Choosing places to stay in the Cotswolds

The writer J B Priestley once described the Cotswolds as ‘the most English and least spoiled of all our countrysides’. His observation continues to hold true many decades later. This region, formed from six counties along the spine of the Cotswold Hills, retains a timeless quality much loved by visitors from Britain and overseas. It is England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural beauty, with gently rolling hills (wolds). The highest point is just over 1,000 feet.

The area is perfect for a hotel stay and the Good Hotel Guide has reviewed some charming establishments, from hotels with luxurious individual suites offering a hot tub to a 14th -century converted farm house. All offer a warm Cotlswolds welcome and are ideal for exploring the pretty area. The Cotswold region reaches more than 100 miles from Bath in the southwest to Chipping Campden at its most north-easterly point. While it is bordered by significant cities and towns, including Cheltenham, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon, the area is defined by its charming market towns and sleepy villages. They are built in shades of golden-coloured Cotswold stone which blends naturally into the surrounding landscape.