Through our blog, Ellie & I had previously done various collaborations with the company that owns Cotswold House, Chipping Campden. When we recently booked ourselves in again, this time as paying customers, we got upgraded from a basic double room to a luxury cottage. (The pictures in this post are not aligned with the text.)
BASIC DOUBLE ROOMS VS. COTTAGE STAY AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
The basic double rooms are usually between £100 and £235 per night. On quite another level, the luxurious cottages, called ‘suites’ at Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, start from £375 and go up to about £550. Unless you manage to get your hands on one of the discounts or cash rewards (usually 10 to 20%) advertised every now and then on their website.
1st & 3rd pic: front of CHH&S, middle: our cottage
BEST PRICE MATCH AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
Very commendably, all prices on the website are usually matched against the cheapest offers found on booking sites like Booking.com, so you’ll be better off booking directly. You’ll get the best price, but cut out the intermediary, which makes it much easier to modify or cancel the booking.
ON A WHIM
We had decided to do an extended weekend trip to the Cotswolds on a whim. As a consequence, we had booked the hotel just a few days before our stay. We felt lucky that we were still able to find a double for a reasonable price and went for it.
ARRIVING BY CAR AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
When it came to the rental car, it turned out that we were going to be a lot less lucky. Whatever London car rental companies we checked, the cheapest rental cars were all around £700 for the long weekend. No way we were going to spend that much for a Fiat 500 or a Ford Focus. So we found a 12-seater Ford Transit for a mere £110.
VISITING BY TRAIN
In hindsight, we should have taken the train from Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh (under 1h30m, no interchange), like we had done so many times before. The taxi for the 15-minute, 10km ride to Chipping Campden usually costs under £20. Driving the Transit through tiny villages and along winding single-lane country roads would turn out to be challenging. In my whole life I’ve never done so much non-stop swearing. I felt sorry for Ellie’s ears.
WARM WELCOME AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
As we had experienced before, the highly professional staff welcomed us very friendly upon arrival. We initially parked the van on the public parking space in front of Cotswold House. When we had checked in, we drove the vehicle to the far end of the property, where we could park free of cost in the hotel’s parking lot. You have to drive almost 1km along a long, U-shaped route. But the reception staff will give you easy-to-understand directions.
We were told about the upgrade and one of the staff walked us to our cottage. Like all their cottages, it is located inside the extensive and beautifully maintained gardens, towards the spa and pool.
ARRIVING AT OUR COTTAGE
Over the years we had stayed at a number of more upmarket accommodations. Nonetheless, the cottage was right up there with the best. The cottages are set up a bit like terraced houses in cottage-style. The ‘terraced house’ furthest from the hotel contains the two suites. The smaller one is on the first floor, the larger one on the ground floor. We had the ground-floor suite.
OUR OWN, PRIVATE GARDEN
It comes with a sizeable garden with its own whirlpool and outdoor seating. A tall hedge ensured privacy, and the first-floor suite has no windows on that side.
ENTERING THE PREMISES
The ground-floor suite is accessed from the staircase that leads to the first-floor suite. There is a relatively long hallway that opens into the main room. To its left is a very large bathroom with separate walk-in shower and bath tub.
STYLISHLY FURNISHED
Both suites (judging from the website’s photos and other reviews) are stylishly furnished. We loved the two decorative, hand-blown, sculpture-like, glass vases, each of which had its own display shelf. Despite the fact that elements from different periods had been put together, the suites’ interior design comes across as one single, coherent style. It effortlessly combines warm and cosy with modern design elements. As always, we are huge fans of open chimneys and wooden beams holding up the ceiling.
COMFORTABLE BED AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
The very large bed is outrageously comfortable and the linen of the highest quality. Moreover, the living area contains two lovely armchairs next to a table, and a separate desk with chair.
AMENITIES AND COMFORTS
As you would expect, they contain all the amenities and comforts like air-conditioning, fridge, hair-dryer, ironing board, broadband, coffee-making facilities, bottled water, snacks, extra pillows, bathrobes, plenty of giant, super-soft towels, luxurious toiletries, etc.
NO TIME TO ENJOY THE WHIRLPOOL, SPA, OR POOL
Having booked the trip on short notice on a whim, you’d imagine that we should have had plenty of time left to check out the famous spa and indoor swimming pool, as well as our private whirlpool. However, it turned out that Ellie had a long list of things that she wanted to do, places to visit, hikes to complete, restaurants to check out.
Town centre of Chipping Campden, all within one minute’s walk from CHH&S
FINE DINING AT ‘THE FIG’
On a previous visit, we had had a chance to dine at the Cotswold House’s highly-regarded fine-dining restaurant, The Fig. A very delightful dinner experience. This time around, the only other thing we took with us from our stay were the breakfasts each morning.
1st pic our cottage; 2nd pic back of main building, our cottage to the right
WORLD-CLASS BREAKFAST AT COTSWOLD HOUSE, CHIPPING CAMPDEN
There are three different areas within the main building where breakfast is being served. We checked out two of them and found both very pleasant. As you’d expect, the food comes from the same kitchen. The breakfast options are varied and all dishes and snacks we tried were delicious. We are great eaters, so usually had some fruits, some cereal, some yogurt, some pastries, as well as a main dish with eggs and fish (poached haddock, smoked salmon) or ham. Throughout, the waiting staff were very courteous, quick, and cheerful.
COTSWOLD’S GEM: CHIPPING CAMPDEN
What makes a stay at Cotswold House even more special, is that it is located in the Cotswold’s most picturesque, almost magical village: Chipping Campden. 9 out of 10 times, we choose this town as our base, when we visit. We’ve stayed at a number of local hotels, for example the Noel Arms, just across the street, which is owned by the same company that owns Cotswold House. We would recommend them, if you are looking for fairly basic accommodation for a reasonable price.
SUMMARY
Nothing beats Cotswold House, though, when it comes to enjoying your stay with a bit more style and glamour. We’ll definitely be back again soon. 5 out of 5 in our book.
Looking for more things to do in and around London? Check out my posts about Hotel Schloss Moenchstein, Salzburg, The Corner House, Canterbury, The Sheep in Sheep Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, that time we hired a 1980s 12-cylinder Jaguar convertible and cruised around the Cotswolds, England’s oldest inn, The Porch House, Frameless, the immersive art experience, Sculpture In The City 2022, and Frieze Sculpture 2022.