Few destinations epitomise “Englishness” quite like the Cotswolds. With its chocolate box villages and honey-coloured buildings, it’s long attracted both Brits looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle, as well as tourists travelling from much further afield. There is a slower pace of life here (sometimes literally, when you’re stuck behind a tractor in a narrow country lane), with an emphasis on local food and warm hospitality in a bucolic countryside setting.
Yet with over 50 villages to explore, it can be difficult to know where to base yourself. But we are hand-on-heart being totally unbiased when we say that The Double Red Duke, located a stone’s throw from Oxford (needs no introduction), Bampton (where Downton Abbey was filmed), Burford (the gateway to the Cotswolds) and Lechlade-on-Thames (a riverside haven), is a really stellar option.
Not only are we ideally placed, but we’re also a one-stop shop for both top-notch food and a comfy place to rest your head. Plus, our warm and convivial atmosphere makes for a great backdrop to unwind after a long day’s walking, cycling or simply pottering from shop to shop. Plus, we’re children and dog friendly, making us a great choice for families too.
The perfect weekend in the Cotswolds starts with breakfast, naturally. Our recommendation would be to go for the Full English (it’s fuel for later), with our ingredients all sourced locally and cooked over our amazing wood oven. If you’re not in the Full English type of mood we also have freshly baked pastries, our own granola and buttermilk pancakes – just a few of our options. It’s all included in the room rate so tuck in!
New here? For some quintessential Cotswolds fodder, why not village-hop? Each has something charming to recommend it: at Bourton-on-the-Water there’s the miniature village, Daylesford has it’s infamous farm shop, Burford is a joy to walk around and Broadway has its historic tower. All of them have cute cafés, independent shops and duck ponds. Tick, tick, tick.
Further afield there’s plenty to entertain the culture-vulture amongst you. Downton fans will want to make a beeline for Bampton Village, where many key scenes were filmed. If that inspires you to see how the other half actually live today, then Blenheim Palace is only a 25-minute drive away too. There’s more culture to be found at Kelmscott Manor, the home of William Morris’s Arts and Crafts movement, as well as at Batsford Arboretum, former home of the infamous Mitford sisters. And if it rains? There’s always our snugs, where we keep a stash of board games for such occasions, (or you could settle in with a book). Even better is our mini spa, housed in a shepherd hut in the garden, where you can try a host of relaxing treatments while you listen to the rain on the roof.
Of course, no perfect weekend to the Cotswolds would be complete without an amazing Sunday roast. We’ve got snacks for while you mull over the all-important decision of what roast to have, including smoked whipped lardo with sourdough, plus our signature drinks, Sparkling English Wine, Local Brewery IPAs or maybe a Bloody Mary. Whether you go for the roast sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding, the rotisserie pork shoulder or the monkfish with celeriac purée, you won’t be disappointed. Make sure you’ve got room for pudding (the sticky toffee apple is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser) and then roll up to bed for the night. Your room’s comfy bed and 100 Acre toiletries will be sure to revive you for the next day.
Coming soon to Clanfield in Oxfordshire:
The Double Red Duke.
A beautiful, 17th century coaching inn nestled between the Chilterns and the Cotswolds, close to Oxford and minutes from William Morris's Kelmscott.
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