Hotels in Cotswolds

The Cotswolds are glorious in all weather: huddle by crackling fires in winter, coo over springtime’s gambolling lamb or catch the landscape’s colourful regalia in summer and autumn.

Local kitchens make the most of the Cotswolds’ seasonal fruit and pedigree breeds. Eating out is as much about cosying up in wood-panelled gastropubs as it is about fine dining in sleek Michelin-starred restaurants. Kate Moss’ occasional haunt the Swan at Southrop has roaring fires, a skittles alley and a produce-driven menu of comforting classics. If you’re a budding chef, book a foraging or world-food course at Thyme’s nearby cookery school.

Embrace your inner farmer at the Cotswold Farm Park, home to rare (and feisty) animal breeds.

Festival-loving Cheltenham has well-heeled clubs and a scattering of swanky drinking dens, but evenings in the Cotswolds are meant to be deliciously low-key. Head down to your hotel bar for an expertly mixed cocktail, or commandeer a Chesterfield armchair at the nearest tavern for slow sips of single malt and local ales.

Arguably one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds, Broadway has sweeping views of golden farmland and country house digs decked out with all manner of hot tubs and award-winning spas. The riverside Slaughters are quaint villages brimming with romance. Stay in a boutique hotel near Cheltenham for easy access to rural pursuits and urban delights.

Birmingham and London Heathrow are the closest international airports. It’s worth bringing a car to explore the region, though traffic can be heavy at times. Trains are another good option, with services running to London Paddington, Edinburgh and Cardiff.