Cotswold where?

[Karan1]

Planning a 4 night family trip to Cotswold during Easter weekend .Unable to decide which village/town to stay.Bourton is unavailable.Was thinking of base at Cinecester and exploring Cotswold by car.

What's your AIBU?

Cirencester is very nice. Not too far to get to Bourton on the Water from there.

How about staying near Broadway? Much more Cotswoldy than Ciren. Or Moreton in the Marsh which is lovely

Cirencester is nice but quite busy. What about Stow or Moreton in Marsh? Lots of things to see/ do around, and they're near Bourton.

Ooh didn't think of Broadway - that's a good one.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions but Broadway Stow and Moreton have sky rocketing apartment prices of the very few available.I know we r late but trying to balance it out.

The Bull in Fairford is lovely.

Bourton is beautiful.
Last year en route somewhere else we accidentally ended up in the Cotswold water park area near Swindon/Cirencester and that was lovely (different to your Bourtons and Broadway's but really nice lakes, pubs etc). There is a De Vere hotel there and also a lot of self catering. Worth a look.

Broadway and Chipping Campden are gorgeous. Bretforton village in Worcester near both - cottages to rent will be cheaper. Gorgeous National Trust pub there. Moreton-in-Marsh is too busy and Bourton like the Blackpool of the Cotswolds.
Depends what you intend to do, and what age group you are entertaining.

Worcestershire (not Worcester)

Cotswolds is very pretty, but it isn't the authentic countryside you might imagine. Lots of pretentious weekend types in LandRovers.

Cotswold Water Park is amazing

Winchcombe is rather nice

I'd go more South. Cotswold water park is amazing, and lots still within an easy drive. Bourton is incredibly busy at weekends. Insane, Oxford Street level busy sometimes. If you want to go, go really early or really late. Park near Birdland (of shiny penguin fame )

Are you planning a trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park?

How about going north and staying around Stratford upon avon? Mary Arden's farm is brilliant.

I think you'd be better staying just off the north edge of the Cotswolds as prices are lower and prob more availability. These are nice (I used to go swimming there) and have availability. Its lovely countryside and a very short drive into the Cotswolds proper or slightly further to Stratford/Cheltenham/Worcester.

Winchombe is proper lovely, and Sudely castle there v nice. Also Bretforton as mentioned above.

What sort of thing do you like doing? That would help decide which area you'd be best staying

Those are lovely pieces of advice.Thank you.We would be having two kids (10 and 8) with us.No doubt they would want to be in the theme parks but at the same time, we would not like to miss the cotswoldy countryside for which we are planning this trip.

I was really disappointed in the Cotswolds. As you say, it's very expensive. The views/countryside fairly average for our beautiful island. If you want lovely countryside Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Norfolk, the North or South Downs, almost anywhere in Wales even parts of Essex are nicer IMO. Villages are pretty enough on the face of it but very commercial tourist attractions once you're in them.

I agree the Cotswolds are strangely over hyped, the scenery is nothing compared to the places the poster above me mentioned. Having said that, we stayed at Lower Mill which is self catering houses next to the water park and it was reasonably priced for being near the Cotswolds.

Winchcombe for sure. Sudeley Castle has cottages you can stay in, not sure of price though.

Close to Broadway, Cheltenham and Evesham. Not too far to Cirencester and Bourton and Stow.

I live near Broadway and often pop there for the library or a look around the shops, or a walk (you can actually walk to Broadway Tower via footpaths if you don't mind hills!) It does get busy with coach parties of tourists in summer but I do love it. There's a big playground there now for children of all ages.

I love Winchcombe too - very different feel from Broadway - and agree with PPs who suggested it as a good base as it will be much cheaper than Broadway.

You could visit our local steam railway, the GWSR (board at Winchcombe or Toddington or soon, Broadway itself) - it's a super railway with fab steam trains and the ride down to Cheltenham and back is very pretty. If there's no special event on, you can wander round the Toddington base and get a good look at the trains for free.

Last but not least, I'm always recommending this place on here - the Cotswold Farm Park is lovely for kids and adults too (I have a season ticket I like it so much).

I can also recommend Cotswold Farm Park and at Easter there will be lots of lambs about.

Broadway and Bourton are lovely but don't forget to visit Cirencester and Lechlade

Lots of National Trust properties in The Cotswolds with lots of open space and deer parks etc. Countryside is stunning, villages chocolate box pretty and pubs superb. Weather also a lot milder than further north.

Cheltenham dweller here, no prententions or land rover though, sorry to disappoint some contributors to this thread :-)

Would second the Winchcombe and Broadway suggestions, Cirencester is nice and I like Burford too.