Travel // Christmas in the Cotswolds and a stay at The Painswick

Ben & I always take a mini break around December or January, usually it's just after New Year but this year we decided to go pre-Christmas instead and chose the Cotswolds. We love this part of the world and at this time of year it's full of Christmas cheer. The houses seem to go all out with really beautiful wreaths and decorations and with the recent snowfall it was even more wintery and picturesque than we expected. We visited most of our old favourite haunts, with lunch at Daylesford, a wander around pretty Cotswolds villages and Burford Garden centre but also had the added bonus of our Soho House membership coming through the week before which meant we could stop off at Soho Farmhouse on the way there and back. But the icing on the cake was a stay at a new discovery, a stylish boutique hotel called The Painswick. Photos below if you'd like to see.

Icy roads!

All hail!

First up, our membership intro at Soho Farmhouse. We stayed here last year and fell in love with the whole concept. Now that we've got membership we plan to come a few times a month and use it as an office space {as well as having some downtime here too!}.

Secondly, Daylesford at Christmas is basically another level.

The food hall so perfect for stocking up for Christmas goodies and last minute Christmas gifts. We had such a delicious lunch I'm still craving the venison parpadelle a few days later.

We were starving and desperate for carbs after a morning in the cold fresh air!

And then there were the chocolate box villages. With right blue skies, Cotswolds stone cottages and wreaths on almost every door.

The Cotswolds will always remind me of The Holiday film, one of my favourites.

When your wellies match the phone boxes!

Beautiful Broadway.

I think this was my favourite with the pheasant feathers.

Our final stop of the day was The Painswick, a boutique hotel that's been on my radar for a while after winning the Sunday Times hotel of the year for 2017 {!}. I'd been following them for a while on Instagram too and then discovered that it was part of the same group as Barnsley House, Calcot Manor and the Village Pub that we know well and like their vibes. I'm never one to resist a boutique hotel and this fitted the ticket perfectly for a cosy little wintry getaway.

It's situated in the pretty stone village of Painswick, the other side of the Cotswolds to us nearer Cheltenham/Gloucester in a historic old manor house.

It's only fairly recently reopened after a huge refurb. It's stylish without being pretentious. I guess you should think of it as a large country house, or restaurant with rooms rather than a hotel. But it ticks all the boxes and even has a spa. With a huge beautiful country inspired wreath on the door, we liked this place from the get go.

Our room was tucked up on the third floor, with beautiful views out across the rolling Cotswolds countryside and a seriously comfortable bed.

There are lots of little personal touches and humour at the Painswick, little notes left for you, goodies on your arrival, a hot water bottle left out and their famous sheep mascot that has tips for your stay and where to visit locally. We liked the wellies and rain coats in the hall in case you'd forgotten your own and the maps for walking. Extras that really give a place personality.

The bathroom had funky floor tiles, beautiful blue panelling, a huge shower and crucially for me, a rolltop bath {I didn't name this blog after them for nothing y'know!}

We warmed up by the fire in the lounge and then shamefully were too exhausted to explore anywhere else that afternoon. My one regret is not trying the restaurant out after it's got such rave reviews for it's food. But we were so full from our lunch that we just had a room picnic of olives and cheese and then watched three Bancroft episodes back to back before falling fast to sleep. It was heaven to just have no agenda, to just kick back and snooze.

We woke up pretty pink skies.

And made our way down to breakfast.

My kinda kitchen heaven, patterned tiles and that herringbone floor!

We had a little bit of everything. I love a breakfast where you can both order from a menu and help yourself to the buffet.

Bircher museli and juice tonics.

Followed by avo and eggs on sourdough.

It was another beautiful day so we walked around the village and countryside of Painswick, following one of the hotel's maps.

Under the mistletoe!

A picture perfect little hamlet that we wished we'd have had longer to explore.

We took the scenic way home, stopping off at Bibury, Burford Garden centre and one more trip to Soho Farmhouse for the Christmas market.

The famous Arlington Row in the snow!

I was in plant and ribbon heaven!

Before the gorgeous Christmas market.

and a wander around the lakes and cabins in the snow and ice.

A really beautiful couple of days away with my favourite guy that left us feeling all festive.
You can find out more about The Painswick here. A truly boutique getaway that got everything so right!
R <3 x
{A huge thank you to the Painswick for hosting our stay. As always I'd only ever feature places that I truly love}