Mendip Premier 2

Cheddar Woods Resort sits on the slopes of the Mendip Hills, and the Mendip Premier 2 makes the most of that hillside position. The lodge looks out over rolling Somerset countryside, and on a clear day, the view from the deck stretches further than you’d expect from a holiday park. The sunken hot tub is right there on the decking, set low enough to keep the breeze off your shoulders while you watch the light change over the hills. A good spot to end the day, whether you have been walking the Gorge or just lounging by the pool.

Inside, the layout is open-plan and contemporary, with a comfortable lounge flowing through to a dining space and a modern kitchen with a breakfast bar. The hob works well for proper cooking, and a dishwasher means nobody gets stuck with the washing up. Storage is generous throughout, and the whole place feels roomier than a two-bedroom lodge usually does. In the master bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom make all the difference when you are sharing with another couple or travelling with children. A twin room has 2ft 6in beds that suit kids well, with a separate shower room between the two bedrooms. Beds are comfortable, the lodge is kept spotlessly clean between stays, and you will not want for space.

The real draw of Cheddar Woods is how much there is to do without getting in the car. The resort has a heated indoor pool with a separate children’s pool, a sauna and steam room, and the Eden Spa for proper treatments. There is a bar and bistro on-site for evenings when cooking feels like too much effort, and during the summer months, a log-burning pizza oven fires up outdoors. Kids can burn off energy on the climbing wall, the outdoor adventure play area, and various Go Active sessions running through the day. Book spa treatments ahead if you can, as they fill up quickly.

Cheddar village is right next to the resort, and the Gorge is the obvious day out when you want proper scenery. Clifftop walks above, caves to explore below. Cheese has been made in Cheddar since the twelfth century, and the Bath Arms Inn and Lion Rock Tearooms are both worth stopping at. Wookey Hole and its cave system are about 8 miles away, and the beaches at Brean Down are 13 miles to the west. Glastonbury Tor is 15 miles if you want a walk with a view at the top. Wells, England’s smallest city, has a Gothic cathedral worth the trip on its own, and Bath is about 25 miles south.

Evenings tend to follow a rhythm here. Dinner on the deck if the weather holds, then into the hot tub as the light drops behind the Mendip ridge. This one is pet-free, but rabbits and birds still wander through the quieter parts of the park, and mornings out on the deck with a coffee are better than they sound.