The Cotswolds: Exploring English Nature

Accommodations

A note on our Cotswolds lodgings: While we aim to use the accommodations below on as many departures as we can, there may be occasions when we must use an alternate property due to scheduling conflicts with the inn (such as weddings, etc.). Please be assured that we will make every attempt to substitute a comparable accommodation in terms of atmosphere and quality.

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Minster Mill
Location
Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

This quintessentially English inn and adjoining mill seamlessly blend the rural charm of these historic buildings with modern design and luxurious comforts. Though its golden stone exterior and heavy timber beams might lead one to believe this venerable inn has been here for centuries, it's actually a new luxury hotel in one of the Cotswolds' most exquisite villages. On the banks of the River Windrush, Minster Mill is ensconced within 65 acres of gardens, wildflower meadows and woodlands, just steps from the famous Cotswold Way National Trail.

The inn's airy interior is decidedly contemporary, spare in decor and flooded with natural light through generous windows. While all guest rooms feature design-forward details, no two are alike. Each has a distinctive combination of fabrics, lighting and furniture with mid-century modern flair. The restaurant features vaulted ceilings, original oak beams and an inviting fireplace. It's headed by a nationally acclaimed chef who fuses contemporary and traditional British cooking with a local twist, utilizing seasonal ingredients from artisan producers and fresh vegetables from the inn's abundant gardens. In summer, guests may dine outside on the terrace or in the gardens. The Mill Bar, set in a high gallery overlooking the restaurant, offers a casual setting for enjoying fine wines and classic cocktails.

Guests who arrive early can enjoy some of the inn's many leisure pastimes: manicured lawns offer space for croquet, badminton and boules, while a mile of private fishing bank courts anglers. Play tennis or table tennis, hire a classic Pashley bicycle to explore country lanes, or rejuvenate in the Garden Spa: along with an indoor heated plunge pool, shed your travel stress in the poolside rock sauna, sensory aroma steam room, ice fountain and tropical rain forest showers.
The Old Swan
Location
Minster Mill, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

The epitome of an English country inn, The Old Swan is surrounded by 65 acres of woodland and wildflower meadows along the River Windrush in the picturesque village of Minster Lovell. A member of the Andrew Brownsword collection of acclaimed English heritage hotels, the 15th-century Old Swan is steeped in historic ambience amid every contemporary comfort. Built of timber frame and stucco beneath a steeply pitched slate roof, with mullioned windows and covered in vines, the architecture exudes the cozy essence of the Cotswolds.

Fifteen guest rooms are individually distinct in design and décor. Beds have dark wood headboards, crisp white linens and plump pillows, with plaid blankets and upholstery accents. Rooms feature chintz window shades, overstuffed sitting chairs, wood writing desk, a television and complimentary Wi-Fi. Spacious bathrooms include soaking tubs, luxury bath and skin care and products, and slippers and robes.

The Old Swan's pub and restaurant invite guests to tuck in for drinks and meals in a warm and comforting setting, with heavy beamed ceilings, rustic flagstone floors, and a roaring log fire in the huge stone fireplace when there’s a chill in the air. "A pie and a pint” is the classic pairing; short crust pastry pies are the house specialty, and the garden outside sources seasonal fruits and vegetables that the chef incorporates into a decidedly local menu. On summer days, enjoy dining or tea on the outdoor terrace overlooking the gardens and croquet lawn. If time permits, enjoy a round of croquet, badminton or boules, or hire one of the classic Pashley bikes for a spin around the village. The River Windrush, just out the door, is also a noted fishing stream.
Calcot & Spa
Location
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

One of the premier accommodations in the Cotswolds, this 16th-century manor house opened as a hotel in 1984, but the buildings go back 700 years, with the original date stone in the tithe barn. The property encompasses 220 acres of rewilded Cotswolds countryside, offering an immersive encounter with nature and local wildlife. Elegant yet unpretentious, genteel yet never stuffy, Calcot & Spa hits the perfect balance of luxury and relaxation.

