Inside our smallest pubs with rooms
Carpenter’s Arms, Tonbridge
Atop this lovely pub (with lush and flower-full gardens), nine newly decorated bedrooms await. The rooms themselves are actually very spacious, comfortably quiet, and have plenty of room for you to unpack, kick-back and relax. Some even have space for z-beds for the kiddies and some for the family dog (or two) too.
With the vast green-and-gloriousness of the Kent countryside on your doorstep, you’re likely to be spending most of your trip to Tonbridge outdoors, wonderfully working up an appetite. Then back to find yourself a cosy corner to tuck into a glass of something lovely. It’s delightfully dog-friendly, and your pampered pooch is offered a dog bed, so they can get ever-so-comfy whilst you peruse the wine menu.
Fox & Anchor, Farringdon
Ah, a small stay in the Big Smoke. The bustling (and oh-so historic) Fox & Anchor pub in the beating heart of Farringdon is topped by just six bijou bedrooms.
Small but mighty, nothing about these rooms feels miniature. They’re all decorated in bold, bright tones which set a rather stunning (if dramatic) background for your stay away. They’ve got all the mod cons too – posh coffee machines, a handful of roll-top tubs, and fit-to-bursting honesty bars in every room.
London is large, so it’s fair to say it’s easy to feel small when overlooked by all its greatness – the likes of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge are pretty colossal. Lean into that feeling of little-ness and snuggle yourself down under a mountain of pillows – perhaps with something lovely from the in-room snack basket (with
For a petite overnight-er in London, this is a rather fab choice.
The Bull, Ditchling
This particular place is a perfect example of why staying in a pub is a million times better than staying in a fully-fledged hotel. Olde-worlde wooden beams, wonky floors, and jam-packed with character. This Sussex pub is over 500 years old, and is just choc-a-bloc with character.
With just six bedrooms (you’ll find them behind a ‘hidden’ door in the panelling) there’ll only ever be a handful of guests staying at the pub at any one time. And so the team like to take time to get to know each one by name. Philomena (who’s been at The Bull for over 15yrs and is part of the furniture) likes to know just how you like your cuppa (and your eggs) in the morning.
There’s nothing quite as wonderful as that feeling of friendly familiarity and good old-fashioned hospitality – especially when you’re far from home.
Dunstan House, Burnham-on-Sea
This seaside-y Somerset pub (set in a place called Love Lane, no less) is a cute as a button.
It has just six bedrooms (so is one of our smallest pubs with rooms) but nearby you’ll find one of the longest stretches of golden sands in Europe – that’s seven miles of glorious, golden sand-y goodness in total. Perfect for those picture-postcard, proper childhood holiday moments. You can even take ride on a donkey. Big memories (the kind that will last a lifetime) are made on the beach.
Finish off the day with a fish and chips (on a plate, not out of newspaper) Crunch, salt, lemon – this dish hits all the culinary high-notes. Pair with some bubbly (it is a holiday after all) and raise a toast to holiday-ing in a pub.