How To Spend A Long Weekend In The Cotswolds

Daylesford Organic is something of a treasure trove, and if you’re opting for a self-catered escape, it’s the place to fill up on meat for the BBQ, salads and wine (we like to book houses through Unique Homestays and Kip Hideaways). There’s also a cookery school on site if your group wants to get hands on. If you fancy the Daylesford experience without cooking yourself, consider booking a table at The Wild Rabbit. Using produce grown on Daylesford Farm, this pretty, relaxed pub serves everything from tasting menus to Sunday lunches. On the a la carte menu, we love the look of signature rabbit raviolo with mushroom duxelle, tarragon and rabbit jus; day-boat wild halibut served with white asparagus, smoked eel, grape and a Daylesford butter sauce; and the lemon meringue custard tart with Daylesford limoncello, roasted lemon curd and lemon thyme. In keeping with the local Daylesford style, the pub’s bedrooms rooms combine luxury with pared-back simplicity: each cottage sleeps four and is beautifully furnished with a fully equipped kitchen, AGA, living area and private garden.

RH England at Aynhoe Park in Oxfordshire is another great dining option for groups. A few years back, the 73-acre estate of Aynhoe Park was restored and reimagined as a design and hospitality destination complete with five restaurants and bars, plus the RH interior design studio. The Orangery is a fine-dining restaurant; there’s The Loggia, an informal pizza terrace; an elegant Tea Salon and Wine Lounge; and a specialist Juicery. In the beautiful surroundings of The Orangery, expect to sample the likes of rotisserie chicken and its signature dish, a wood-grilled avocado with 15g of Petrossian Imperial kaluga caviar.

To the east of Chipping Campden, Ebrington is full of old-world charm and is a lovely place for a day out. We suggest a visit to Ebrington Manor, a Grade II-listed mansion dating back to the 15th century, to walk around the landscaped gardens. Groups can also stay in the house where you can relax in the wisteria-clad front garden, swim in the lake, and fire up the BBQ during the summer months. The award-winning Ebrington Arms is at the centre of village life, where diners can enjoy pub classics made with local ingredients: Welsh rarebit crumpets, truffle arancini balls and a great Sunday lunch. The National Trust’s Hidcote Manor and private Kiftsgate Garden are a short drive away – and are both worth visiting. Finally, for something a bit more high-octane, groups can book onto an off-road driving experience at Cotswolds Water Park. And for a true summer-forward afternoon out, check out a tasting at one of the Cotswolds’ many vineyards. We rate Woodchester Valley and Poulton Hill Estate.

For couples, a stay in the Cotswolds is all about hunkering down at one of the exclusive hotels and making the most of the on-site facilities. Matthew Freud opened The Bull in the pretty Cotswold village of Burford in 2023 and last year, it won a Michelin Key for its truly relaxing stays. The warren-like historic property is filled with incredible artwork from Matthew’s private collection – expect to see works by Salvador Dali, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry and Andy Warhol – making the walk from your room to the bar a slow one. The bedrooms and suites themselves are an interior lover’s dream – think Bauwerk walls in moody tones, low atmospheric lighting and luxe marble bathrooms filled with Wildsmith bath products. 

There are also plenty of options for drinking and dining, including two ground-floor bars, pizza and spritz terrace Sl'ice, signature restaurant Horn and Ben Chamberlain’s Wild, which is housed in a Cashmere Caveman WildKitchen occupying the hotel courtyard. Following drinks in the bar, up to 12 guests are seated beneath the canopy for an 11-course tasting menu where everything is cooked over fire by Ben. Gathered around a central grill, diners get up close as their dishes are prepped and grilled. Highlights from our visit included hot buttery naan topped with caviar, perfectly seared rib of beef, and a yuzu baked alaska. Top off a stay here with a massage or facial in one of its gorgeous treatment rooms.

Experimental Group launched its first UK project outside London with the beautifully redesigned Cowley Manor. The 17th-century manor house in the Cotswolds has 36 spacious rooms, alongside a garden room, bar and lounge, home to Experimental Cocktail Club Cotswolds. One of the highlights is the restaurant headed up by chef Jackson Boxer. Diners can try modern European dishes in the impressive dining room; as with all of Jackson’s food, simple ingredients are elevated with inventive twists. Elsewhere, the hotel has a 50-cover outdoor terrace, library, a spa with a heated indoor pool and an outdoor pool area where couples can order food and drinks to their sun loungers.

Estelle Manor is the sister property to Mayfair’s exclusive Maison Estelle. Created by Sharan Pasricha, the founder of Ennismore, this private country club is in the small Oxfordshire village of Eynsham. Members have access to the Grade II-listed house and over 3,000 acres of beautiful parkland. There are 108 bedrooms and suites across the main house, two nearby buildings and the new stables and walled garden buildings. Guests can also stay in woodland cottages and private houses on the estate. For summer, the riviera-inspired outdoor terrace with a 25m swimming pool and shaded sun beds comes into its own – plus there’s four restaurants including the informal Brasserie for brunch and casual suppers. Elsewhere, you’ll find grand sitting rooms, and a clubhouse designed for all your needs – think workspaces, a café, a kids’ club and a gym with a Pilates studio. Make sure to leave time to explore the Roman-inspired Eynsham Baths, a spa with five pools, a bathing hall, thermal cabins and treatment rooms.

Restoring historic buildings with character has become something of a signature for Sam and Georgie Pearman, the duo behind the Country Creatures group. Their latest project, The Wild Duck Inn, sees a 16th-century coaching inn in the Cotswold village of Ewen carefully brought back to life. The Grade II-listed building once served as the gardener’s cottage to nearby Ewen Manor and had fallen into disrepair before the Pearmans began its renovation. Today, the inn blends original features such as low-beamed ceilings, aged wooden floors and open fires with 19 individually designed guest rooms. Georgie has sourced wallpapers and fabrics from British makers including Lewis & Wood and Watts of Westminster, alongside antique finds gathered from markets across the UK. The bar remains the heart of the property, with ales on tap and a wine list curated by head of wine Andrea Domenicucci. In the restaurant, head chef Richard Sandiford (formerly of Hawksmoor and Bistrotheque) focuses on seasonal British cooking, drawing on produce from suppliers such as Wright Bros and Neal’s Yard Dairy. There are also two treatment rooms offering facials and massages with 100 Acres products.

For something new – it opened last week – try Alcoves. On a working family farm in beautiful Broadway, Alcoves is a pair of artist-designed cabins with outdoor bathtubs and sauna. One of the first stops on the popular Cotswold Way walking trail, Broadway is full of delis, independent shops and galleries – and it’s well worth a visit, regardless of whether you’re staying locally. The Lygon Arms is a decent spot for a coffee or cocktail – and is a good base to begin a walk up to Broadway Tower, which offers some of the most impressive views in the area.

If good food is top of your itinerary, you should know about The Woolpack, a great pub in the Slad Valley, near Stroud. It’s 300 years old is and a bit of an institution that attracts lots of creative types. In Stroud itself, you’ll find sister restaurant Juliet, a gorgeous bistro that wouldn’t look out of place in east London. It serves the likes of Delica squash with almonds, olives and smoked ricotta and steak frites on beautiful, branded plates. While you’re in Stroud, save some time to check out its many antiques shops and its famous farmers market, held each Saturday. For something entirely new, book at table at Canteen, the Oxfordshire outpost of the popular Notting Hill restaurant. The restaurant at Old Coal Yard will be serving fresh pasta, pizzas and changing seasonal dishes from Thursday through Sunday.