Taunton - where to stay/eat

[dontgobacktorockville]

We'll be having an overnight in Taunton in July on our way to Cornwall. Can anyone recommend hotels near a park so we can exercise the kids? They'll have been cooped up for ages, and will need to do some serious running about. Or alternatively maybe a hotel with a pool, so we could exercise them that way?

Also, any recommendations for somewhere to eat that's family friendly. Kids are 4 & 7, reasonably civilised.

There's a pizza express in Taunton.

If you're traveling down the M5, Sander's Garden World, just off junction 22 between Bristol & Taunton, has a soft play area, I think.
For the next day, if you want a stop off in the morning there's a soft play at tiverton & crealy at Exeter.

Head to Vivary park in Taunton. If you have good weather its beautiful with lots of open space and the bandstand. Great for the kids to feed the ducks aswell.

Its very easy to park next to as the multi storey car park is close which also gives you quick access to the town shopping centre which has all of the normal high street restaurants like Wetherspooons and pizza express, not forgetting Mc Ds!

The corner house in central taunton was nice when I last stayed there about five years ago!

www.pub-explorer.com/somerset/pub/obridge.htm

I forgot to say, depending on whether you are looking for premier Inn type stay overnight, the best one is O'Bridge. Its next door to the O'Bridge pub which is a nice place to eat and has the fun factory built into it for the kids. Its all on the link.
You also only have a quick drive to Vivary and the shops if you want to explore depending on what time you arrive.

Ooh, lots of suggestions, thank you. I'll look those up. Great, can't wait for holidays now.

Sanders Garden World doesn't have a soft play area but it does have a huge real size wooden pirate ship to play on although it is outside so is weather dependent. There is also a small zip wire in the play area as well as a cafe.

We always stay at the Holiday Inn in Taunton on our way to Cornwall from London. It has a pool and fantastically friendly and helpful staff. They always seem to have something on for children as well, treasure hunts, games etc.

It's obviously not luxurious, being a Holiday Inn but is perfectly placed for an overnight stopover.