Bower Coach House

Bower Coach House is attached to the owner's house at Bower Hinton, near Martock and not far from South Petherton. The building was once a coaching inn called the Red Lion, dating back to the 1600s, and keeps some original features. Guests come in through the arched coach house entrance and wooden doors into a secure garage area big enough for one car, with more parking adjacent.

From the back of the garage, steps lead into the ground floor, which is one open-plan room holding the kitchen, dining area and a sitting area with a woodburner and a double sofa bed. A narrow, steep staircase climbs to the king-size bedroom, which has a sleigh bed and an en-suite shower room with a basin and WC. The cottage sleeps 3, and a travel cot with linen is provided. The kitchen has a gas oven and hob, a microwave, a dishwasher and a washing machine, and there is a TV with Freeview, a DVD player and WiFi.

Gas central heating, bed linen, towels, fuel, power and a starter pack for the woodburner are included in the rent, and a good-housekeeping bond is payable. The lawned garden is enclosed and shared, with furniture and a barbecue. The owner has a dog and a cat. No pets and no smoking are allowed. The pub is a five-minute walk and the shop a fifteen-minute walk.

Bookings are for holidays only, not local authority or worker stays, and they must start on a Friday. Tell the owner the right party size and the ages of any children, since the owner sets up the property from that.

It suits a couple, or a couple with a friend, who can manage a steep stair and want a small place with a woodburner.