Cotswolds without the children!

[fisilhohoho]

We have arranged for my parents to take ds for a night so that we can go off for a mini break after Xmas.

We fancy the Cotswolds cos it's pretty. We want a hotel which has a snug lounge with fires & sofas for sitting and reading, hoepfully with good food too, but as I'm pg we don't mind driving to a restaurant in the evening.

Dp wants to go clay pigeon shooting too. Don't ask. I'm just happy with peace & quiet!

Any suggestions?

Try the Lygon Arms in Broadway, sounds exactly what you're looking for.

Or there are lots of places like this in the Alastair Sawday books - website is here . We've stayed at about a dozen hotels around the place from these books and never had anything less than an excellent experience.

For a restaurant try No.5 North Street, Winchcombe. It's Michelin starred but really down to earth, & utterly fantastic food. We stayed for Valentines Day at the Lygon Arms this year (I was 32 weeks pregnant), and drove to the restaurant, so very do-able.

If you fancy a really, really posh weekend try Barnsley House (we haven't stayed there as far too posh for us )...

ooh yes, Barnsley House, you might bump into Hugh Grant...

There is also the Swan at Bibury, very pretty place, food is supposed to be good, village is picture postcard but should be virtually tourist free at that time of year. Bourton on the Water is nice too, plenty of hotels/inns there and some choice of where to eat as you're in a bigger village.

Hi, I tried to post a load of links here earlier but internet explorer crashed. OK, Cowley Manor looks fab although a friend who went there said it was 'up its own arse', if the webite's anything to go by then Cotswold House should be gorgeous, looks v luxurious. Crap website, but The Passage Inn fulfils some of your criteria, as does Barnsley House but I haven't been to any of them, sadly! Just love drooling over hotel websites and planning where we'll go next time we can get someone to have the children overnight!

Oh and this place might be a hidden gem I suspect, it's cheap too!

Broadway Hotel is gorgeous. We went there for our honeymoon and it was lovely. Almost exactly what you've described.