With its honey-stone villages and manor houses, its rolling landscape of sheep-nibbled hills and its handsome churches, the Cotswolds is heart-rendingly beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to visit for a short break – or a long one, for that matter?
There’s a wealth to explore, from Roman remains at Chedworth to contemporary craft in Cirencester – and a cornucopia of great country houses to visit as well. The 800 or so square miles that make up the region are criss-crossed with footpaths and bisected by dry stone walls, about 4,000 miles of them, adding architectural embellishment to the natural artistry here.
But you couldn’t possibly take in the entire region over a couple of days. It’s best to choose an appealing area and base yourself there for your visit. Here’s what I recommend for the perfect weekend getaway or week in the countryside.
In this guide:
How to spend a weekend in the Cotswolds
Perfect pastoral England is wrapped up in the gentle hills of the Cotswolds. Sure, there are vibrant festivals and towns exuding verve, but most visitors come for the quiet and the profoundly pretty outlook. Especially in the north of the region, which offers some of the most-acclaimed accommodation and contains many of the must-see sights (several within very easy distance of each other), making it a superb weekend retreat.
Base yourself in serene countryside down rural back roads ‒ my two top suggestions are tucked away yet fairly quickly accessible and also convey an appealing sense of travelling back in time. For luxury, dreamy views and antiques, check into the pleasingly rambling Lords of Manor at Upper Slaughter four miles south-west of Stow-on-the-Wold. It’s a classic country house hotel with impeccable service, exquisite food and a fabulous garden. Alternatively, opt to stay in a time-honoured inn on an idyllic village green. The Killingworth Castle, three miles from handsome Woodstock, is a 17th-century coaching inn turned 21st-century foodie haven with eight comfortable bedrooms and a genial atmosphere.
Both venues are well placed for taking in Blenheim Palace ‒ complete with wondrous grounds devised by Capability Brown. Make sure you explore further north, too: head to Chipping Campden, Broadway and two of the region’s finest gardens, at Hidcote Manor and Kiftsgate Court – they are just a mile apart, the former more formal, the latter family-run and something of a hidden treasure.
Striking alternatives include flamboyant Sezincote House and Gardens, an exotic combination of Cotswold country mansion and Indian Moghul palace, Jacobean Chastleton House and Batsford Arboretum, developed by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, grandfather to the famous Mitford sisters.
The perfect one-week holiday in the Cotswolds
Expand your trip and move southwards; adding a few more days to your break means that you’ll have scope to enjoy two of the region’s most famously picturesque villages: Burford, with a glorious high street lined by ancient coaching inns, and Bibury with a bewitchingly quaint row of weavers’ cottages – William Morris once declared Bibury the most beautiful village in England.
However, you’ll want to time your visit to avoid the throngs that invariably descend at both places. So stay nearby and come to explore after hours; by 5pm the crowds will have departed. That will leave you much of the day to go walking along the Windrush and Coln valleys and to explore some of the many attractions of nearby Cirencester, from astonishingly fine Roman mosaics at the Corinium Museum to contemporary crafts made at New Brewery Arts.
For tucked-away charm and reasonable rates, base yourself at the New Inn at Coln St Aldwyns, nine miles south-west of Burford and about three miles south-east of Bibury. Dating from the 16th century, this rustic-stylish pub has a traditional bar, a restaurant featuring gourmet burgers and small plates and 14 good-looking bedrooms. Or book into a gem of an old coaching inn, The Lamb on Sheep Street in Burford. With its old stone fireplaces, snoozy armchairs and wonderful hidden garden, it exudes comfy appeal.
Further south, Tetbury is one of my favourite Cotswold market towns and a great place for exploring. Browse its many antique stores and take in Chipping Steps Lane and Tetbury’s splendid 17th-century market house set on pillars. Just out of town, visit Highgrove Gardens, created by King Charles, and explore Westonbirt Arboretum, home to about 15,000 trees including rare acers. Perhaps best of all, take in Laurie Lee country; the wonderful Slad Valley is celebrated in the author’s best-known book Cider with Rosie and there’s a five-mile walking trail here, dotted with posts inscribed with some of his poetry.
Among the choice of accommodation is Calcot & Spa, about four miles west of Tetbury. Set in 220-acre grounds, this haven of a hotel has outstanding facilities for families as well as serene space for those on an adults-only trip. Or for a less costly option, book into The Cat and Custard Pot, a traditional pub full of charm, with eight bedrooms and a well-priced menu offering much local flavour.
When to go
The Cotswolds is a year-round destination – albeit some periods attract more visitors than others – but every season has intrinsic appeal.
Crowd-free winters are ideal for bracing walks, fire-side pub sessions and lower hotel prices. Come in spring to see lambs and wild daffodils. Visit in summer (inevitably with many others) for magical light, particularly in the long evenings. Or make an autumn excursion for a quieter atmosphere and wonderful leaf colour, especially at the two great arboreta, Westonbirt and Batsford.
Most accommodation is costed through algorithms that base prices on the demand, so you won’t necessarily pay higher rates if you visit at popular times provided you book well in advance.
Where to stay
Best for families
Slaughters Country Inn has generous outdoor space and an impressive choice of family-friendly rooms; Ellenborough Park offers 17 family bedrooms and suites and a wonderfully imaginative range of facilities; with its ample grounds, interconnecting rooms and suites with sofa beds, Minster Mill is a haven for those with children.
Best for romantics
Thyme is an epicurean retreat in a world of its own – complete with beautiful rooms and a serene spa; at the Lyon Arms in Broadway book a bedroom in the fabulously historic main building; Buckland Manor offers utter peace, along with old stone fireplaces, mullion windows and a sublime setting.
Best for foodies
The nine-course tasting menu at Whatley Manor’s intimate Dining Room is a Michelin-starred delight; at Dormy House Hotel opt for informal sophistication at The Back Garden restaurant or head to the chef’s table at gourmet MO; The Painswick has a treat of a restaurant offering deft flavour combinations – the tender beef wellington has become almost the stuff of legend.
Know before you go
Don’t ask about Jeremy Clarkson, Rebekah Brooks, Kate Moss, Alex James and others from a long list of the great, the good and the notorious who call the Cotswolds home (or second home). Locals are largely uncharmed by celeb culture.
Enjoy the affluence of the Cotswolds – the well-kept towns and villages, the carefully conserved countryside. But be aware that the cost of living is especially high: it is a challenge to find comfortable hotel accommodation at less than £130 a night for a double room.