Built by Henry of Kingswood in the 1300s, Calcot belonged to the church until the 16th century when King Henry VIII dissolved England’s monasteries and gave the estate to one of his courtiers. Calcot has remained in private ownership since, belonging to the Estcourt family for several centuries and expanded to include the 16th-century manor house and several outbuildings. Today, the hotel includes 35 guest rooms that are both cozy and chic, individually decorated in calm neutral tones. Rooms have plush king-size beds with upholstered headboards and a sitting spot with fashionable chairs or a settee. Deluxe bathrooms have a deep porcelain soaking tub, tiled walk-in shower, aromatherapy toiletries, hair dryer, and fluffy robe and slippers. Other amenities include TV with Sky Entertainment, DAB digital radio and audiobooks, Wi-Fi, safe, Nespresso coffee machine, and a mini fridge and pantry stocked with fresh fruit and homemade shortbread.

The Brasserie is Calcot’s popular restaurant, where chefs with Michelin-star experience work with local suppliers to craft surprising seasonal creations. The Hive is a bright, stylish lounge with cozy nooks for tea during the day and cocktails once the sun goes down. If time permits, visit the acclaimed Spa, with a large outdoor fireside hot tub, indoor heated pool, sauna and steam room, plus fitness gym with equipment and full range of weights. Spa treatments include relax-and-sleep massage, rose-infused aromatherapy facials and more.

Surrounding the hotel is an impressive example of landscape restoration, where over the last 25 years, nature has been given space to "rewild" through wildflower planting and organic farming practices. The planting of 22,000 native trees, hedgerows, and the creation of a new woodland area has brought increasing sightings of rare and endangered farmland birds as well as an abundance of butterflies. Over the past year, 83 bird species have been spotted, including the rare red-backed shrike, which caused quite a stir among local “twitchers.” In uncut meadows, wildflowers flourish, with spotted orchids, bee orchids, mallow and yarrow among them. Wildlife on the property includes roe deer, fox, badger, hares and rabbits. Calcot also has its own bee hives, with Chew Valley bees that pollinate the wildflower meadows and make delicious honey you can enjoy on your morning toast. In 2022, Calcot partnered with EarthCheck, the leading global sustainability certification program, formalizing an ongoing commitment to responsible travel and sustainable practices.
Lords of the Manor
Location
Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Lords of the Manor is a privately owned 17th-century country house hotel located in the unspoiled Cotswold village of Upper Slaughter (the name of which comes from the Old English "slohtre" meaning a slough or muddy place—though today there is no mud in sight, only the peaceful ribbon of the River Eye flowing through the village). The luxury inn—one of the finest in the Cotswolds—surveys a large lawn and 8 acres of elaborate gardens along the river. Its 24 rooms reflect the property's heritage that dates to 1649, when the original manor house was built. It became a rectory in 1808 when the Reverend Francis Edward Witts and family moved in, becoming lords of Upper Slaughter and establishing ownership of the manor by his heirs that would last into the 1980s. Throughout the Second World War, the property was occupied by the Army. In 1972, the manor was converted into a hotel by Francis Witts, who managed it until it was sold in 1985. The Munir family has owned and run it since 1997.

Today, rooms are located in both the Old Rectory and in the converted barn and granary that adjoins the main house. No two rooms are alike in terms of layout; some lie under steeply pitched roofs with timbered eaves, and each is individually furnished and decorated in a manner befitting the inn's historic character. All have flat screen TVs, DVD players, iPod docks and complimentary Wi-Fi, plus Damana toiletries in the well-appointed bathrooms. Tea and fresh coffee-making facilities are provided, along with locally made elderflower presse. The inn has two fine restaurants: the smaller, more formal Atrium is the newest addition. The award-winning Dining Room, richly decorated in tones of gold and silver, offers an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere with views overlooking the hotel’s walled garden, herb garden and ornamental fruit espaliers. It features classic dishes with a creative twist and is noted on the Times of London's "Most Romantic Restaurants in the UK" list. Guests enjoy making the easy 1-mile walk between the villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter, which showcases all that is loved most about the area, from perfectly preserved cottages built of honey-colored limestone to small churches, rose gardens and roughly cobbled lanes.



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