9 budget hotels in the Cotswolds, from characterful cottages to beautiful b&bs
With its honey-stone villages and manor houses, its rolling landscape of sheep-nibbled hills and its handsome churches, the Cotswolds is heart-tuggingly beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to visit for a short break – or a long one, for that matter? Contrary to popular opinion, the Cotswolds doesn’t only offer pricey places to stay. It has a surprisingly generous range of less costly accommodation; in most instances these more affordable options are finely devised pub rooms and b&b accommodation. What’s more, the big plus about staying at these small, intimate places is that visitors enjoy scope to connect with the locale. Here is our selection of characterful Cotswold accommodation offering excellent value.
St Anne’s B&B
Painswick, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This charming, good-value b&b is set in a stylishly laid-back townhouse near the centre of picturesque Painswick – affectionately known as Queen of the Cotswolds due to its fine architecture. St Anne’s exudes a great sense of warmth. It is decorated in bold colours and furnished with antiques, and is the home of Iris and Greg McCormick (and two hospitable terriers). The three pretty bedrooms, found up the narrow stairs by the dining room, are all small, but comfort is key: there are high-quality mattresses and power shower heads. Breakfast is a great spread of yogurts, mueslis, fruit, and breads, with eggs made to order. Where possible, produce is local and at teatime every afternoon there’s a freshly baked cake on the table. Read expert review From £75 per night
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Meadowbank House B&B
Ascott-under-Wychwood, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Meadowbank House is on the edge of Ascott-under-Wychwood, a proper working village tucked down country lanes. There’s great walking and cycling here, and this location is also ideal for exploring some of the region’s most appealing places. Ingrid Ridley has been running a b&b here for some years and has evidently been getting things right – many visitors return again and again. The three bedrooms are sympathetically decorated in quiet colours. Largest and brightest is the Garden Room, with French windows and its own patio. Breakfast is a buffet spread of fruits (home-grown strawberries and raspberries in the summer), cereals and yogurts, with egg options that Ingrid cooks to order. Read expert review From £80 per night
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The Royal Oak
Tetbury, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
With its Art Deco piano and vintage jukebox, this lively old inn in handsome Tetbury has a funky-chic feel. Innovative, eco-sensitive, family-friendly and dog-friendly, it has a strong community vibe and offers good honest food with plenty of vegan options. Come at lunchtime or in the evening and you’ll usually find this place buzzing: it’s a much-loved local as well as a weekender’s haven. Across a cobbled terrace from the main building, a former skittles alley has been converted into a six-bedroom annexe. Even the smallest room feels fairly spacious, but the top choice is the Oak Lodge Suite, spectacular for its wood-beamed ceilings, free-standing bath, and views of the rolling Cotswolds countryside. Read expert review From £75 per night
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Kings Head Inn
Bledington, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The Kings Head Inn, set in a prime position on Bledington's village green, is the epitome of a charming rural pub. The antique property is cosy in winter and offers pretty outdoor space in summer, with both a front terrace and an inner courtyard awash with huge-headed hydrangeas. An innovative summer addition is a shepherd's hut selling ice creams by the entrance. Some rooms are on the small side, but all are prettily devised and clad in cream colours; bathrooms are stocked with locally made soaps and shampoos. The pub serves good honest brasserie-style dishes based on seasonal ingredients and presented with flair, the likes of pan-fried Cornish hake, butternut squash risotto, and steaks from Todenham Manor farm nearby. Read expert review From £110 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Bull Inn
Charlbury, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The Bull, set in a handsome landmark building in the heart of Charlbury, is a rural-chic old inn with stylish bedrooms. Unlike many Cotswold boltholes you can reach this handsome old pub by train: Charlbury is an hour and a quarter from London on the Cotswold Line. The Bull oozes atmosphere with appealing period accoutrements of inglenook fireplaces and exposed stone walls and beams. There’s a modern, arty vibe too, with stylish wallpaper and furnishings, and striking paintings. Choose from eight glamorously devised bedrooms: some have hand-painted wallpaper, others have claw-foot feature baths. The pub serves good honest food that celebrates the flavours of the Cotswolds. Dishes might include gin and beetroot cured salmon, venison stroganoff and a selection of excellent pies. Read expert review From £79 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Old Vicarage at Oakridge
Oakridge Lynch, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Close the shutters, draw the curtains and become enveloped in your own little world at this peaceful bed and breakfast in a hidden Cotswold valley. By morning, the views across the beech-tree lined Frome Valley from the three bedrooms are just the tonic to begin the day before filling up on the locally sourced breakfast. Owner Vida Hewitt has created a relaxing rural retreat in her stylish, renovated Georgian family home. Guests are invited to unwind in the television-free Drawing Room where modish rich red checked woollen curtains contrast with pale cream damask sofas, and books and board games are at hand. All three guest rooms are south facing, with wonderful views over the valley through the traditional sash windows. Read expert review From £90 per night
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The Cat & Custard Pot Inn
Shipton Moyne, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
An honest-to-goodness old pub with lots of local flavour and charm. This is a venue much loved by residents in the area. A few years back the pub was acquired by four local families who wanted to ensure it retains the spirit of a traditional down-to-earth pub. It has had a gentle makeover to update furnishings, but simply so; Farrow & Ball shades, for example, remain unknown here. From the menu to the six bedrooms (and a self-catering cottage), it emphasises quality and pleasing simplicity. Well-priced dishes are full of flavour – think pub classics like steaks and burgers plus seasonal choices such as haunch of venison with celeriac. Breakfast includes a choice of hot options based on top produce from the area – the likes of bacon baps and eggs Royale. Read expert review From £75 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Eight Bells
Chipping Campden, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
A wonderfully historic property in the centre of picturesque Chipping Campden that is packed with interest. The original tavern, dating from the 14th century, is now the main bar, with lots of beams and timber supports and wooden tables at which to eat or just enjoy a pint. In the dining room, look out for a glass panel in the middle of the floor that shows the entrance to a tunnel and hiding place used by Roman Catholic priests in the 16th century. The six bedrooms are set down a maze of corridors and stairs. Two are in the original part of the property, complete with impressive beams and creaking atmosphere. The menu evolves according to what's in season – summer salads with cold rare roast beef, for example; game in winter. Read expert review From £85 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Falcon
Painswick, Cotswolds, England
8Telegraph expert rating
There’s an appealingly genial atmosphere at this gracious golden-stone inn in one of the prettiest little towns of the western Cotswolds. With good food, comfy rooms and a cheerful, unfussy atmosphere, the Falcon is a perfect bolthole for walkers and weekenders looking for good value. Owners Neil and Susan John have given it a pleasingly light and elegant look, with mellow paint tones, old settles and eclectic wooden chairs and tables. Bedrooms are simply furnished in greys and creams, and come in all shapes and sizes – the smallest is spacious enough for a desk and an easy chair. In Room Seven, binoculars are thoughtfully provided so that guests can look out to ridge beyond above town. Read expert review From £87 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Contributions by Harriet O'Brien and Caroline Mills
Prices cited on Booking.com are subject to change in high season and during popular holidays and events.
