The Bull Hotel

Rooms

Personality exudes from every room at The Bull, even the small ones, and we loved the fun eclecticism.

For romantics, we recommend splashing out on one of the Deluxe Rooms; Nandi has a gorgeous in-room slipper bathtub and a handmade Indian-style stained glass window, by local artist Flora Jamieson. Another of our favourites is Red which has acres of space, a freestanding in-room bathtub and a four-poster bed.

There are 3 Family Rooms and Black Beauty fans will be particularly thrilled with The Manger in the old stable block. It holds solid wood bunk beds and the original manger still sits in the corner. The Family Suite has a master bedroom, twin room and can sleep extra children in a sofabed and a z-bed. Smaller families could opt for a Master Room, as most can hold an extra bed and all have ensuites with showers (two also have bathtubs, so need to be requested when booking).

Couples with a modest budget can bed-down in one of the Snug Rooms, which make a comfortable base if you plan to be out and about for most of your visit. Be aware that these rooms are small, and will not suit those wanting to spend time lounging in their room. The Single Room (Golden Fern) is similarly compact, with a double bed pushed against one wall.

Regardless of room size, all guests will receive some luxurious touches. We particularly liked the soft white towels, waffle robes and deliciously fragrant Bramley products. Techies won’t be disappointed either: all rooms have free WiFi and TVs, and most have Nespresso machines and Dyson fans.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Iron
• WiFi

Eating

Fresh from a bracing walk around West Bay, we made a beeline for the restaurant and sat in a cosy booth to warm our cockles. On a sunny afternoon, we’d place ourselves beside the bay windows overlooking the town centre.

The Bull takes great pride in sourcing almost all of its ingredients locally; being so close to the coast, we decided to focus on the seafood. Seared Lyme Bay scallops with parsnip purée and port reduction were followed by mains of moules frites and lemon sole with a lemon-butter sauce: all were good, if not outstanding. Dessert offered pear tarte tatin and an indulgent hot-chocolate fondant with clotted-cream ice cream (a yummy West-Country alternative to vanilla). When the dining is done, guests migrate upstairs to the hidden Venner Bar for cocktails.

A buffet of cereals, pastries, jams, honey, yoghurt, fruit and juice is laid out in the restaurant for breakfast, and you can choose from the cooked options: porridge with fresh berries, pancakes with maple syrup and honey, a full English, or - my choice - eggs Benedict with seriously tasty dry-cured bacon from Denhay Farm (just 3 miles away).

For eating out, the famous River Cottage Canteen is a 20-minute drive away in Axminster - be sure to book well in advance. If you're spending the day at West Bay, a fun option is to get fish 'n' chips from one of the little beach huts (summertime only). Next door to the hotel, Asian-inspired Dorshi serves delicious dumplings and cocktails, while Olive Tree (almost opposite) offers upscale Med-style seafood.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• You're at the 'Gateway to the Jurassic Coast' so grab your walking boots and head out. The hotel can recommend routes, provide maps or help arrange a guided walk
  
• For instant retro seaside fun, West Bay is just 2.5km down the road. Golden sandstone cliffs frame the beach where kids can paddle and play to their heart’s content
  
• Wander around Bridport. This historic market town is chock full of listed buildings and has some great independent shops. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Bridport Market fills the centre of town and there’s an excellent annual literary festival
  
• Drive a little further along the coast to Lyme Regis. The beach is great for summer swimming and there's an impressive array of independent shops, pretty cottages and cosy pubs
  
• There’s a country house for everyone here. Romantics will love Mapperton House, while families can explore Kingston Maurward Animal Park (various gardens, a petting zoo and regular kids’ clubs)
  
• The Bridport & West Dorset Golf Club is well regarded and offers impressive views of the landscape and shoreline
  
• The hotel has a great relationship with Bridport’s talented artisans - workshops can be arranged in various fields including painting, drawing, sculpture, woodwork and weaving
  
• Looking for a more adventurous activity? Horse riding, paragliding and speedboat trips can also booked through reception (advance notice required)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Art classes
• Boat trips
• Fossil hunting
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Mountain biking
• Museums / galleries
• Paragliding
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Well being
• Wildlife

Kids

Children are warmly welcomed at The Bull, and with the Dorset-Devon border being a popular summer holiday destination, there will be plenty of potential new friends to meet at the beach.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

There are 3 Family Rooms; each has a double bed and a set of bunk-beds (sleeps 2 children). Of these, Mulberry has the added bonus of a second shower room and its bunk room can be closed off. The Old Manger will appeal to any little equestrian obsessives (set in the old stable block with solid wood bunks in the room, a manger and a horse hoist at the entrance). Larger still is the Family Suite (The Flowers), where you get a large double room, an ensuite bathroom, a twin room and a sitting room with a sofabed. For families with 1 small child or a baby, we recommend a Master Room or a Deluxe Room.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 50 minutes (Exeter)
• Hospital: 5 minutes (or 24-hour emergency unit 14 miles away)
• Nearest shop: 5 minutes (the hotel is on the town high street)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Bull Hotel sits in the centre of Bridport; a market town in Dorset (close to the Devon border), on the southwest coast of England.

By Air
Exeter (56km) is the closest airport, or you could fly into Bristol Airport (111km). For a list of airlines serving these airports, click on the links at the bottom of the page.

From the Airport
The hotel cannot provide transfers so you can either take a taxi or hire a car (see below).

By Car
This is a rural area so it's worth hiring a car to get the most out of your stay. The hotel has a free off-road car park with limited spaces available on a first-come-first-served basis, plus there's a public car park just along the road.

By Public Transport
The nearest train stations are Crewkerne, Dorchester and Axminster. Direct trains from London take approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, then take a bus or taxi to Bridport.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to the UK and getting around