I admit I haven’t always been a Cotswolds fan. In fact, when my brother and sister-in-law announced they were moving in search of bucolic bliss and a free-range childhood for my then two-year-old nephew, I was distraught.
In London, we lived ten minutes from each other and I would often collect the little one from nursery or take him to the swings in St James’s Park. The country just seemed too far away – no matter how smart it was, how many Soho Houses it might have and whatever the Beckhams might think.
All that changed the first time I visited their new home and realised there might be an upside after all.
The prettiest of villages, Kingham, was like Mayfair-with-mud – and less than an hour and 20 minutes out of Paddington. Daylesford Organic farm shop was an amble down a leafy track. The Wild Rabbit inn (owned by Lady Carole Bamford, who started Daylesford) was on the doorstep. The summer fête was fabulous and there was even a hidden bluebell wood close by.
Katherine Spenley visiting The Painswick in the Cotswolds
Possibly they were on to something. So a new habit emerged and my weekends since have been spent barrelling down the A40 or sipping a coffee on the 9:53. I must have made 100-plus trips since 2018.
Be aware, the Cotswolds spans a huge area – so pick your destination with care. As a rough guide, the south feels more horsey, less polished while the north is more London-shire. Here’s my guide…
Places to stay
The Kings Head Inn, Bledington
This is my favourite. An authentic country pub with rooms. Owner Archie Orr-Ewing and manager Rob have created somewhere that feels like home. It’s rumoured Prince William played for the cricket team and Princess Anne was spotted here.
Details: Doubles from £130 B&B (thekingsheadinn.net).
The Lamb Inn, Great Rissington
I have a soft spot for The Lamb, an unpretentious pub with generously proportioned garden suites and classic rooms. The bar is small but cosy with board games and books.
Details: Doubles from £161 B&B (thelambinn.com).
The Painswick, Painswick
This is a grand Palladian house complete with an elevated, lavender-bordered lawn and splendid views. Inside, it is pure boutique chic. All the rooms are different.
Details: Doubles from £177 B&B (thepainswick.co.uk).
The Slaughters Manor House, Lower Slaughter
From the baby grand to the billiards table, The Slaughters is rather gin and Jags – in a good way. The gravel drive leads to a grand 17th century house. We loved the ‘June’ room with its vast bed and mullion windows.
Details: Doubles from £142 B&B (theslaughtersinn.co.uk).
The Pig in the Cotswolds, Barnsley
Set in a classic 17th century manor house, its parlours are perfect for curling up in with a book and rooms are gorgeously comfortable. The Rosemary Verey-designed Arts & Crafts gardens are legendary – with a spa down a track. It’s chic, friendly and chilled.
Details: Doubles from £355 B&B (thepighotel.com).
Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham
There is a private path from the hotel to Cheltenham Racecourse, plus 90, sometimes muddy, acres to explore here (boots are available to borrow). After a stroll, relax in the heated outdoor pool. Some rooms are furnished with antiques.
Details: Doubles from £270 B&B (ellenboroughpark.com).
The Lygon Arms, Broadway
Part of the same Iconic Luxury Hotels collection as Cliveden and Chewton Glen, this is on a site dating back 650 years. There are nooks, crannies, open fires, a grand dining hall, four-posters and wonderful service. My nephew, ten, loved the spectacular breakfast.
Details: Doubles from £283 B&B (lygonarmshotel.co.uk).
Bull, Burford
Owned by PR supremo Matthew Freud, Burford was buzzing when the 16th century inn reopened in 2023. The Japanese omakase restaurant Hiro has sushi-starved financiers flocking to it. Quiet luxury done really, really well.
Details: Doubles from £256 B&B (bullburford.com).
Porch House, Stow-on-the-Wold
Apparently this is ‘England’s oldest inn’, dating from 947AD. The first time we visited we squeezed into The Snug. When we came back, we pushed the boat out to The Suite. The Porch House is a busy pub and Stow-on-the-Wold can feel touristy but these rooms are quiet.
