Coming Home: Why I Think You’ll Fall in Love with the Cotswolds

If you’ve spoken to me before (or even just once over a glass of something), you probably know I’m English — even after sixteen years living happily in the U.S., the accent gives me away. What you may not know is that I grew up on a family farm on the edge of the Cotswolds, a region I still think of simply as home.

My parents still live there, in the same 350-plus-year-old farmhouse where I sleep in my childhood bedroom when I visit — a room with 360-degree views over rolling downland fields. My grandfather started the farm between the two World Wars and somehow managed to build it to around 2,000 acres in his lifetime. Between my father and uncles, we had sheep, cattle, and crops — the sort of old-fashioned English countryside life that now feels like something from a novel compared to Clarkson’s Farm.

So yes, writing about the Cotswolds as a travel destination feels a little strange. But if you’re looking for the perfect English countryside escape like your own holiday-movie set (minus Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz) I can’t imagine anywhere better.

The English Countryside at Its Most Quintessential

Only an hour or so from London, the Cotswolds is everything Americans dream of the English countryside to be: gentle rolling hills, honey-coloured stone cottages, narrow lanes lined with hedgerows, ancient pubs, and villages that haven’t changed in centuries.

You can base yourself here for a week (or more) and feel as if time has slowed down. Spend your mornings walking through the fields, your afternoons wandering through market towns like Stow-on-the-Wold or Burford, and your evenings in cozy pubs by the fire. Visit Blenheim Palace (the birthplace of Winston Churchill), stop in Oxford or Bath, and if you’re coming from London, you can even swing by Stonehenge for lunch on the way.

Manor Houses, Not Villas

If there are two or four of you, there are some truly charming hotels and luxury pubs with rooms that feel like home, but for a special gathering with friends or family, nothing compares to renting your own manor house.

We don’t really call them “villas” in England, but that’s what they are in spirit: magnificent old homes steeped in history, many dating back four or five centuries, now beautifully renovated for modern comfort.

Through one of my expert partners based in Cheltenham, I can arrange a remarkable selection of hand-picked properties sleeping anywhere from 6 to 30 guests, ranging from $15,000 to $100,000+ per week. These are the real deal: roaring fireplaces, rambling gardens, kitchen gardens, tennis courts, hot tubs, and sometimes even a resident peacock or two. It’s like stepping into a chapter of English history — but with Wi-Fi and an espresso machine.

A Year-Round Escape

One of the joys of England is that it’s a true year-round destination:

· Winter: Yes, it can be damp and blustery, but that’s half the charm. Think crackling fires, long pub lunches, and curling up with a pint or a glass of red as the rain taps the windows.

· Spring: The hedgerows burst into bloom, lambs dot the fields, and every garden is suddenly alive with colour.

· Summer: Warm days, pub gardens, village fêtes, picnics by the river — when the weather behaves, there’s nothing more glorious.

· Autumn: Golden light, long walks, harvest festivals, and apple crumble by the fire.

The Cotswolds really does work in every season — you just match the pace and style of your trip accordingly.

Things Not to Miss

· Cirencester, a charming Roman market town with an award-winning museum and two lovely parks (one home to polo matches).

· Daylesford Organic, a famous farm shop and café that defines farm-to-table in Britain.

· Highgrove Gardens, the private home of King Charles III, open for pre-booked visits and cream teas.

· The Cotswold Way, a 100-mile walking trail tracing the spine of the region, dotted with pubs that make any effort entirely worthwhile.

· For Formula One enthusiasts, a stop at Aston Martin HQ.

And if you want to venture further afield, the Cotswolds combines easily with London, Cornwall, the Lake District, Scotland, or even Ireland or Paris.

Come Stay a While

For me, the Cotswolds isn’t a destination, it’s a feeling. It’s home. But for my American friends, it’s everything you imagine England to be — only better.

So whether you’d like to rent a grand old manor for a celebration or tuck yourselves away in a cozy pub with the best bangers and mash this side of heaven (that’s sausages, by the way), give me a call. I’ll share my favourite spots and connect you with the best people to make it all happen.

Because sometimes, the most extraordinary journey is the one that feels a bit like coming home.