The Cotswolds looks exactly like you imagine it will, and still surprises you when you get there. There are honey-colored stone villages, green hills, and pubs that have served locals for centuries. It's reliably beautiful and relaxing, and its hotels are now some of the best in England.
Last visited: July 2025
Where to Stay
Wild Rabbit / Daylesford
Kingham, Oxfordshire
The Wild Rabbit is the hotel arm of Daylesford Organic, the farm shop and estate at the heart of a certain kind of Cotswolds life. The hotel itself is lovely, but what makes this one special is the option to rent small private homes tucked into quiet nearby villages. For couples who want their own front door, or families and groups who want real space, this is hard to beat.
Great for: couples, families, groups. Hotel rooms and private village homes.
Estelle Manor
Eynsham, Oxfordshire
A beautiful estate hotel and private members club that sits at the very top end of the Cotswolds market. Worth it for a couples' long weekend. You'll arrive and immediately not want to leave.
Great for: couples. Top of the price range, but worth it.
The Pig in the Cotswolds
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Part of the much-loved PIG group, whose formula of local produce, kitchen gardens and unfussy luxury suits the Cotswolds well. If you've stayed at any other PIG property you know what you're getting. If you haven't, this is a great place to start.
Great for: couples, small families.
Calcot & Spa
Tetbury, Gloucestershire
A spa hotel that has become one of the best options in England for families with young children. Family suites come with bunk beds for the kids and include around five hours of daily childcare for guests in those rooms. For parents who want a real break while still bringing the whole family, there aren't many better options anywhere.
Great for: families with young children. Includes daily childcare for family suite guests.
Where to Eat
The Fox at Oddington
Oddington, near Stow-on-the-Wold
A proper village pub in Oddington, a small and beautiful village just outside Stow-on-the-Wold and near Daylesford. Great food, a real local atmosphere and no tourist-trap feel. Worth the walk from your hotel, and easy to stay longer than you planned.
The Kingham Plough
Kingham, near Chipping Norton
A very solid village pub in Kingham, close to the Wild Rabbit. It has a few rooms, but this is really about the food and the atmosphere. A reliably excellent local, without the self-consciousness that sometimes creeps into Cotswolds dining.
Cotswold Ice Creams
Bourton-on-the-Water
A little pedal cart by the stream in Bourton-on-the-Water. Not fine dining, just great ice cream in one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds. Perfect for a slow afternoon stroll.