Help with really nice place to stay in the Cotswolds
 

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary with a trip to Europe in early November. We will be coming from London, renting a car and we'll have 3 nights to spend in the Cotswolds. I'm looking for the best possible option in terms of nice hotel & location. Several places I've tried seem to be fully booked----which has me surprised given the time of the year. I had originally really wanted to stay at Buckland Manor but, it is sold out. Some other properties I've looked at are:

Dormy House
Whatley Manor
Lords of the Manor
Barnsley House
Calcot Manor
Lower Slaughter Manor
Wild Rabbit Inn

These all look nice but, I just want to make sure we'll be in the best area for sightseeing, etc. We've never been to this area before. I'm hoping that those familiar with the area could weigh in. Don't worry about our budget, we want it to be very nice. We'll be out and about sightseeing hopefully. If you have other suggestions for properties, I'd love to hear them.

Have a look at the Telegraph's travel section. The have an article on the area and its hotels.

Pick a place you like and fits your budget. With a car you could easily see any part of the Cotswolds from any of those you listed.

The only ones listed I personally wouldn't choose are: Whatley Manor because it is quite far south and Barnsley House because it is IN Cirencester and I prefer smaller towns/villages.

At any of the others I'd be perfectly happy

We stayed at the Wild Rabbit in the spring of 2014 based on a magazine article I had read. It's actually a pub with rooms and we were disappointed to get a room that was quite small and off the parking area. We had some trouble with the air conditioning as well. The decorating is modern and relatively luxurious. The restaurant was quite good and the tiny town pleasant to stroll in. It's just a few miles from Stow-on-Wold. I don't think I would stay there again unless I were to get more information about the size and location of the specific room I was renting.

Also in Kingham just down the road from the Wild Rabbit is the Plough. A pub w/ rooms over w/ absolutely wonderful food by chef Emily Watkins. https://www.google.com/#q=Kingham+plough

The rooms vary a lot and are a bit quirky - some are posher than others. Even if you don't stay there -- EAT there (the Wild Rabbit is VERY good, the Kingham Plough is just a step higher). Amazing that such a small village has two such nice restaurants/pubs. You could stay in Stow-on-the-Wold and be close enough to drive over for dinner . . . twice ;)

meant to add -- you might want to look at the Lamb Inn in Burford.

https://www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk/the-lamb-inn/

Noce place and Burford is probably my favorite town in the area.

I was going to mention the Lamb Inn. It's very nice and Burford is also my favorite town in the Cotswolds, although the Slaughters can be pleasant too.

oops -- should be >>Nice place and . . .<<

Congratulations on your anniversary.

I was lucky enough to spend some time (not nearly enough time!!) at Lords of the Manor in June this year. We thought it was fabulous and I'd return in a heartbeat.

We hit upon a spell of glorious weather - and their terrace overlooking the gardens is a truly perfect place.

I'd really like to thank everyone for their suggestions and especially to shellio. Although I didn't say it, I was really leaning toward the Wild Rabbit. I must have read the same article. The rooms are my esthetic and I really wanted to stay there. So much so that I was willing to switch rooms because they don't have 3 nights available in the same room. What's going on in the Cotswolds in early November? I can't get over so many places being sold out at that time of the year.

In any case, I think I'll rethink my options. I'd be disappointed if I paid a hefty price only to find out I reserved a parking lot view room. The Lamb Inn looks nice although more traditional.

The Plough looks fabulous! It would be exactly what I'd ask for. Thanks so much for the suggestion. If you have other recommendations I'd love to hear them.

Just return from a few days in The Cotwolds. The Lords of the Manor is located in Upper Slaughter, which is a tiny but very charming village. You can walk between Upper Slaughter to Lower Slaughter, on a mile trail along the river on Wardens Way. Take ice cream at the Old Mill. These 2 villages must be the most charming and unique in the area.

We stayed in Chipping Campden, which is a much larger, but no less charming village. Good choice of restaurants, pubs, shopping, history and walk-abouts. The thatched houses at the end of Sheep Street are unbelievable! Don't miss St James Church and the area, steeped in Cotwolds history.

The only other village we visited was Stow on Wold; not as charming, in my opinion. I was very pleased with our choice of activities in The Cotswolds but missed the village of Broadway.

We stayed in a self-catering cottage in Chipping Campden, so I can't comment on your lodging choices. Happy Anniversary!

"What's going on in the Cotswolds in early November?"

The same thing as almost any time of the year.

It's only a bit over an hour from London (and the Wild Rabbit's a short stroll from the station), the UK economy's booming for the kind of people who stay in such places, there's practically no time of year that's not perfect for walking in the Cotswolds and we don't want tourists here anyway, so we limit savagely the number of hotel rooms available to them.

Add Carole Bamford's skill at manipulating the press into ceaseless fawning about her overpriced schlock and the result's predictable.

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