For cosy weekends in the countryside, it doesn’t get much better than the Cotswolds. England’s largest National Landscape (the new name for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONB) has been attracting visitors for centuries to its green landscapes and charming villages of golden Cotswold limestone, but these days many of its historic coaching inns and country manors have been reimagined as the very best boutique hotels.
So what exactly makes a boutique stay? While it’s usually defined as having fewer than 100 bedrooms, the best of ‘boutique’ is more about an intimate, welcoming atmosphere – staff who know your name, a unique style and luxe touches such as locally-made toiletries or even a bag of treats for your dog. In the Cotswolds, old inns and country piles have kept their beamed ceilings and stone fireplaces but whipped their bedrooms and bars into shape as more modern spaces. Bedrooms often have big comfy beds and pleasing mixes of modern art and antique treasures. Some of the best boutique finds champion the brilliant local ingredients on offer in the Cotswolds too, from The Painswick’s six-course Taste of the Painswick menu to Le Manoir’s Michelin-starred feasts, straight from the garden.
Best boutique hotels in the Cotswolds
At a glance
1. The Double Red Duke
This boutique inn offers 13 plush bedrooms in the main house and six more affordable options in a modern annexe – our pick are the ground-floor garden rooms, complete with free-standing baths and patios. The inn’s communal spaces somehow make centuries of history feel rather cool. Sit out under red-and-white striped parasols with a cocktail in hand or hole up in the Duke’s cosy bar and restaurant for steak and – if you’re lucky – a spot of live jazz on some Sundays.
Address: Bourton Road, Clanfield, Bampton OX18 2RB
Price: From £250
Book now
Read more: The Cotswolds weekend getaway where you can play your own game of the Traitors
2. The Manor House
A country home so classic they just named it the Manor House, this boutique hotel ticks all the weekend-in-the-country boxes – long, winding drive, 14th-century building clad in ivy, 34 bedrooms (choose the ‘Plush’ ones for four posters and fireplaces) and a couple of cute cottages in the grounds if you’d rather share with friends. Out-of-doors find Italianate gardens, spa treatments in the potting shed plus the achingly cute village of Castle Combe.
Address: West Street, Castle Combe, Chippenham SN14 7HX
Read more: How to have a Rivals-style stay in the Cotswolds
3. The Pig in the Cotswolds
Welcome to the newest Pig in the litter. The Pig hotels are dotted about in some of the loveliest corners of the country, so it’s no surprise that their latest foray is into the Cotswolds. In the village of Barnsley a Grade II house looks out over charming ornamental and potager gardens. Each earthy bedroom is unique but what really stands out here the service, with staff who make you feel very welcome and are full of ideas, from local walks to the best spot for a pre-supper glass of bubbly before sampling the restaurant’s hyper-local 25-mile menu.
Address: Barnsley, Cirencester GL7 5EE
Price: From £315
Book now
Read more: Can you visit Diddly Squat? The Clarkson’s Farm and Cotswolds farm shop location
4. The Rectory
The gorgeous Georgian Rectory in Crudwell, dressed up in Cotswolds limestone, is all casual living-meets-country house and draws a young, fun crowd. Inside are 18 bedrooms plus a restaurant and a smart cocktail bar perfect for a cosy winter drink, while in summer the bucolic garden hides a lily pond, croquet set and a sky-blue heated pool that feels more Mediterranean than middle England. Come in warm weather to swim, read and laze about or in winter for a glass of fizz by the fire in the Rectory’s sister pub, the Potting Shed.
Address: Crudwell, Malmesbury SN16 9EP
Price: From £150
Book now
Read more: I travelled to ‘the happiest place in the UK’ to find out
5. Wild Thyme and Honey
A little boutique beauty as sweet as its name suggests, Wild Thyme and Honey was a pub in the 16th century – now it’s home to 24 bedrooms, some kitted out with treats like four posters and freestanding baths. This is a stay that doesn’t stand on ceremony and would be our top pick for anyone who fancies an evening tipple – outside is a courtyard bar groaning in sheepskin throws, perfect for cocktail hour, and Wild Thyme and Honey now has a pub of its own, the 16th-century Crown, with a sunny terrace set alongside bubbling Ampney Brook.
Address: Ampney Crucis, Cirencester GL7 5RS
Read more: Best family-friendly hotels in the Lake District for water sports and outdoor trails
6. The Artist’s Residence
There are five Artist’s Residences across southern England, described as ‘an eccentric bunch of fun and friendly places to eat, drink and sleep’ and the Cotswolds iteration is a chip off the old block. Think bold beamed bedrooms where clashing colours meet curated antiques, plus two snug shepherd’s huts in the grounds if you’d like something more tucked away. This inn-turned-hotel on the edge of the National Landscape has kept its original pub, the Mason Arms, so you can grab a relaxed pint or a crafted cocktail of an evening.
