So, you’ve decided on a break in the Cotswolds. What a superb call! But which part of the Cotswolds to stay in? You’ve got to narrow down the huge choice of possible places to stay.
What county is the Cotswolds in?
Not a straight forward answer – it’s in many – with 800 square miles of stunning countryside and beautiful villages, spanning five counties, you might not know where to start. Please allow us to be of assistance and help guide you to which part of The Cotswolds to stay!
Gloucestershire
It may sound clichéd but Gloucestershire really does have something for everyone. History buffs will revel in the fabulous selection of museums and heritage sites spread across its important towns and cities, from Cheltenham to Cirencester and the city of Gloucester itself.
Nature lovers will delight in the huge range of wildlife parks, public gardens and arboretums that the region has to offer, from Birdland Park in Bourton-on-the-Water, to the manicured Arts and Crafts gardens at Hidcote Manor and the opulent Rococo Garden at Painswick. And if a good day out shopping is right up your street, then the waterside Gloucester Quays should tick all your boxes. Alternatively, head to the city’s Westgate Street and leisurely browse the many wonderful independent businesses that populate it. And for the outdoors enthusiast, the 102-mile The Cotswolds Way footpath, will set you as much of a challenge as you’re seeking.
With more than 100 self-catering Cotswolds properties in the county, we’re sure to have just the right one to suit your needs.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire lays claim to some of the prettiest market towns and villages in The Cotswolds including medieval Burford. One of the most popular tourist destinations in this region, due to its abundance of typical Cotswolds architecture, tea rooms, traditional country pubs, antique shops and restaurants, Burford makes a great base from which to explore other nearby towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, or ‘the town on the hill’: Chipping Norton. Visit Witney and see the centuries-old wool craft of blanket-making, take in an open-air concert in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, or make like a Don as you wander the quads and cloisters of Oxford University in ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’.
Our high quality self-catering accommodation in Oxfordshire includes shepherds’ huts and dog friendly holiday cottages.
Warwickshire
At the North-Eastern end of The Cotswolds, Warwickshire is home to Stratford-upon-Avon – one of the most visited tourist attractions in the UK. This quintessentially English market town, with its Tudor wattle-and-daub architecture and thatched cottages, is most famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Nearby Shipston-on-Stour is a self-catering idyll –
awash with small artisan traders, here you will find a huge selection of fresh and local produce from the butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, delicatessen and bakery.
Worcestershire
This lies just to the West of Warwickshire and the picturesque village of Broadway – known affectionately as the ‘Jewel of the Cotswolds’ nestles just inside The Cotswolds’ borders. With stunning views from the nearby Fish Hill and close to The Cotswolds Edge escarpment, Broadway makes an ideal location for walking holidays.
Wiltshire
Positioned to the South East of The Cotswolds and known as ‘The Gateway to the West Country’, Wiltshire boasts England’s oldest borough: the quaint hilltop town of Malmesbury. Its 5th-century abbey – burial site of King Athelstan – sits proudly overlooking the surrounding countryside. Malmesbury – rich enough in its own right as a place to visit – is also the perfect base from which to walk the White Horse Trail and take in the eight white horses carved into the county’s chalk hillsides.
Whichever Cotswolds county takes your fancy, we’re sure that you’ll find the ideal cottage to fulfil your holiday checklist from our broad selection of high-quality places to stay in the Cotswolds.
