In our Suite Staycation column, Gina Jackson – hotel expert and author of British Boutique Hotels – tours some of the best hotel suites in the UK. Next up, Osip, Bruton.
Best for: a farm stay with flawless field-to-fork dining
When acclaimed chef Merlin Labron-Johnson left London in 2019, all eyes were on his next move. With a Michelin star already under his belt – earned at Marylebone bistro, Portland – he set his sights on creating something of his own.
Give us the lowdown
Somerset provided the location for his solo debut: an elegant restaurant shoehorned into a stylish Bruton hotel. Despite its smart setting, the space was ultimately too small for Osip’s growing ambitions; by 2021, it had earned a Michelin star, followed by a Michelin Green star in 2023. And then, in 2024, Merlin set his sights on pastures new: Osip relocated to a 17th-century coaching inn set in a quiet patch of countryside just six minutes from town. With land of its own and the potential for guest rooms, the restaurant entered a new chapter: Michelin stars soon followed, with four bedrooms unveiled in June this year.
What’s in the suite?
Image credit: Dave Watts
Guest rooms have been lovingly renewed by Merlin’s long-time collaborator, Johnny Smith, Creative Director of Smith & Willis. Each is named after a river in Somerset: I stayed in Pitt, a cosy room tucked at the front of the inn, which felt surprisingly airy thanks to the high, vaulted ceiling. Whitewashed walls, original wooden beams and headboards seemingly carved from single trunks – each sourced from trees felled within a ten-mile radius – set the tone. Materials have all been crafted locally, with the stripped-back space softened by jute rugs, curated objets d’art sourced from antique markets, and flowers from the nearby farm. Homemade canelés and Somerset apples were waiting for us on arrival. Bathrooms are no afterthought: expect spacious, stone-floored walk-in showers and shiny brass fixtures – and in the two larger rooms, a mezzanine layout allows for deep, egg-shaped tubs. Toiletries are hand-bottled and made in collaboration with Harvest, using seasonally-changing British botanicals.
How’s the crowd?
Couples dominate the restaurant – all gourmands, most of whom have travelled here from far and wide. Despite its remote location, the restaurant has no trouble attracting guests from far-flung destinations: Japan, South Korea, China, and the USA.
Where can we eat and drink?
The hotel’s centrepiece restaurant is its main draw. The open kitchen sits within a glossy glass box attached to the coaching inn, with linen-draped tables getting a front-row seat to the action. Interiors are whitewashed and spartan, ensuring all eyes are drawn to the kitchen. The hyper-seasonal menu shifts weekly, mirroring the rhythms of the land and shaped almost entirely by whatever happens to be growing on the nearby farm: 90 per cent of the produce used by the restaurant is grown on its two smallholdings, with vegetables taking centre stage on the menu, and meat and fish used sparingly.
The experience begins with drinks and amuse-bouches served either in the lounge (a cosy space featuring low-slung beams and earthy-toned furnishings) or in the serene, untamed gardens outside, before we sashay over to our assigned table. Tomatoes plucked from the farm arrive first, in the form of a chilled tomato tea alongside pillowy potato brioche, which we smother in whipped kefir cream. One by one, dishes unfold at a perfectly measured pace, all served on handmade ceramics: beetroot tacos that melt on the tongue, tender Pekin duck, a gooseberry sorbet paired with whipped ewes milk that’s ridiculously silky – and finally, a crisp pistachio tart with sharp, rocket-flavoured ice cream. We then segue into the adjoining lounge to finish our meal with delicate chocolate and apricot macarons and tahini madeleines.
Are there any stand-out touches worth mentioning?
If you still have room the next morning, roll downstairs for an auberge-style breakfast. Graze leisurely from a generous spread of seasonal, local produce: sourdough loaded with Westcombe Cheddar, smoked trout, and hams. Spoon into buckwheat honey granola, and tear into just-baked cardamom buns – all paired with seasonal jams, honey from Osip’s bees, and fresh apple and sorrel juices.
What’s on the to-do list?
Request a farm tour and you might find yourself wandering into the hedgerows with Merlin himself. The restaurant’s modest farm grows exactly what it needs, but there’s still an impressive variety packed within a few patches: rows of pumpkins, apples, and fennel are squeezed next to herb gardens of marjoram, lovage, chives. After staying overnight, head into Bruton the next day for lunch at Merlin’s second venture: relaxed bistro and wine bar The Old Pharmacy, where local wines and seasonal sharing plates make up the menu.
What should we know before we go?
While it’s perfectly possible to experience Osip over one night, staying a little longer gives you the chance to further explore the local terrain. If you’re travelling by car, Somerset’s hotspots can be ticked off in one fell swoop: stop over in Bruton, and pass by South Petherton’s HOLM. Or make a road trip of it and venture further west towards Devon’s Fowlescombe Farm.
What should we pack?
Don relaxed linens and crisp whites to blend in with the stylish surrounds. The team are all impeccably uniformed in Studio Nicholson gear, matching the stripped-back interiors.
All image credits: Osip © Dave Watts
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Any Questions or Tips to add?