The Best Cheap Yet Chic Hotels to Book in the Cotswolds
Unravelling the history, mystery and charm of the Cotswolds without breaking the bank is perfectly possible. The six-county Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty may host some of England’s most country-chic hotels, lavishly converted mansions and ultra-luxe spas, but beyond the most touristy towns and trails you’ll find unique properties that keep things stylish, peaceful and sensibly priced – all bookable on Culture Trip.
1. The Close
Boutique Hotel
A colourful art-filled bolthole, The Close occupies a glorious heart-of-Tetbury townhouse from the 16th century. The lovingly converted, all-different rooms are freshly styled with bold prints, statement walls and original artwork, and have robes, slippers, coffee machines and full-sized Bramley bath products, too. Stays here involve browsing Tetbury’s antique shops and wandering Westonbirt Arboretum, Highgrove Gardens and once-Roman Cirencester. Then retreat to the fire-warmed library or the walled fairytale garden with a G&T, before dinner at the season-inspired Garden Room Restaurant.
2. No 38 The Park
Bed and Breakfast
There’s a Shoreditch-design edge to this affordable Georgian townhouse looking out on Cheltenham’s Pittville Park, home to the 19th-century Grecian-inspired Pump Room. Bold prints and punchy colours meet antique furniture, patterned tiling, historical features and original artwork in the 13 rustic-chic rooms (all dog-friendly). Luxury touches include Bramley and Acqua di Parma toiletries, hot-water bottles, cosy robes, rain showers and, for Excellent rooms, freestanding baths. Start the day with Insta-worthy breakfasts of avocado and poached eggs or smoked salmon. Doesn’t sound like a budget hotel? Our thoughts exactly.
3. Cotswold Garden Tea Rooms
Boutique Hotel, Bed and Breakfast
What could be more authentic Cotswolds than staying at a cosy cottage tea house in the lovely, high-walled market town of Stow-on-the-Wold? The four modern-rustic rooms (all with coffee kits) are styled in soothing neutral palettes with pops of colour and art, some with beamed ceilings or antique furniture. Cotswolds-grown ingredients fuel the full English breakfasts and the afternoon teas of home-made cakes, oven-fresh scones and decadently rich cream, which you can devour in the sunny split-level terrace garden.
5. The Wheatsheaf
Budget Hotel, Inn
Medieval homes surround a spectacular gothic church in the market town of Northleach – home to this creeper-covered hotel. Part of the classic-on-the-outside, cool-on-the-inside Lucky Onion group (also behind Cheltenham’s much-loved No 131 and No 38 hotels), The Wheatsheaf reimagines a 17th-century coaching inn with arty flair – colourful throws, freestanding bathtubs, Cotswolds-inspired tones, velvet bedheads, organic toiletries and roaring fires. The locally loved restaurant shows off seasonal British ingredients in deliciously inventive creations such as Cotswolds gin cured trout and beetroot-spelt risotto. Cirencenster, Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford and Chedworth are nearby.
6. The Bell Inn Langford
Inn
Peter Creed and Tom Noest’s prize-winning, modern-British cooking has transformed the 17th-century Bell Inn into a Cotswolds-food-scene highlight, just south of honey-hued Burford. Dine by the crackling fire or out in the beer garden: hearty classics get an inspiringly original makeover, with fresh, locally procured ingredients finding their way into oven-fired pizzas, beer-battered fish and succulent steaks with hand-cut fries. Then stumble over to one of the eight effortlessly cool rooms, which spotlight historical quirks alongside king-size beds, feature walls, walk-in showers and local 100 Acres toiletries.
7. Hare and Hounds
Hotel
Set in a meandering mid-19th-century mansion on the edge of Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, the Hare and Hounds hits just the right country-cosy, boutique-charm blend. Whether you pick the original historical building, or the flashier Silkwood Court extension, all rooms have Molton Brown toiletries, fluffy bathrobes and jolly colour schemes (some are dog-friendly, too). The smart Beaufort Restaurant revolves around seasonal Cotswolds flavours, and there’s more relaxed dining at Jack Hare’s Bar.
8. The King’s Head Inn
Pubs with Rooms
In the honey-stone village of Bledington, this 500-year-old pub fuses country-retreat snugness with creative up-to-date style. Within a 10-minute drive you can be strolling around pretty Stow-on-the-Wold and Cotswolds-glam Daylesford Organic Farm, or checking out Kingham’s lively foodie scene. Courtyard rooms feel fresh and contemporary: those in the original inn channel a more rustic charm. At meal times, dig into jazzed-up, local-produce British cooking, including beer-battered haddock and rotisserie chicken.
Not found your ideal stay? Book one of the best hotels in the Cotswolds or, for somewhere extra special, discover its best boutique hotels.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
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