Best Places To Stay In The Cotswolds 2024 (By Region + Map)
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Table of Contents
Whether you are a hiker, a foodie, or a cute village junky, the Cotswolds is the epicentre of exquisite stays in England. Narrow down the perfect accommodation with our guide to the best places to stay in the Cotswolds.
LAST UPDATE: 6 Nov 2023
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Combining the rustic charm of village life with the English countryside, the Cotswolds is the perfect break in the UK.
With a broad selection of hotels, huts, and resort-style digs there are superb places to stay in the Cotswolds for every budget and traveller.
Cosy up in a honeypot hamlet. Wake up in a majestic manor house. Book a hip weekend in a designer pad complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Our guide has our picks for the top hotels in the Cotswolds, plus a review of each area to help you decide where to stay.
For more inspiration read about our favourite things to do in the Cotswolds.
BEST OF THE COTSWOLDS
Here are our overall picks for the best Cotswolds accommodation. Further down in the guide we breakdown each region in the Cotswolds and why you should stay there.
COTSWOLDS HOTEL MAP
All the properties we’ve listed in this guide are on the map below.
Before you decide where to stay, read our guide to the best things to do in the Cotswolds. This will help you find the activities that interest you, so you’ll have a good idea of where to base yourself.
How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version in a new tab or the star to save to your Google Maps.
1 – BOURTON & CENTRAL COTSWOLDS
The defining image of the Cotswolds is honey-coloured cottages with steeply pitched roofs.
Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most picturesque villages in the Cotswolds. A picturesque canal runs down the high street with handsome stone bridges connecting either side of the road.
It’s a charming place and quintessentially English.
The area surrounding Burton is the most central section of the Cotswolds, with plenty of villages to explore.
Visit the iconic weaver cottages at Bibury. Stroll the antique shops in Stow-on-the-Wold. Soak up the quaint beauty of Upper and Lower Slaughter.
HOTELS NEAR BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER
Bourton is a great base for visiting the Cotswolds thanks to its central location. Here are some properties we recommend in the area.
OUR PICK
NORTHLEACH
WHEATSHEAF INN | £
Warm, friendly country-style inn with traditional touches and stylish modern finishings. The restaurant is a hit with customers.
BOURTON
THE OLD NEW INN | £
The Old New Inn is in a perfect location to explore the Cotswolds. It’s set in a beautifully decorated old building with a top-notch breakfast.
UPPER SLAUGHTER
LORDS OF THE MANOR | £££
Elegant manor house situated in the idyllic village of Upper Slaughter. This is a grand old stay with helpful staff and a quirky traditional style.
2 – BATH & CASTLE COMBE
Best place to stay in the Cotswolds for independent shopping and immaculate villages
Bath is one of our favourite cities in the UK. Cutting a niche between refined elegance and confident independence, it’s a great choice for a Cotswolds stay.
It’s loaded with Roman history, great architecture, a thriving coffee scene, and a selection of restaurants at each end of the scale.
Just outside Bath, Castle Combe is nestled between forested hills and a meandering river. It’s regularly regarded as one of the most picturesque villages in the country and a great spot to base yourself for a weekend in the Cotswolds.
Read more on our guide to spending one day in Bath.
HOTELS NEAR BATH & CASTLE COMBE
Bath is a popular destination so it pays to book early. Likewise, Castle Combe is a charming, but tiny village, so accommodation can book out quickly. Here are some hotel recommendations from us.
BATH
ROYAL CRESCENT | £££
Stay in the best address in town on the Royal Crescent. The fully appointed spa, landscaped gardens, and award-winning restaurants will make this a stay to remember.
CASTLE COMBE
MANOR HOUSE | £££
It’s a luxurious stay in the Manor House at Castle Combe with award-winning dining, elegant country surroundings and a full spa treatment.
3 – BROADWAY & THE ESCARPMENT
Best place to stay in the Cotswolds for quirky galleries, great walks, and big views
In the northwest of the Cotswolds, an escarpment cuts a divide between the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Severn Valley.
Here, the most dramatic sections of the Cotswolds Way provide some of the best rural walks in England.
If you’re looking to spend more time in the outdoors, surrounded by excellent views, this is one of the best places to stay in the Cotswolds.
After getting some mud on your walking boots, slip into your elegant footwear to visit two charming towns.
Chipping Campden and Broadway is where you’ll find artists in their galleries and the well-heeled in their antique shops.
HOTELS NEAR BROADWAY
Broadway is where you’ll find a lot of the high-end hotels in the Cotswolds. However, it’s still possible to get a great deal in a cosy pub. Here are our recommendations.
OUR PICK
GUITING POWER
GUITING GUEST HOUSE | £
Warm friendly country style in a charming village, The Guiting Guest House is a relaxed, spotlessly clean stay with hosts who care about their business.
