Booberrycrunch

We will have two nights to spend in the Cotswolds. I'm interested in very quaint little villages that are kind of slow and sleepy. We want to enjoy the bucolic splendor of the contry before heading on to London. Ideas? Thanks.

G_Hopper

We enjoyed a couple of nights in Chipping Campden. After the daytrippers go home, the town is lovely and quiet to stroll around - but still has plenty of pub & restaurant options.

Some pics:
http://toaster.org/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=7

rickmav

There is an embarassment of riches for you to choose from. Our favourite has always been Chipping Campden. Although it can get busy during the day with daytrippers, in the late afternoon they all go somewhere else and the place is lovely. Some nice antique shops, a few very good restaurants, great pubs, lots of beautiful, personal gardens and lovely cottages. Wish I was there right now.

Another place that is beautiful in the evening is Bourton on the Water. The day time is again deadly with day trippers, but the evenings are lovely with the River Windrush making its way through the middle of the village and little bridges connecting one side to the other. Nice pubs here as well.

We've also stayed in Moreton in Marsh. We stayed in a beautiful house with a garden back from the High Street which is quite commercial and busy. (You can also train here from London.) But it has a great market and is central for visiting other places. As is Chipping Norton, which has a bit more personality and is central to buses for the area.

Three 'sleepy' places I can recommend: Upper or Lower Slaughter; Great Tew; or Sibford Gower. They're lovely, particularly to visit during the day, but I'm not sure I'd stay the night. We like to wander around, have a few choices in pubs and restaurants and look in shop windows. The above places have at most one pub and no shops.

We always rent self catering cottages and stay for a week, so can't recommend accommodation for two nights, but someone else on the site will be able to.

If you decide on any of the above I can make some restaurant and pub recommendations.

What time of year are you going?

Booberrycrunch

We will be in the Cotswolds June 20 and 21. We were scheduled to take a 2-week vacation to Ireland, but due to a new job on my part (yea!) we had to cancel our trip.

Now, we're doing 2 nights in Bath, 2 nights in Cotswolds, and 4 nights in London. I have done a lot of research and just cannot get a grip - I don't want anyplace overwhelming (that I can't see on foot) but some of the smaller places might be boring. This is hard.

OO

We've been to Chipping Camdpen but didn't stay overnight. It is a lovely town, agreed. We had one night in Broadway which was convenient when it was time for us to stop for the evening as we were returning from Wales. I had my Fodors guidebook and almost didn't stop because of comments made about it being too touristy, but we must have arrived after all the buses and day trippers left. It was positively gorgeous, serene and one of the prettier villages we found in the Cotswalds.

mhdavidson

I spent about 4 nights in Chipping Campden at the Volunteer Inn at the lower end of the high street. It was fantastic - one night at the Pub we met a local who invited us back to his home for scotch and conversation. Good base from which to explore the other local villages.

luv_2travel

I'll second Bourton on the Water. The Cotswolds are so beautiful and peaceful! Relax and enjoy!

ginny

OMG...slow, sleepy and quaint!!!! Then the medieval village of Stanton is just what you are looking for!!!!! I love the Cotswolds and have been to every village and always stay in Stanton...in fact, I just got back last night!!
http://www.cotswolds.info/places/visit-stanton.htm

We rent a cottage for our stay and they do offer short breaks. There is a B&B in the village as well as a pub up on the hill with the most amazing views! Just strolling the village is an experience and, if you will have a car, you can visit other villlages during the day that have shops...ie...Broadway, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water & Moreton-in-Marsh to name a few!!! Whatever you decide...you will love it!!!!

vstanton

I have to second what Ginny just said. I'm her Mom and we did just get back on Monday night. Stanton is the best for quaint, quiet, sleepy and beautiful. We did a short Cotswold way walk, Stanton to Stanway and it was great. If you go to Bourton on Water try to get to Bibury (about 6 miles away) that is awesome. You will not only enjoy you will realize that 2 days is not near enough.