The Best Romantic Hotels to Book in the Cotswolds

Once the home of renowned garden designer Rosemary Verey, this country-house retreat with fairytale gardens is classically romantic. There’s a hidden spa in the garden, where you can indulge in treatments such as the Tailored for You massage with facial using Elemis products, before relaxing in the heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool; there’s also a private cinema for cosy movie nights. Looking for a night out? Head to the Village pub, just across the road and also run by Barnsley House, where you can enjoy refined pub classics such as Barnsley lamb chop or whole grilled plaice.

This luxury five-star hotel is in the heart of Tetbury, which has been voted the best market town in the Cotswolds with antique shops, restaurants and pubs. Each sumptuous room has a unique design – from the Garden Suite with its soft neutral tones and animal-print accents, to the Prince’s Suite with its bright red walls and handsome English antiques. For true indulgence, book the Cavalier Suite, which boasts a bedroom with a silk-draped four-poster bed, a library sitting room and a bathroom with an in-wall Aquavision television above the bath.

Built in 1837 as a Gentleman’s Residence, Butlers has been transformed into a charming guesthouse, with elegant bedrooms named after well-known butlers from literature and history. Each room has fun decorative touches in keeping with the theme, such as bowler-hat lampshades and candlestick phones. Breakfast is served in the dining room overlooking the pretty private garden, and features a variety of classics – think full English or Scotch pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. There’s also a grand lounge lit by chandelier for games, newspapers and books.

In the mood for a romantic spa break? Wyck Hill House Hotel and Spa sits in 50 acres (20ha) in Windrush Valley, amid the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and just outside the market town of Stow-on-the-Wold. The 18th-century property has a variety of room options, some with private patios, and an award-winning restaurant. The highlight, though, is the spa, which boasts a sauna, steam room and six treatment rooms, including a dual room for romantic couples’ treatments. Book an Escape Spa Break and enjoy dinner, bed and breakfast with champagne and chocolates in your room and two 30-minute spa treatments.

Immerse yourself in a honey-coloured stone building that the Cotswolds is famous for with a stay at Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, in the heart of Chipping Campden. This Grade II-listed Regency townhouse features characterful rooms that will transport you back in time – think rough-hewn timber beams and stone walls. Looking for something more contemporary? Book a Hot Tub Suite with a private terrace on the hotel grounds, where you can indulge in a romantic moonlit soak complete with champagne, then cosy up in front of the fire in the living room.

Fine dining and romance go hand-in-hand at this 16th-century Elizabethan manor house hotel and spa, set in 8 acres (3.2ha) of rolling countryside. Overlooking the sunken garden and lily pond, the Garden Room Restaurant has three AA Rosettes and serves up refined classics, such as duck with orange braised chicory, turnip, duck leg hotpot and duck jus, or roast halibut with red wine poached salsify, chervil root, pickled shimeji and chervil jus. Looking to relax after lunch? Head to the spa for an Espa Aromatherapy Full Body Inner Calm Massage.

Combine the magic of the English countryside with the simple beauty of Scandinavian design at Minster Mill, a luxury hotel in Oxfordshire. Individually decorated rooms feature contemporary lighting alongside classic mid-century furniture, while the Feature Rooms boast views over the River Windrush, plus private terrace areas with log burner or fire pit and marshmallows to toast. Celebrating a special occasion? Indulge in one of the hotel’s signature Laurent-Perrier champagne afternoon teas. You can even ask for it to be packed in a picnic hamper to enjoy in seclusion on the grounds.

Spread over 220 acres (90ha), the Calcot & Spa has everything you need for a romantic getaway in the Cotswolds. The charming rooms are decorated in pretty pastels and country chic furnishings, while the spa features an outdoor fireside hot tub, a 16m (52ft) heated indoor pool, a sauna and a steam room – as well as luxe treatments, such as the Face & Body Sensation, which combines a freestyle massage with an antioxidant-rich facial. You’ll also be spoilt for choice when it comes time to eat, with relaxed fine dining at the Conservatory and refined pub classics, such as steak and burgers, at the Gumstool.