Summer Lodge Country House Hotel
Dorchester, Dorset
Classic Hardy-country house hotel with a soft spot for children: a playhouse in the garden, treasure hunts, and kids eating free while you enjoy the restaurant. Cottages with linked rooms mean no shushing at bedtime, and the Jurassic Coast is close enough for a morning hunting ammonites at Charmouth.
For the children
- Kids' activities
- Pool
- Outdoor play
- Tennis
- Nature activities
- Family dining
- Children's menu
- Family rooms
- Interconnecting rooms
- Cots
- Dog friendly
- Spa
- Best for
- Families with primary-age children
- Ages
- All ages
- Pool
- Indoor pool, children welcome mornings and late afternoon
- Family rooms
- Coach House and Summer Lane cottages with inter-leading rooms for up to 6–7
- Outdoors
- Fossil hunts, treasure hunts, tennis, croquet, deer park walks, riding and falconry nearby
We only list facilities we could confirm on their website — something not listed may still be there.
Days out nearby
~21 miles · ~30 mins
Aquarium · ideal day trip
Sharks, rays and penguins plus outdoor seal and otter areas, set beside the beach. Good for rainy days on a Dorset coast break.
~24 miles · ~30 mins
Castle / historic · rainy day option
Rooms full of real tanks, from the First World War to today, plus live arena displays on event days. Older children and teens find it fascinating, and it sits close to Monkey World and the Jurassic Coast.
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre ↗
~26 miles · ~45 mins
Wildlife park · ideal day trip
A rescue centre for chimpanzees, orangutans and gibbons, with large wooded enclosures and keeper talks that explain each animal's story. Children are captivated by the chimp troops, and there is a huge adventure playground for afterwards.
~35 miles · ~45 mins
Adventure park · ideal day trip
Underground caves with a witch legend, plus a dinosaur valley, adventure golf, a circus show and a Victorian penny arcade. A full day of variety, close to Bath and Wells.
~36 miles · ~45 mins
Safari park · ideal day trip
Driving through the lion reserve with monkeys clambering over the car is a childhood memory in the making. Beyond the safari there is a hedge maze, an adventure castle playground, boat rides and the stately house itself, enough for two full days.
~38 miles · ~45 mins
Nature / outdoors · ideal day trip
Explore show caves with dramatic stalactites, climb the 274-step lookout and walk along the gorge's cliff top. A good mix of adventure and geology, near Wells and the Mendips.
~41 miles · ~45 mins
Theme park · ideal day trip
An Alice-in-Wonderland themed park with gentle rides, a hedge maze and big indoor play zones, perfect for toddlers and young children. Good backup for rainy days near Bournemouth and the New Forest.
~44 miles · ~1 hr
Theme park · ideal day trip
A family theme park with gentle rides, a farm area and an indoor play zone, built around younger children. A short drive from Exeter and the Jurassic Coast.
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Family facilities
- Kids' menu
A guide, not a guarantee. Shown only where the venue or a trusted source has told us. Not listed doesn't mean not available — check with the venue if it matters for your visit.
Researched by Tumble in October 2026 from each place's own website. Tumble doesn't take these bookings — prices, availability and children's club details change, so check with them before you book. Distances and travel times are approximate.