We will be spending 3 nights in Brighton and exploring the south of England from there. After leaving Brighton, we will explore the Cotswolds, ending up in Oxford and then off to London for 4 days,where I have already booked a B and B. As we are "explorers" when we travel, we were considering not booking ahead as we travel throughout the Cotswolds. I am a little uneasy about that idea, but on the other hand, I don't want to be constrained by time and distance to a booked lodging. What are the chances of finding lodging as we travel July 9 - 16 through the Cotswolds? Or, would you recommend staying a few nights in two or three locations or, yet another option, staying in one location and using it as a base?

I think you should be ok as it is not during a school holiday period. You might not get your first choice every time but you should find somewhere reasonable.

Oh, and tourist information offices can help you book a B&B for that night as well, they have connections to all the local vacancies.

OK - I don't see the point of moving around from B&B to B&B to see the Cotswolds. It is not a huge geographical area. Pick a place and stay put for your week. Use it as a base to see every nook/cranny/corner of the Cotswolds and come "home" every night.

A centrally located rental cottage in a nice town/village would be my choice. Burford, Chipping Campden, Stanton, Northleach, Stow-in-the-Wold -- any of these locations would make a good (and very convenient) base for touring anywhere in the Cotswolds.

Oh - and yes - you'd definitely need to pre-book a cottage.

You've both been helpful! One of the most enjoyable parts of any vacation for us is meeting people, and I don't think that the cottage affords that opportunity. I think we'll book 2 b and b's, giving us more of the atmosphere we're looking for and still not demanding too much jumping from lodging to lodging. Thank you for your input!

"<i>I don't think that the cottage affords that opportunity.</i>"

Oh, I totally disagree. When you stay in B&Bs you really only meet other people like you (in other words - other tourists). The owner may take a few minutes to talk to you, but s/he really has other things to do to keep the place up and running.

If one rents a cottage in a village for a week, you can meet anyone in the village from the next door neighbor, to the green grocer, the butcher, the fellow who delivers your newspaper (or the shop owner where you ask to have the papers held for you), the post mistress, the folks in the pub.

Of course you go into the pub if you are staying a night or two. But when you are there a week and drop by every evening - either for a quick drink or a full meal - you'll become "semi regulars", and folks will open up much more. The barkeeper will ask if you want "your regular" w/o you even ordering.

Just depends on what you want - but you honestly do not need to move from place. So if you want to stay in a B&B, fine. They are great. But not as a way to meet a lot of locals.

Ooh - I didn't mean there was anything wrong w/ "tourists"

But when I travel someplace, I try to meet folks from there rather than just other first time visitors . . . .

If you were only in the area a couple of days - that is one thing. But you have the luxury of a whole week. If it was me, I'd take advantage of that and really "move into a town/village"

Thanks for a perspective I had failed to consider!