Best Luxury Hotels in the Cotswolds
Are you looking for the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds?
The Cotswolds is one of the most picturesque regions in all of England. Located about 2.5 hours away from London by car, the Cotswolds is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England.
It’s known for its quaint and charming villages, rolling hills, and bucolic scenery. The Cotswolds is a walker’s paradise, with many beautiful walks and hikes through the countryside.
Whether you only have a weekend or a full week, the Cotswolds is the perfect getaway. I recommend basing yourself in one town to explore the Cotswolds since it’s a fairly small region.
There are plenty of great luxury hotels in the Cotswolds — read on for my top picks!
Where to Stay in the Cotswolds
As mentioned above, the Cotswolds is a fairly small region, covering about 780 square miles. You can get from one end to the other in about 1.5 hours, and many of the most famous towns and villages in the Cotswolds are just a short drive from one another. For that reason, I recommend basing yourself in one place for the duration of your visit to the Cotswolds and taking day trips to other towns.
Do you need a car in the Cotswolds?
This is a common question, and the short answer is yes. You really should have a car to explore the Cotswolds, because the region is really not well-covered by public transportation.
Only a few of the largest towns have train stations, and buses run infrequently to smaller towns and villages. Some aren’t accessible by public transportation at all. Taxis are extremely expensive and not always available. A car is definitely your best bet for the Cotswolds. Many hotels offer free parking.
I did write a guide on where to stay in the Cotswolds without a car, but you’ll be limited to towns that have train stations and will miss out on the quintessential Cotswolds countryside experience.
How long to spend in the Cotswolds?
The ideal length for a trip to the Cotswolds is 4-5 days. This will give you enough time to explore many of the towns, go for some scenic walks, and just enjoy the beauty of the Cotswolds.
If you only have a weekend in the Cotswolds, I recommend picking a few towns that you really want to see and focusing on those, along with doing one activity like a hike or a bicycle ride.
⏰ Short on time? This full-day tour from London visits several Cotswolds villages.
Here are my top picks for where to stay in the Cotswolds:
- Best for couples: Abbots Grange Manor House
- Best for golfing: The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club
- Best for spa facilities: Ellenborough Park
- Best for Cotswolds charm: The Swan Hotel
And here’s a full breakdown of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds.
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The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club
The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club is one of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds. Set in an elegant manor house dating back to the 14th century, this hotel is located in the charming village of Castle Combe. In addition to a full 18-hole golf course, the hotel also has tennis courts, a croquet lawn, and gardens.
Guests will enjoy tasteful and comfortable rooms which are located in either the Main House or the Mews Cottages. The hotel is also home to the award-winning, Michelin-starred Bybrook Restaurant
Woolmarket House
Woolmarket House is a luxury boutique hotel in the Cotswolds market town of Chipping Campden. Located right in the heart of town, this hotel is close to many restaurants, pubs, and shops. It’s also a great base for exploring the rest of the Cotswolds region, with many scenic walks and quaint villages within easy reach.
Guests at Woolmarket House will enjoy modern and comfortable rooms with plenty of quaint countryside charm. This hotel also serves a complimentary continental, English, or Irish breakfast every morning.
Abbots Grange Manor House
Abbots Grange Manor House is one of the most striking luxury hotels in the Cotswolds. If you are looking for a truly unforgettable getaway, this is the place to stay. This adults-only hotel is set in a manor house that dates back to 1320. It’s full of modern conveniences while keeping its incredible historic charm.
The hotel offers a free English breakfast every morning. The quaint Cotswolds village of Broadway is right outside your door, with restaurants, pubs, and shops within walking distance of the hotel.
The Crown Inn
The Crown Inn is one of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds if you are looking for a cozy and homey atmosphere. The inn has been operating for over 300 years, but it’s been lovingly modernized to offer all the comforts you would expect from a luxury hotel while retaining its historic charm.
A delicious breakfast is included in your stay at this inn, which is located close to the market town of Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds. There’s also an on-site restaurant and pub and a cozy common room.
The Old Stocks Inn
If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds, The Old Stocks Inn is a great option. It’s a refurbished 17th-century coaching inn located in the beautiful town of Stow-on-the-Wold, considered to be one of the most picturesque in the Cotswolds. Plenty of restaurants, pubs, and shops are nearby.
The hotel itself has two restaurants and a bar. There’s also a patio with an al fresco dining area for enjoying a meal outside when the weather is nice. This is a great place to base yourself on a trip to the Cotswolds.
The Lygon Arms
The Lygon Arms is another one of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds. Part of the Iconic Luxury Hotels collection, this hotel is located in the picturesque Cotswolds town of Broadway. It has over 600 years of fascinating history and has hosted royalty and famous rebellious figures alike over the centuries.
The hotel offers amenities like an on-site restaurant and bar, an indoor swimming pool with a retractable roof, a hot tub, a sauna, a steam room, and a spa offering treatments like massages and body wraps.
Barnsley House
Barnsley House is an amazing luxury hotel in the Cotswolds. It combines the historic charm of an English manor house in the countryside with all the modern comforts you’d expect at a luxury hotel. It’s located in the quaint village of Barnsley, less than a 10-minute drive from the market town of Cirencester.
The hotel offers a delicious free breakfast every morning during your stay. Guests will also enjoy the property’s beautiful landscaped gardens, which include tennis courts. The hotel also provides free bike rentals to explore the Cotswolds. The famous village of Bibury is only a 15-minute bike ride away.
The Swan Hotel
The Swan Hotel is a wonderful luxury hotel located in Bibury, one of the most picturesque villages in all of the Cotswolds. I stayed in Bibury at a rental house on my trip to the Cotswolds, but I visited this hotel and thought it seemed like an amazing place to stay. It’s a beautiful hotel on the banks of the River Coln.
The hotel offers free breakfast, as well as an on-site restaurant and bar. There’s a private riverside garden where you can relax and spot swans, ducks, and fish. Bibury is a very small village with only a couple of restaurants and pubs, but it’s the perfect home base for a quintessential Cotswolds experience.
Ellenborough Park
Ellenborough Park is one of the best five-star hotels in the Cotswolds. It’s located close to Cheltenham, one of the largest towns in the Cotswolds, but with the bucolic countryside right at your door. This hotel has an ideal central location for exploring the northern and southern villages of the Cotswolds.
This hotel also offers plenty of amenities to make your stay memorable. Guests will enjoy a free breakfast, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and a full-service spa with an indoor hot tub.
The Slaughters Manor House
Finally, one of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds is The Slaughters Manor House. Located in a historic 17th-century manor house, this hotel has been updated with an elegant modern style without sacrificing its centuries-old historic charm. Free breakfast is included with your stay at this hotel.
The Slaughters Manor House is in the perfect location in the Cotswolds. Located in the small village of Lower Slaughter, you can walk or ride your bike to other nearby villages like Upper Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Stow-on-the-Wold, the latter two having excellent restaurants, pubs, and shops.
Top Luxury Hotels in the Cotswolds
This guide showed you the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds.
To recap, my top picks for where to stay are:
- Best for couples: Abbots Grange Manor House
- Best for golfing: The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club
- Best for spa facilities: Ellenborough Park
- Best for Cotswolds charm: The Swan Hotel
Have a great trip and enjoy your stay in the Cotswolds!
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