packed with character. Comfortable, well appointed room and bathroom. Peaceful walled garden for sitting in. Excellent breakfasts. Above all very helpful and welcoming owners, who really went out of their way to advise and help. First-rate hosts.
Review 99：Beautiful property. Very welcoming- proprietor made excellent recommendation of church to visit in Wells. Excellent breakfast in a beautiful dining room with background of a lovely garden
Review 100：Charming owners who went out of their way to look after us and to make us feel at home. The restaurant took special diets in their stride and produced the most delicious breakfast-nothing was too much trouble. Am looking for a good excuse to go back again soon.
Review 101：Great looking building, very friendly owner /staff, fantastic period property, great decoration for december
Review 102：lovely people and lovely place; spacious clean room, comfortable beds
Review 103：A very good hotel Restaurant, but only open one day out of three!!!!! unreliable
Review 104：charming period hotel
Review 105：All was great!
Review 106：Staff were very thoughtful, room lovely, meals fantastic.
Review 107：Absolutely fantastic stay The food was amazing We will be back
Review 108：The bed was awful!!
Review 109：Lovely old property ..will be great when it is done!
Review 110：Nothing!
Review 111：Lovely building, friendly staff, clean and comfortable bedroom with a nice bathroom
Review 112：No bad experience it was good all round
Review 113：The lovely atmosphere and the overall friendliness and the excellent food
Review 114：It wasn't a bad experience but radiator needed bleeding badly!!
Review 115：Loved the house and breakfast and very obliging host
Review 116：Lack of advertised wifi was an hindrance.
Review 117：Friendly hotel, with helpful staff. Room was very clean and tidy.
Review 118：Lovely old building with wonky floors and creeky doors. Recently refurbished room tastefully decorated. Friendly and welcoming host.
Review 119：There was nothin not to like
Review 120：Martin made us very welcome on arival lovley place defo stop there again
Review 121：Lovely room. Excellent Breakfasts and Dinners. Warm and friendly Hosts Great value.
Review 122：Most obliging & charming owners
Review 123：Two great hosts lovely to talk to makes it like staying with family. Lovely old house great decor and furnishings.
Review 124：Our room was rather tired and outdated.
Review 125：The building was interesting, breakfast good.
Review 126：The building and it's story!
Review 127：Very Clean.
Review 128：Excellent friendly staff. Food was extremely well prepared, a real treat.
Review 129：Staff were lovely and friendly, couldn't do enough for us
The Fine Print
Lunch is available Tuesday through Sunday, and dinner is available Tuesday through Saturday. Last orders for dinner is 20:00. Advance booking is required.