Chocolate-box villages of honeyed stone, dreamy patchworks of green fields dotted with sheep, down-from-London celebs shopping at the Saturday farmer’s markets – the Cotswolds conjures up a lot of cliches, but one thing’s for sure – this corner of the country is the perfect spot for a bougie break. The region, covering parts of six counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Somerset, is loved as a glitzy bolthole by everyone from Taylor Swift to Kate Moss and most recently played the glorious backdrop to the Disney+ remake of Jilly Cooper’s boozy bonkbuster, Rivals.

To explore the Cotswolds in real style, stay at one of the swishest hotels dotted across the National Landscape. From Palladian townhouses to peaceful lakeside stays, and from foodie havens to proper country piles where you can play lord or lady of the manor for a weekend, these picks are the very best hotels in the Cotswolds.

Best Cotswolds hotels

At a glance

1. Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton

Chef Raymond Blanc’s temple of garden-to-table eating is the cosiest Cotswolds manor you could dream up – just with a little bit of a French twist. Each bedroom is different (stay in Stella McCartney’s favourite, Hydrangea, complete with enormous bath, or Lavande, inspired by the colours of Provence) and the extensive gardens, Japanese ponds and apple orchards complete with beehives are a delight to explore. The real highlights here, of course, are the sumptuous two Michelin-starred suppers showcasing freshly picked ingredients from the kitchen garden. A blow-the-budget treat for gourmets.

Address: Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7PD

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2. Calcot Manor, Tetbury

A golden-hued manor house set in 220 rolling acres, Calcot is great for explorers – borrow bikes and wellie boots, have a game of tennis or join a yoga class. Or you can just spend your whole stay cocooned in a bathrobe in Calcot’s wonderful spa; the outdoor hot tub next to a crackling open fire is a highlight. This is also a stand-out stay if you’re bringing little ones – the family suites are lovely and there’s a children’s afternoon tea on offer, plus family pool slots and a monitor listening service, so you can have a decadent child-free dinner.

Address: Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8YJ

Price: From £294

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3. The Pig in the Cotswolds, Barnsley

The Pig hotels are dotted about in some of the loveliest corners of the country, so it’s no surprise their latest foray is into the Cotswolds. In the village of Barnsley a Grade II-listed house looks out over charming ornamental and potager gardens and there’s an emphasis on the homegrown inside, too, with Cotswolds ingredients starring in the restaurant’s hyper-local 25-mile menu. Rooms range from the cute ‘Extremely Small’ to massive ‘Wow-Wee’, but the very best are hidden in the secret garden – try Rosemary’s Hideaway for extra romance points. A teeny spa offers treatments, and The Pig’s own Village Pub is across the road for a cosy pint.

Address: Barnsley, Cirencester GL7 5EE

Price: From £315

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Read more: How to have a Rivals-style stay in the Cotswolds

4. The Rectory, Crudwell

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 contemporary restaurant and a smart cocktail bar, but out-of-doors is just as special. The bucolic garden hides a lily pond, croquet set and a sky-blue heated pool that in summer 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

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5. Whatley Manor

If you conjured up the quintessential Cotswolds stay it might look rather like Whatley Manor, which has 23 bougie bedrooms upstairs, a Michelin-starred dining room downstairs and the delightful Aquarius spa looking out at lush green gardens. Bring popcorn – there’s even a private cinema. This is a more sustainable pick, too, with a Green Michelin star for food and a gold certification in Sustainable Wellness; Whatley shows that you can make going green look gorgeous. While Tetbury and Westonbirt Arboretum are on your doorstep, you may never want to leave this cocooning hotel.

Address: Easton Grey, Malmesbury SN16 0RB

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6. The Greenway Hotel and Spa, Shurdington

Down a long, treelined avenue straight out of a period drama you’ll find The Greenway. While it may be 400 years old, this Elizabethan manor house was given a fresh new look in 2024, with 21 unique bedrooms featuring treat features such as roll-top baths and four-poster beds. The restful Elan Spa and a heated pool make a stay here feel more like a retreat than most, and the gardens are a relaxing haven to wander in, complete with croquet lawn and tall yew hedges.

Address: Shurdington Road, Shurdington, Cheltenham GL51 4UG

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7. The Painswick, Painswick

Painswick is one of the most picture-perfect villages in the Cotswolds – and that’s saying something. Explore its golden-hued streets, ancient yew trees and Rococo Garden from The Painswick, a Palladian beauty of a hotel tucked down a side street. 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

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8. The Fish Hotel, Farncombe

At the fancy-yet-friendly Fish you can choose to hole up in a treehouse, a soft-hued hotel suite complete with wood burner or a shepherds hut with your very own hot tub in the garden. If you’re feeling energetic, The Fish will provide you with walking maps and Muck Boot wellingtons to borrow so you can get out in the surrounding Cotswolds, and adventure isn’t far from home, either – the sprawling Farncombe Estate surrounding the hotel offers clay pigeon shooting, falconry or even a spot of duck herding. Seafood restaurant Hook is all about freshly caught goodies, although there are also options such as hotdogs if you’re after an informal lunch.

Address: Farncombe House, Campden Lane, Farncombe, Broadway WR12 7LH

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9. Thyme, Southrop

A historic country estate brought bang-up-to-date, Thyme is a cluster of honeyed stone properties in the postcard-pretty village Southrop (this is where Kate Moss tied the knot). If you’re after a mini wellness retreat, the Meadow Spa and Botanical Bothy are bucolic delights, and there’s a heated spring water swimming pool for a dip. Retox with a negroni in the Baa cocktail bar or out by the pool and fill up at the plus Ox Barn restaurant or at Thyme’s very own pub, The Swan. You can also take lessons at the on-site cookery school using ingredients straight from Thyme’s kitchen garden and farm.

Address: Southrop, Lechlade GL7 3NX

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10. The Double Red Duke, Bampton

An inn for all seasons. In the summer, sit out under red and white striped parasols with an iced cocktail, and in the winter hole up in its cosy bar and restaurant to feast on retro classics – think prawn cocktails and sumptuous steaks, and aim to stay over on a ‘Live Sunday’ for great music. This boutique bolthole has 13 delightfully decked-out bedrooms in the main house and six more affordable ones in a modern annexe - top picks are the ground-floor garden rooms in the main house, complete with free-standing tubs and patios.

Address: Bourton Road, Clanfield, Bampton OX18 2RB

Price: From £250

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11. The Lakes by Yoo, Lechlade

The Cotswolds’ network of freshwater lakes is one of the National Landscapes’ best-kept secrets, with 180 bodies of water perfect for swimming, water sports and wildlife watching – there’s even a ‘beach’ to chill out on. Explore them from The Lakes, a posh playground of an hotel known as the ‘Hamptons of the Cotswolds’ with its 10 own lakes to dip in, plus an additional sprawling collection of self-catered homes, cabins and a spa offering therapies inspired by forest bathing.

Address: High Street, Lechlade GL7 3DT

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12. Stonehouse Court, Stonehouse

Pack your hiking boots for Stonehouse Court – this 17th-century ivy-clad manor sits right alongside the Cotswold Way, a walking route stretching for 102 miles through the National Landscape and makes for a wonderful walking holiday (or just a big leg stretch) exploring the Stroud Valley. Relax afterwards in this cosy charmer of a hotel, with 36 bedrooms decked out in velvets and bright wallpaper (rumour has it that Elizabeth I once slept in the master suite). Plus, there are family rooms if you’re bringing little explorers.

Address: Bristol Road, Stonehouse GL10 3RD

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