The Cotswolds do country-house luxury better than almost anywhere in England. Honey-coloured manor houses, walled gardens, spas in converted stables and restaurants worth the drive on their own. The catch is that plenty of “Cotswolds” hotel lists quietly pad themselves out with places in Bath, Oxford or the edge of Bristol. Everything below sits properly inside the Cotswolds, and we have checked each one is open and taking bookings (at the time of writing).
New to the area? Our complete Cotswolds visitor guide sets out how the region fits together, and where to stay in the Cotswolds covers the towns to base yourself in.
The Lygon Arms, Broadway
A former coaching inn on the broad high street of Broadway, the Lygon Arms has been putting up travellers since the 14th century, with Charles I and Oliver Cromwell both on the guest list. Today it is a polished luxury hotel with a spa, an indoor pool and a proper sense of history in the beamed lounges. If you want the classic Cotswolds show village on your doorstep, this is the address.
Check availability at the Lygon Arms
Lords of the Manor, Upper Slaughter
A 17th-century former rectory set in eight acres of gardens and parkland in Upper Slaughter, one of the quietest of the famous villages. Lords of the Manor has long been known for its fine dining, and the restaurant holds three AA rosettes. This is the one for a special-occasion dinner with rooms above it, deep in the valley of the Slaughters.
Check availability at Lords of the Manor
The Slaughters Manor House, Lower Slaughter
A few minutes away in Lower Slaughter, the Slaughters Manor House is a 17th-century manor with contemporary interiors, a smart restaurant and grounds running down towards the River Eye. It pairs naturally with a walk between the two Slaughters, two of the prettiest and most photographed villages in England.
Check availability at the Slaughters Manor House
The Swan, Bibury
The ivy-clad Swan sits right on the River Coln in Bibury, the village William Morris called the most beautiful in England. A former coaching inn turned country hotel, it is about as quintessentially Cotswolds as a stay gets, with Arlington Row a short stroll along the river. Worth booking well ahead in summer.
Check availability at the Swan
The Hare and Hounds, near Tetbury
A country hotel set in gardens and woodland beside Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, a couple of miles from the handsome wool town of Tetbury. Part of the same family of Cotswold hotels as the Swan in Bibury, it has a smart restaurant and a cosy log-fire bar, and makes a relaxed base for the southern Cotswolds, with Highgrove and Cirencester within easy reach.
Check availability at the Hare and Hounds
Cowley Manor Experimental, near Cheltenham
Reopened in 2023 by the Experimental Group, Cowley Manor Experimental brought a bold, design-led feel to a Victorian manor set in 55 acres near Cheltenham, with the well-regarded C-Side spa. It is the most contemporary choice on this list, and a good one if classic chintz is not your thing. The estate is often cited as an inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Check availability at Cowley Manor Experimental
HYLL, Chipping Campden
For years this was Charingworth Manor, a 17th-century house in 60 acres of meadow and hillside near Chipping Campden. It reopened in late 2025 under new owners as HYLL, restored and re-branded, with the same long views over the north Cotswolds. The newest stay on this list, and one to watch.
Find and book a luxury stay
These are some of our favourites, but there are many more country-house hotels and spa retreats across the region. Search live availability and prices for luxury hotels in the Cotswolds:
Prefer a private place to yourselves? See our guide to bed and breakfasts in the Cotswolds for something smaller and friendlier, or browse self-catering cottages here.
For where to base yourself and how the region is laid out, see where to stay in the Cotswolds and our complete Cotswolds visitor guide.