The Cotswolds filled with sights that lingered with me long after I return from a trip. Gracefully spanning six English counties, I’m always charmed by this beautiful and timeless area filled with traditional Cotswolds’ thatched cottages, rickety almshouses, and ancient honey-colored stone mansions.
Springtime, just before the summer crowds arrive, felt like the perfect time to return, with fresh greenery, colorful wildflowers, and playful lambs filling the long stretches of unspoiled landscapes.
After a week-long photography trip in Kent, we decided to stay at the gorgeous historic boutique hotel, The Wood Norton, and explore the area in a quintessentially English convertible Morgan car, rekindling memories of its chocolate-box charm.
The Wood Norton was a perfectly preserved and beautifully presented Grade II-listed hotel. It was once a hunting lodge, a home for exiled European Royalty, a listening post during the Cold War, and, more recently, a Doctor Who filming location.
The extraordinary hotel was all dark wooden panelling, large open fireplaces, immaculate gardens, and ornate balconies that take advantage of the beautiful surrounding vistas. I loved how elegant the place was and how I felt like I was in an English Period drama as I wandered around!
With a touch of aristocratic nostalgia, I loved its historic, ornate charm and the feeling that it held a story—or several—waiting to be told!
With over 50 guest bedrooms, five spectacular suites, a restaurant showcasing the finest local produce, a contemporary bar, and an alfresco dining terrace, the hotel seamlessly blends historic charm with modern luxury – I thought it was absolutely beautiful and very classy!
We stayed in the grandest suite, featuring a separate living area, a sprawling bedroom, and a luxurious marble-clad bathroom with a sumptuous Turkish-style bath and a two-person rain shower.
Brimming with character and impressive original features, I felt instantly transported to an era of hat-tipping gents and corseted ladies the moment I stepped through the door!
I loved how the gentle Cotswolds limestone hills were astoundingly photogenic, dotted with storybook villages seemingly frozen in time and crisscrossed by long-distance trails and picturesque lanes – they were the perfect escape from smoggy, fast-paced city life!
There was no better way to explore a region rich in history and nostalgia than in an iconic Morgan—a stunning classic car, handcrafted by dedicated local artisans. It was a truly wow-inducing way to experience the Cotswolds!
Over two days, we wound our way through the idyllic countryside, stopping to satisfy our hunger pangs in charming traditional tea shops.
We wandered into churches decorated with beautiful carvings, negotiated precarious-looking fords, supped real ale in wood-beamed pubs, scaled rolling green hills and an imposing Gothic Folly, and basked in the waves and nods of road-side admiration (there’s a lot of love out there for convertible Morgan Cars)!
In the forty-eight hours, we’d managed to squeeze in local highlights such as Moreton-in-the Marsh, Stow-the-Wold, nearby Evesham, Broadway (known as the most beautiful village in the Cotswolds), and Upper and Lower Slaughter—two impossibly gorgeous villages that have strayed into the 21st century from another era. Overall it was a very unique and beautiful stay!
More About The Wood Norton Hotel
The Wood Norton Hotel is a historic and luxurious hotel nestled in the pretty countryside of Worcestershire, England. It was built in the early 20th century originally as a hunting lodge for European royalty, the hotel has since been meticulously restored to its former glory. I was impressed with how it seamlessly blended modern amenities with its a fine and elegant charm.
It was surrounded by lush gardens, expansive grounds and a gorgeous located in the peaceful heart of The Cotswolds! Gourmet cuisine was served up in the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, which sourced local ingredients to create dishes inspired by both traditional British and international flavours.
It also hosts weddings, conferences, and other special events.
More About the Cotswolds
Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and stretching across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, with bits of Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire thrown in, the Cotswolds sprawls over a charming 800 square miles of rolling countryside and picture-perfect villages.
As well as being a popular spot for outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, and wildlife watching I love to come here to explore the chocolate-box-pretty villages and stately homes such as Blenheim Palace and Sudeley Castle, wander through medieval market towns like Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold, and just simply walk my dog in the seriously beautiful landscapes. The views here are just incredible!
I loved its thriving culinary scene, which includes numerous gastro pubs, quaint tearooms, and farm-to-table restaurants showcasing the region’s finest local produce. I personally loved the Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter and YOKU in Cheltenham but for traditional tearoom, I thought Rixy’s Cotswold’s Tearooms was the perfect destination!
