Reviews

"A Jacobean mansion that stands next to the church in one of Gloucestershire's loveliest villages. The six-acre garden is reason enough to come; it's utterly English, with croquet on the lawn, clipped yew hedges, a rose arbour flanked by beds of lavender and the serene river Coln ambling past on one side. You can fish from its banks or follow the footpath into glorious countryside; just wonderful.

A very friendly place, grand, but not stuffy. There's a panelled drawing room for afternoon teas, a conservatory for indulgent breakfasts and a smart dining room for serious dinners; in summer, life spills out onto the stone terrace for sundowners in the scented garden. Antiques are scattered about: oak chests, mahogany dressers, writing desks and oil paintings by the score.

A refurbishment is underway to remove all trace of the 1980s, but it wouldn't matter if it wasn't; what wins here is the relaxed atmosphere and the kind staff. Bedrooms tend to be large, with mullioned windows, old radiators, parkland views, crisp linen, the odd four-poster and a grand piano in the suite."