Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant & Spa

Our stay at Summer Lodge Country House Hotel was nothing short of exceptional, and what truly made it unforgettable was the incredible team. From the moment we arrived, the staff set the tone; warm, attentive, and always willing to help. We never once heard “no,” and no question ever felt too small (even though I asked plenty!). That level of genuine care made all the difference. The food was outstanding throughout our stay! Beautifully balanced portions with distinct, memorable flavours. Standout favourites from the main menu included the Apple & Earl Grey sorbet and the Taste of Duck starter, while the terrace menu’s sticky toffee pudding was perfection ❤️❤️ The spa facilities were equally impressive, creating a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, and the treatments helped set the perfect mood for the entire stay. A special thank you to the amazing individuals who made our experience so personal, and apologies in advance if I've missed anyone!: Spa Team: Nicky, for the lovely conversations and calming presence alongside the relaxing treatments (your experience shows!) Emma, for truly incredible massage skills and a wonderfully soothing approach Reception Team: Asha, Buster (for the last-minute tour!), and Astrid (for all the helpful extra information) Bar Team: King, for consistently delivering amazing cocktails! Dining Team: Philip, for the excellent conversations and fascinating insights into the hotel’s history Kinga, Thomas, and Amy, all fantastic throughout Kitchen Team: Sheldon, for the incredible food we enjoyed during our visit Special mention to Michael. Although away during our stay, it’s clear the exceptional menu reflects his talent Management: Peter, thank you for going above and beyond (including lugging a fridge up to our room!). You should be incredibly proud of such an outstanding team. A truly memorable experience, we can’t wait to return.

3 months ago · via Google

Where to start? I think most importantly, you would genuinely struggle to find better service at any hotel in my opinion and experience. This is what made our stay exceptional. I could name individual staff but would miss some, so safe to say the level of professionalism was outstanding. It is clear people come here to escape and have a peaceful, unobtrusive time. We lucked out and stayed in the mini May heat wave and this really showed off some of the hotel's key features; the gardens for example are stunning. We found a hidden gem by the koi pond where we just sat and read for an couple of hours. We also enjoyed the fantastic breakfast outside, and if you like walking, go via the deer park to Melbury Osmond (the church has the marriage certificate of Hardy's parents on the wall) and come back via the acient track/bw to the west. We saw nobody in two hours' walking. We were also incredibly lucky to be upgraded and the room was stunning. If you want peace and quiet, impeccable service, history, and to experience quintessential Dorset countryside, I'm not sure you can beat this place. Thanks to everyone at Summer Lodge for their hospitality. Having stayed in some of the top locations in the world (for example on the Grand Canal in Venice in a 14th century merchant's house), we would never have guessed that these places could be topped by a hotel on our doorstep, in Dorset! Highly recommended.

2 months ago · via Google

Such a delightful stay. We both felt so at home here. If you are looking for a traditional English hotel where you can retire to the lounge by a roasting fire after a Grand Breakfast overlooking a beautiful English country garden, this is the place. Very friendly and kind team especially noting Phillip at breakfast, Bea at Reception, Jonathan the evening French Bar Man your longest standing member of staff. Jack the GM certainly knows what he is doing it is such a well run hotel. We were very lucky to have a package deal that included one night eating at the lodge, and one night just down the road at the Inn where head chef Ana made us such a wonderful tasty meal. I especially enjoyed the Scallops the Homemade Fish Pie of the day and the Banana Go Go Cocktail which I highly recommend. Amber deserves a special mention very attentive and she understood my humour! Excellent rapport. The Spa pool and hot tub were a delightful bonus after a hard day of reading in front of the roasting fire. Sarah the gardener is your shining star. A wonderful two nights in this hidden gem. Thank you to all your wonderful team.

5 months ago · via Google

I’ve now stayed at Summer Country Lodge twice and have loved both times. We stayed at the hotel the night before our wedding with our family. We were looked after so so well by the hotel, I cannot thank them enough and it was the most perfect place for my wedding morning prep! Everyone loved their rooms, they were all spacious, quiet, comfortable (the beds are incred!) with tea and coffee facilities. We had the garden suite which was incredible and amazing to have the conservatory. Breakfast was lovely. I love that all the rooms are unique and have an old world charm about them. Classic English countryside feel. The surrounding village is gorgeous with a nice walk right on the doorstep too. We had a private dining dinner in the conservatory followed by tea and coffee and petit fours - it was just perfect! Service and food both exceptional but also the help from Jack and Alex to plan the dinner was amazing. They took care of all the details, helping with the menu, seating plan, drinks etc. they were so professional to work with and it went off without a hitch! Gardens are also beautiful. I hope to be able to return!

6 months ago · via Google