Places to Stay

There are some hotels and bed and breakfast establishments that are truly a joy to stay in.  I am not promoting any hotels and offer only my own views and experiences - so I hope you appreciate their true independence from commercial influences!

The Cotswolds
I had quite forgotten that another venue where I very much enjoyed my stay was the Swan Hotel in Bibury, near Cirencester.  This would be a perfect base from which to explore the Cotswolds.  The room I stayed in had one of the largest ensuite bathrooms I have seen, compete with Jacuzzi bath.  Of course you could just stay in your room and drink Champagne for the duration of your stay(!) but the Swan also allows guests to fish for trout in the river to its front.  Alternatively you can just wander up to the Catherine Wheel pub if you're feeling peckish and want to eat 'out' and buy your trout at Bibury Trout Farm on the day of departure.  I am told that the nearby Bibury Court Hotel if also very good, if not even slightly better than the Swan but not having stayed there myself, I can offer no personal recommendation.

South Wales

Gliffaes Country House Hotel.  If ever there was a place straight out of an Agatha Christie novel this is it.  Hidden down a long wooded road, this Gothic(?) country house offers friendly staff, clean smart rooms and a superb restaurant.

There are also great walks along the banks of the river Usk and, although we didn't take it up, I believe fly fishing is available. 

Somerset/Avon
If you're planning to visit the Bath and West Show or going to Bath, then Ston Easton Park is the best luxury hotel I have personally ever stayed in - so far.  This is a Palladian mansion sympathetically converted to a hotel and furnished with an eclectic but delightful collection of antiques and paintings.  The service and food during our visit was faultless and, if I could afford it, this is the sort of luxury living I could learn to get used to...

Oxfordshire
I stayed in the Bear Hotel in Woodstock as far back as 1997 and had such a great time I decided to include it - although let me know if it has changed much.  I had a suite booked which turned out to be a one-bedroom cottage in a courtyard to the rear of the main building.  I liked the galleried bedroom so much I incorporated the idea into a house I later designed and built.  Everyone stays in the Randolph in Oxford (thanks to Inspector Morse perhaps) but the Bear is next door to Blenheim Palace.

If you're looking for a B&B or self catering, then I recommend staying on a working farm near Witney in a barn conversion called the Swallows Nest.  This is a secluded location and offers good value for money.  There is also B&B accommodation in the farmhouse - with an excellent breakfast. On the left are a couple of the residents who enjoy greeting guests.





Sussex
For anyone planning on a trip to Goodwood or simply visiting the Sussex coast, I thoroughly recommend staying at Toll Bar Cottage just south of Chichester.  The cottage is owned by two former hoteliers and it really shows in the sheer quality of the rooms and the breakfast.