The Rectory, The Cotswolds

In short… A stylish, quiet and relaxed Cotswolds country house hotel and restaurant with proper cocktails, gorgeous garden and a striking glasshouse. 

The surroundings… The Rectory is located in Crudwell in the Cotswolds. It’s an hour from where I’ve previously stayed (Chipping Norton area), so it was exciting to explore a new area. Super quaint churches, pubs and footpaths nearby. If you have a car, you can explore more than I was able to on foot. 

The vibe… lovely low-key country house hotel with beautiful gardens and stylish interiors. The bones of this property are truly breathtaking and they’ve done a great job with the interiors. 

The rooms… I had a gorgeous room (room 11) overlooking the French-style gardens. The room is contemporary with a light palette of blush pink, abstract art and beige linen. Gorgeous en suite bathroom with clawfoot tub equipped with lavender salts and walk-in rain shower. Rooms are stocked with tea, coffee, fresh milk and home-made shortbread. Dogs and children are welcome at the hotel despite the grown up vibe! 

The food & drink… They have a proper restaurant with a dining room and gorgeous glass house that really took my breath away. The menu is classic with a range of meat, fish, veg and pasta available. I had the confit chalk stream trout for dinner, to give you an idea. Overall, the food didn’t stand out for me, but the dining room was gorgeous and it was nice to not have to leave the property. However, I really rate the breakfast—you can order eggs and other items off the menu or there is a generous buffet with yogurt, granola, fruit, cheese, etc.

The activities…  I was only here for one night since it’s an easy getaway from London, so opted to just enjoy the grounds of the Rectory and quaint village of Crudwell. I spent time just lounging in the various reading rooms in the hotel cozied up with a blanket, book and tea. However, if I was staying longer, I definitely would check out nearby sites like Tetbury antiques, shops at Stow On the Wold, Malmesbury Abbey (England’s oldest abbey). I’d recommend renting a car so you have flexibility to explore. 

Be sure to… Sit in the garden or check out the pool. I was there in the spring, so it was too chilly for the pool. I sat in the sun on a garden chair for two hours with some tea and lemonade, which was lovely. Absolutely check out the Potting Shed pub nearby (1-minute walk) that the hotel owns. Super cozy classic pub fare, really delicious. We sat in the garden on a spring’s day for lunch, had a great burger and chips! The dinner also looks great.

The logistics… I came from London via 1 hour into the town of Kemble nearby. It’s a 1.5 hour drive from Heathrow as well. 

Parting words…Relaxed, quiet and stylish hotel in the Cotswolds where you can slow down and chill. Food and service were not standouts, but you can explore plenty of other pubs and restaurants in the area if you’re inclined.