Details: Doubles from £213 B&B (porch-house.co.uk).
Daylesford Cottages, Kingham and environs
Daylesford Organic is the epitome of country glam. You can soak up the atmosphere for the price of an (excellent) coffee at The Legbar or just browse in the farm shop – but if your pockets are deep enough, stay in one of their beautiful properties. Book into a Kingham cottage for a taste of village life, the farm shop is a 30-minute walk away down a pretty track.
Details: Orpington Cottage from £2,260, sleeping six, for two nights (daylesfordstays.com).
The Three Horseshoes, Asthall
This outpost of the Daylesford empire is sometimes cheaper than its starrier stablemates. We stayed in The Tack room, small but beautifully formed with a divine bed. There’s a lovely garden.
Details: Doubles from £170 B&B (daylesfordstays.com).
Fire Service College
There are weekends when there should be a sign on the A40 declaring the Cotswolds is ‘full’. When that happens, I check into the Fire Service College just outside Moreton-in-Marsh. This is where the brigade comes to train but at weekends, or out of term time, rooms are available to rent.
Details: Doubles from around £80 (fireservicecollege.ac.uk).
What these charming villages have to offer
Winchcombe
Not far from Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe is often overlooked but with beautiful walks and a high street full of antique shops and pubs.
Snowshill
It’s picture perfect and perhaps best known for the National Trust property Snowshill Manor. Go in the summer to see the fragrant lavender fields nearby.
Broadway
The quintessential Cotswolds high street is stuffed full of perfect shops, pubs, restaurants and good hotels. Climb up Broadway Tower for a view of up to 16 counties on a clear day.
Churchill
Worth a visit to play spot-the-celebrity at The Chequers pub. The Beckhams were photographed there recently and plenty of local bigwigs pop in for a pint. There is also a beautiful church and some great walks.
Kingham
It might be a couple of decades since Country Life named it ‘England’s Favourite Village’ but I demand a recount. It’s set around a green with lovely houses, two posh pubs and a gorgeous church.
Stow-on-the-Wold
Yes, its touristy but with good reason – it is a bustling market town. Coffee? Stow Town Coffee roastery. Serious lunch or dinner? The Old Butchers. Don’t resist the lure of Tolkien Door, the twisted yew trunks framing the church entrance.
Blockley
A brook runs through the village, past beautiful stone houses, a couple of pubs and the highlight – Blockley Café. Don’t miss the Batsford Arboretum and Norman church.
Burford
The high street is a jumble of houses, inns, shops and galleries tumbling prettily down a hill. Shops are a treat, especially Madhatter Bookshop and toyshop Little Madhatter Emporium. No trip is complete without going to Burford Garden Company.
Asthall
Visiting Jeremy Clarkson’s pub The Farmer’s Dog? Once you are replete with bangers and mash, push on down the road to the beautiful village of Asthall, full of honey-coloured houses, a 12th century church and Asthall Manor.
Lechlade
Is it strictly in the Cotswolds? The argument goes on but we don’t really care as it’s a joyous place being located on the River Thames.
Whichford
This is, for us, Warwickshire’s best Cotswolds village with its magical views and green, plus the Whichford Pottery for souvenirs and The Straw Kitchen cafe for lunch.
And where to avoid…
Chipping Norton
Yes, really. You might associate it with the glamour of the great and good, but in fact the Chipping Norton Set live in glorious houses near the town, not in it. Chippy is a great base if you are renting a house nearby, but this is a real town, not a place to visit for ‘rustic charm’.
Bibury
It’s such a shame that Bibury, described by William Morris as the ‘most beautiful village in England’, has become overrun with tourists – but up to 20,000 can visit on a summer weekend. Our recommendation is you don’t become one of them. Locals suggest that if you are going to visit, do so outside of peak times. A friend who passed through a couple of weeks ago reported it was packed with selfie-takers. Best to leave the TikTokers to it.