Address: Station Road, South Leigh, Witney OX29 6XN
Read more: Best boutique hotels in The Cotswolds – where to stay for style and charm
7. The Wheatsheaf
This ivy-clad inn with rooms is informal and friendly but still makes sure all mod cons are present and correct. 14 bedrooms include luxe touches such as rolltop baths and have had modern makeovers exposing their original brickwork. The clubbable dining room is standout for tasty takes on old pub favourites and close by are some of the Cotswold’s prettiest corners, including Bibury, Broadway and Bourton-on-the-water. Perhaps the perfect pub with rooms.
Address: Wheatsheaf Inn, West End, Northleach, Gloucestershire, GL54 3EZ
Read more: Best affordable hotels in the Cotswolds – where to stay for a budget countryside break
8. The Painswick
Explore the golden-hued streets, ancient yew trees and Rococo Garden of its namesake village from The Painswick, a Palladian beauty of a hotel. Snug bedrooms have big views of the surrounding countryside (the very best is George’s Suite, complete with four-poster bed and wood burner) and the restaurant downstairs will feed you up with tasting menus championing girdle-busting local fare such as truffle pudding and Cotswold lamb, all paired with wine flights.
Address: Kemps Lane, Painswick, Stroud GL6 6YB
Read more: The best walks in the Cotswolds
9. Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
Is this the ultimate boutique treat of a hotel for gallivanting gourmets? Chef Raymond Blanc’s temple to garden-to-table eating is the cosiest Cotswolds manor you could dream up – with a little bit of a French twist. Each bedroom is different (stay in Stella McCartney’s – and our – favourite, Hydrangea, complete with enormous bath) and the extensive gardens, Japanese ponds and apple orchards are a delight to explore. The real draw here, of course, are the sumptuous double Michelin-starred suppers showcasing freshly picked ingredients from the kitchen garden.
Address: Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7PD
Read more: Best dog-friendly hotels in the Cotswolds – from grand villas to charming country pubs
10. The Lygon Arms
Make a beeline for Broadway, a village so gorgeous it’s called the ‘jewel of the Cotswolds’, and unpack your bags at this historic coaching inn. The Lygon is relaxed, friendly and offers the kind of warm welcome that comes alongside wood fires, beamed ceilings and cocktails served up in the courtyard. Chef James Martin’s on-site grill in a vaulted dining room hung with antler chandeliers is all about seasonal and local fare. This is also a dog-friendly pick that actively encourages four-legged visitors, with treats on arrive and even suggested local routes for walkies.
Address: High Street, Broadway WR12 7DU
Read more: The best UK walking routes and scenic hikes for an active adventure
11. Foxhill Manor
Another beauty in Broadway, Foxhill really is boutique – there are just eight Instagram-worthy bedrooms to choose from at this Arts and Crafts manor (the Oak suite complete with matching baths is a romantic room to blow your budget for), but you can hang out with your select fellow guests at the bar or in the cinema room. Stroll the grounds or use the spa at sister hotel Dormy House before a nightcap by one of many wood fires. Foxhill may be the word in posh, but it’s still pleasantly relaxed and welcoming.
Address: Farncombe House, Farncombe, Broadway WR12 7LJ
Price: From £670
Book now
Read more: The best Cotswolds hotels
12. Whatley Manor
If you conjured up the quintessential Cotswolds stay it might look rather like Whatley Manor, which has 23 bougie bedrooms, a Michelin-starred dining room downstairs where you can watch chefs at work and the delightful Aquarius spa looking out at lush green gardens to peace out in. Bring popcorn – there’s even a private cinema for movie lovers. The spa holds a gold certification in Sustainable Wellness and the restaurant also holds a Green Michelin star – Whatley proves that going green can look – and feel – very gorgeous.
Address: Easton Grey, Malmesbury SN16 0RB
Read more: Barry Island travel guide – where to eat, drink, walk and stay in the home of Gavin and Stacey
13. Cowley Manor Experimental
After a stay that’s all about eye-catching design? Cowley Manor has been given an irreverent, modern refit thanks to designer Dorothee Meilichzon, who was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and boasts a bar and restaurant that attract a buzzier crowd than some more stuffy hotels. Bedrooms are all about bold patterns and huge, inviting beds but it’s worth leaving your room to cross the courtyard to the C-side spa, which has a sunny outdoor pool, a warm and relaxing indoor pool, a sauna and a steam room.
Address: Cowley Manor, Cowley, Cheltenham GL53 9NL
Read more: The UK’s best spa towns
14. Calcot Manor
Who says going boutique is just for the grownups? Calcot, a golden-hued manor house set in 220 rolling acres near Tetbury, is brilliant if you’re bringing little ones – family suites and cottages are thoughtfully kitted-out and there’s a kid’s afternoon tea on offer, plus family slots in the pool and a monitor listening service, so you can have a decadent child-free dinner or escape to Calcot’s wonderful spa – the outdoor hot tub next to a crackling open fire is a highlight.
Address: Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8YJ
Price: From £294
Book now
Read more: I’ve been to A-lister favourite wellness retreat Mayrlife seven times – here’s what you can expect
