The Cotswolds, to me, is one of the most beautiful areas of England, full of little stone cottages, rambling country roads, wheat fields, chocolate box houses and delightful, quintessentially British country pubs.
It oozes charm and beauty, and there is something inherently magical about the area. It’s like escaping to a fairy-tale, storybook world of unspoilt towns and villages.
The architecture of the Cotswolds cottages, with their slate or thatch roofs, arched doorways and small rooms - often irregularly shaped and uneven, ooze charisma and beauty. The low ceilings, old beams, and quirky little windows dotted randomly about the cottages are all really endearing and quirky. They are cosy, inviting, and so very delightful.
There is also a lovely sense of community in all the villages I visited, and the locals are incredibly welcoming and chatty.
It is an area of the world I had wanted to visit from a young age. I grew up in Dublin and spent many summer holidays visiting relatives in the UK. This was an area my Mum used to talk about a lot as she adored the architecture and overall feel of the area. I have always loved travelling to the countryside and relish life's small details. The Cotswolds are overflowing with them, and the surrounding countryside is breathtakingly picturesque. I was working in London for 6 months a few years ago so I planned my first trip. I returned in Sept 2018 for my second visit.
The lamb inn, burford
I have stayed at The Lamb Inn on two occasions. It’s located in the gorgeous medieval village of Burford – a town which is often described and the ‘gateway to the Cotswolds’
I did a considerable amount of research on the Cotswolds area before booking accommodation, an area I had longed to visit for many years. I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived at The Lamb Inn (and hence why I returned to stay again on my second trip).
It’s a stunning little inn with low ceilings and wooden beams, low doors, uneven stairs, wonky corridors and old stone floors. It was so lovely on each occasion to check into the hotel during the early evening and walk into the pub area with the fire roaring and locals enjoying a beer with their dogs at their feet, which, too, were being watered and fed.
It has a fantastic, award-winning restaurant which I highly recommend eating dinner in at least once over a weekend. It is the same restaurant where they serve an abundant breakfast each morning. The bar is cosy and inviting and serves great pub fare. The staff are also superb in attentiveness to the guests and have a total ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude.
I enjoyed G&Ts in their sizeable beautiful garden, a typical English country in style and abundant with romantic flowers and shrubbery. It would be a stunning venue in which to host a wedding.
The rooms were incredibly cosy and beautifully dressed. I chose a different room on each stay – their Shepherd Room first and then the Allium room, the latter being their most significant and which boasts a massive bathroom with a deep, freestanding bath.
In all the places I have stayed in the Cotswolds, the charm is the main endearing feature, which is abundant.
I loved the little details, such as the old teddy bear on the bed and full-size Molton Brown products in their bathrooms. They make in-house flapjacks and leave them beautifully wrapped for you in your room. Each day they pop a note under your door highlighting some local and surrounding attractions for you to consider visiting.
The staff, in particular, were so lovely. Overall, there is a beautiful sense of history and ‘olde world charisma to all the hotels I stayed at in the Cotswolds, particularly at The Lamb Inn. At night, as you sit looking out of the small, lead-light windows, there is a real sense that you have been transported back in time some 200 years and almost expect to hear the sound of a horse and stagecoach coming down the street. There is something wonderfully enchanting about the hotel.
The Lamb Inn
lords of the manor
One of my fondest memories during my first trip was wandering around the quaint Cotswold village of Upper Slaughter (near Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold). I headed out around 7 pm with my camera just as dusk settled in and captured some beautiful photos in the early evening light. It’s a tranquil village, and you feel removed from the outside world once visitors leave all day.
I splurged a bit on my accommodation here and spent a night at the gloriously beautiful Lords of the Manor. It’s a 4-star hotel with 8 acres of lawns and exquisite gardens dating back to 1649. It was incredibly luxurious and worth splashing out on for a special occasion. Their Michelin-star restaurant is widely acclaimed and highly popular.
THE TOWN OF BIBURY
Bibury was once described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England, and it is definitely worth a visit. It’s a small town with one or two pubs but mainly residential to a small community. I stayed at The Swan, a sister hotel to The Lamb Inn, for one night. It is a little more modern inside style but still exquisite and luxurious.
MY TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND GET COFFEE/TEA IN THE COTSWOLDS
Most of the places I visited for food were pubs/restaurants. There are numerous Country Manor hotels that are equally good, but when visiting this part of Britain, their country inns and pubs are the way to go.
The area is abundant with them, and they offer the best foodie experience in the Cotswolds.
The Lamb Inn, Burford. From my writing above, this would be my top recommendation for a bite to eat and where to enjoy a good, local English ale.
the-lamb-inn
I stopped at The Porch House in Stow on the Wold for lunch during my second trip. I had to visit it as I read that it is England’s oldest pub, dating back to 947AD. It’s been modernised a bit inside but retains the interior history well.
porch-house
The Wild Rabbit Inn at Kingham near Chipping Norton is utterly stunning. During my first trip, I enjoyed a fantastic and memorable pig cheek and smoked eel meal.
thewildrabbit
The Bell at Sapperton is a pub they often ride their horses to and stop for a beer and a bite. I enjoyed a delicious British pie here, and the atmosphere was to match.
bellsapperton
MY TOP 5 SHOPS IN THE COTSWOLDS
I stopped in at the Cotswold’s Cheese Company in Burford and picked up some local cheeses and a good bottle of red to bring on a picnic on one of the days I was there. It’s a charming little store and worth a look.
Cotswoldcheese
Oka is a beautiful interior shop in the village of Broadway, where I picked up some beautiful plates to add to my food photography prop collection. They also sell stunning cushions in particular.
oka.com
Broadway Deli at St. Patricks was a fantastic gourmet food and drink shop on the main street in Broadway. The shop is jam-packed with foodie delights and has lots of little nooks and crannies you are strolling in and out of.
broadwaydeli
Long Street Antiques is located in the old market town of Tetbury. Housed in a Georgian townhouse, it is a veritable cornucopia of vintage porcelain, art, decorative items and antique finds.
longstreetantiques.com
On the edge of Burford village, the Burford Garden Company is jam-packed with everything English Country garden and has an extensive homewares section. I rambled around this store for hours.
burford.co.uk