BROADWAY
STADDLESTONES BROADWAY | £
Fully equipped with a kitchen, laundry facilities and free wifi, the apartments are Saddlestones are perfect for a self-catered stay in the Cotswolds.
BROADWAY
BUCKLAND MANOR | ££££
Lush picturesque setting with individually designed rooms, Buckland Manor is a stylish stay where every detail is considered. The restaurant features local farm produce.
4 – KINGHAM, DAYLESFORD & SOUTHROP
Where to stay in the Cotswolds for top-notch food and drink
Over the last 20 years, the food scene has well and truly made its mark on the Cotswolds.
Gone are the days of drab pub lunches and soggy sandwiches. Innovative creations appear on pub menus. Quality local produce is available in hipster farm shops and local market stalls.
The best place to stay in the Cotswolds for a foodie weekend is in or around Kingham – a great destination to include on a UK road trip.
The nearby Daylesford Organic does a decent brunch. They also offer cooking courses and the farm shop is stocked with local produce.
A little further north, the Hook Norton Brewery has been churning out ales for centuries. The Cotswolds Distillery brings a touch of modern sheen to gin and whiskey production.
HOTELS NEAR KINGHAM
With the rise of great restaurants, the area around the sleepy village of Kingham is starting to get busier. Here are some options in the area.
OUR PICK
KINGHAM
THE KINGHAM PLOUGH | £
Fresh, clean stylings in this traditional Cotswolds pub. The food has an excellent reputation for being some of the best in the area.
KINGHAM
THE WILD RABBIT | £££
As chic as it gets in the Cotswolds, the Wild Rabbit is a stylish, yet relaxed stay. The restaurant once had a Michelin star but lost it, so it might be a good time to get great food at a resonable price.
SOUTHROP
THYME | ££££
Thyme is a beautiful historic manor farm located in a country estate. With a passion for high-quality food, this is a memorable stay in the Cotswolds. In 2023, they received a Michelin star.
5 – OXFORD & BLENHEIM
Best place to stay in the Cotswolds for grand palaces and stunning architecture
To experience the imposing architecture built on the early wealth and power of the wool industry, head to the eastern edge of the Cotswolds.
Few places conjure up more majesty and glory than Oxford. Meander the quads of the colleges and stroll wonky laneways providing intermittent views of Oxford’s dreaming spires. Explore what is possibly the finest library in the world. Read our one-day Oxford itinerary for some ideas.
A few miles away visit Blenheim Palace, the seat of the Marlboroughs and the one-time home of Winston Churchill. It’s one of the finest stately homes in the country. It’s teeming with aristocratic history and surrounded by landscaped gardens.
Read more in our curated guide to the best things to do in Oxford.
HOTELS AROUND OXFORD
There’s no shortage of great stay in and around Oxford. May is a good time to visit when the gardens will be in bloom, but it’s still ahead of the summer rush.
GREW TEW
FALKLAND ARMS | £
One of our favourite pubs in the UK, the rustic Falkland Arms never fails to create that charming country pub atmosphere. The menu is all pub classics.
OXFORD
OLD PARSONAGE | £££
The chic country house feel of the Old Parsonage has a warm and friendly vibe that hits the spot with visitors looking for a blend of luxury and character.
OUR PICK
OXFORD
THE GALAXIE | £
The Galaxie is a friendly, family-run guesthouse in a leafy suburb just outside the centre of Oxford. There’s a hearty breakfast every day and facilities include parking and free wifi.
6 – PAINSWICK, STROUD & CHELTENHAM
Best places to stay in the Cotswolds for grand towns and pretty villages
Painswick is an elegant Cotswolds town. Its former prosperity is evident in grand 17th-century architecture and handsome limestone buildings.
The main attraction is the church and immaculate grounds which have been featured in several TV programmes.
Cheltenham is an old Roman town and the most complete Regency town in England; an architectural style from the early 19th century. It’s a vibrant town with wellness spas and a well-renowned literary festival.
Stroud is an underrated town in the Cotswolds with an independent shopping scene.
HOTELS NEAR PAINSWICK, STROUD & CHELTENHAM
This is an elegant and picturesque part of the Cotswolds and there’s plenty of accommodation to match. Here are a few suggestions from us.
OUR PICK
CHELTENHAM
BANTAM HOUSE | £££
This trendy cabin is an architectural gem on an acclaimed Cotswolds farm. It has the luxury of a hotel suite with the romance of a cabin.
COWLEY
COWLEY MANOR HOTEL | ££
This contemporary country house is surrounded by 55 acres of parkland. Flamboyant details include a full-service spa with Ayurvedic treatments and an outdoor pool.
