Cotswolds break

[thisismadness77]

Hi, we are going to have two nights away without kids for our anniversary in August. Thinking about the Cotswolds as it’s within a couple of hours of home. We would like somewhere lovely to stay with good food, wine, a few shops to potter around, long walks, and pub lunches. It would be nice to abandon the car and be based in the village/town. (So we can get impromptu drunk at lunchtime.) We don’t want to be busy, but neither bored! It would be nice if it were chocolate box pretty. :)

I’m thinking Stow on the Wold (as it seems a bit bigger than some other pretty villages) but am a bit clueless, would rather not pick somewhere entirely randomly. Reviews online are so mixed!

If anyone has any recommendations it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Not Stow but Lygon Arms in Broadway is lovely.

Nailsworth is lovely. It has a lovely pub with great food. Can’t remember the name of it but you can google. Lots of great countryside, the Rococco
Gardens down the road and there are lovely independent shops. Stow in the Wold is very touristy and not my cup of tea.

www.falconpainswick.co.uk/

Sorry I meant Painswick. Nailsworth is equally lovely though.

We usually stay at the fish and walk into broadway

You might try Bradford on Avon, pretty little town with a river and canal.

Burford or Woodstock would be my suggestions, both gorgeous, foodie pubs aplenty (well pre covid anyway) and lots of walking opportunities.

Another one here for Broadway. Lovely pubs, shops and walks. Recommend a nice long walk out of the village up to this pub: www.themountinn.co.uk/

We stayed here which was fabulous:
www.abbotsgrange.com/

Thanks all, massively helpful! The first two are booked up but I’ll investigate the others. :)

Was coming on the say Broadway but see others have beaten me to it! Have you also tried Russell’s (the best restaurant in town and has rooms) if the Lygon is full? We personally don’t like the Fish - the restaurant Hook is good but you are a long, long way out of town if pottering round the shops of going out for a coffee/ drink in the afternoon is what you are looking for.

@Withershins

You might try Bradford on Avon, pretty little town with a river and canal.

My old town. The walk to Avoncliff along the river is nice. Avoncliff is an AONB.

Stow on the wold is lovely and close to the other villages. My favourite is The Porch House (www.porch-house.co.uk/) - supposedly the oldest inn in England.

The hobbit door is in this village. No far away there a location that Harry Potter used. Morton in the Marsh (in walking distance of Stow) has a great fish and chip shop.

Beautiful area!

We love Moreton in Marsh, good pubs, lots of interesting independent shops or Burford .
Also Tewksbury, the abbey makes an interesting visit ( even my three little dogs were invited in & made welcome) & Cirencester. All just as nice as each other. Personally I wasn’t as keen on Broadway, bit too playing on the chocolate box, touristy theme for my taste, prefer somewhere that is slightly more working/living feel to it rather than JUST for tourists, & Burton on the Water is packed with visitors as well most of the time.
Can’t recommend hotels as we visit in our big motorhome with our three little dogs, so that influences us a lot re parking & how welcome we’re made to feel . Found Broadway the worst for this even though we parked outside & walked in, pubs were very snotty about our three tiny, perfectly behaved dogs when we tried to get a sandwich & a drink. The only place we’ve never returned to.

Bourton in the water. Pretty village with lots of shops and restaurants, always busy though. Once you’ve seen one Cotswold village you’ve seen them all 🤣

We house hunted in the north Cotswolds a few years ago.
Stow on the Wold gets very busy with visitors.
Bourton on the Water even more so. I was there a couple of weeks ago and there were queues at every pub/restaurant.
Chipping Norton is quite workmanlike and busy. Too much traffic to be able to relax.
Moreton on Marsh is similar but well placed and has a train station. The high street is a busy A road. I would opt for Blockley nearby.
Broadway is very pleasant but I found an air of pretentiousness.
Chipping Campden is chocolate box stuff visually. I've stayed at the Kings hotel. Very pleasant and gets my vote for a short stay.
I really like Winchcombe, just the feel of the place. Nearly bought a house there.
Painswick is absolutely charming. I recall it being quite hilly.

@BirdsandBeesmakinghay

Nailsworth is lovely. It has a lovely pub with great food. Can’t remember the name of it but you can google. Lots of great countryside, the Rococco Gardens down the road and there are lovely independent shops. Stow in the Wold is very touristy and not my cup of tea.

Was also going to suggest Nailsworth - gorgeous.

Ooh or Tetbury maybe.

@Crookandnanny

We house hunted in the north Cotswolds a few years ago. Stow on the Wold gets very busy with visitors. Bourton on the Water even more so. I was there a couple of weeks ago and there were queues at every pub/restaurant. Chipping Norton is quite workmanlike and busy. Too much traffic to be able to relax. Moreton on Marsh is similar but well placed and has a train station. The high street is a busy A road. I would opt for Blockley nearby. Broadway is very pleasant but I found an air of pretentiousness. Chipping Campden is chocolate box stuff visually. I've stayed at the Kings hotel. Very pleasant and gets my vote for a short stay. I really like Winchcombe, just the feel of the place. Nearly bought a house there. Painswick is absolutely charming. I recall it being quite hilly.

Totally agree with all this.

@Katyy

Bourton in the water. Pretty village with lots of shops and restaurants, always busy though. Once you’ve seen one Cotswold village you’ve seen them all 🤣

Yes that’s what I always think too.

Broadway is nice for an afternoon stroll around but there’s not much there once you’ve done that. I’d go for Chipping Campden or Burford personally.

I'd do Broadway (more shopping opportunity) or Chipping campden (if the later it's lovely to walk in nearby Dovers Hill)

I think

Actually if it were me and dh I’d go a bit further down the road and stay in Stratford on Avon. Loads of shops, restaurants, beautiful river walks and parks etc. Much more to do and see. The Arden hotel is central and absolutely lovely.

www.theardenhotelstratford.com/

The Lamb at Burford is lovely. Gorgeous rooms and fantastic food. Burford is a nice place for a pottering day out and has a fascinating church (where the Levellers were murdered). There’s plenty in the area too. Swinford is close if you’re interested in the Mitfords.

You won't go far wrong anywhere in the cotswolds, Google, stunning pubs and you will be spoilt for choice

Try and visit Snowshill Manor, beautiful setting, gardens and inside is fascinating.

Bourton on the Water is basically Birmingham on Sea. Absolutely heaving at even the slightest hint of warm weather.