The Rectory Hotel
Best of British
Winsome walled grounds
Once upon a time, a rector and his 14 children had the original rectory all to themselves – these days, we can all rock up to The Rectory Hotel (praise be). Items worth giving thanks for include: the romantic rooms with their field-and-village views, the excellent restaurant, the al fresco pool and the thoughtful extras, from the relaxed service to the just-baked cakes. Of course, the Cotswolds countryside (and its snug-as-a-bug pubs) isn’t half bad, either…
Facilities
Номера
Eighteen.
Checkout
11am; earliest check-in, 3pm. (Both are flexible, subject to availability.)
Больше сведений
Rates usually include a generous buffet breakfast featuring home-made granola, muesli, toast, cereals, fruit salad, crème fraîche, yoghurts and the ilk. If you’re still hungry for more, order from the a la carte menu (options are £12.50 each).
Also
The communal areas on the ground floor are suited to wheelchair-users; that said, there are no wheelchair-friendly toilets.
Бесплатный доступ в интернет
Прачечная
Рестораны на территории
Обслуживание в номерах
At the Hotel
Walled grounds; free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, marshmallow-soft bathrobes, Bramley bath products, tea- and coffee-making kit, fresh milk, home-made biscuits. Some rooms also have a retro Roberts Radio.
Our Favourite Rooms
Thanks to the historic building and its characterful irregularities, each of the Rectory’s rooms differs in shape and feel. Room 11 is particularly lovely, thanks to its top-floor perch and garden views. The roll-top bath tub in the bedroom and the village views through the large sash windows are the icing on the (Victoria sponge) cake. Make the most of the bathroom’s stash of muscle-wooing lavender bath salts while you’re here…
Poolside
In the summer months, expect to while away a lot of time in the outdoor heated pool, which is equipped with an honesty bar and a telephone for ad-hoc guest requests.
Packing Tips
Accessorise with a dog: it will complete your country-casual look. If you’re not a fan of man’s best friend or don’t have easy access to a hound (we’re not suggesting you steal one), bring a couple of good reads, some cosy cashmere and a spiffing British cologne: a Penhaligon’s elixir, perhaps.
Also
The hotel’s restaurant gets booked up in advance; to avoid tantrums, arrange your own table asap. (The same goes for the Rectory Hotel’s sister property, the Potting Shed Pub.) Rooms are stocked with tea, coffee, fresh milk and home-made shortbread.
Дети
This hotel is designed for grown-ups, but well-behaved little ’uns can come too, as long as they’re supervised. Extra beds can only be added to some rooms, so ask at time of booking if you're bringing little Smiths along.
Галерея
Food & Drink
Top Table
The restaurant’s Glasshouse conservatory is a winsome setting for meals: by day, it’s lavished with natural light; by night, it flickers with candles.
Дресс-код
Slippers and a smile at breakfast; something a little more formal for dinner.
Hotel Restaurant
Traditional but unstuffy – and decidedly delicious – British fare is served in the laid-back restaurant: sink your teeth into beef Wellington, wild-boar steak, local crayfish, clams with seaweed butter, Florentine doughnuts or dark-chocolate marquise with candied hazelnuts, for example. A cheese trolley adds a pleasingly theatrical flourish.
Hotel Bar
The bottle-green bar with its snug corners and inviting velvet sofas is definitely designed for convivial lounging. There’s an impeccable gin and wine selection and a cocktail list that ticks off all the classics (you could also try a local ale or cider). If you’re peckish, order from the restaurant menu, or nibble on olives, nuts and bar snacks.
Last Orders
The bar has a 24-hour license. Breakfast is served between 7.30am and 10.30am, lunch from noon until 2.30pm, and dinner between 6pm and 10pm. In summer months, food is also served outside from noon until 10pm.
Room Service
A full menu is available during restaurant hours, but the kitchen can usually magic up a sandwich, salad or omelette if you’re peckish at peculiar times.
Planes
Bristol Airport is a 70-minute drive away; London Heathrow is an hour and a half from the hotel by car. (Let Smith24 sort your flights and transfers.)
Trains
Kemble station is three miles from the hotel. It takes around 70 minutes to get here from London Paddington (www.gwr.com).
Automobiles
The hotel is a 10-minute drive from the town of Cirencester; the hotel has plenty of on-site parking space.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Post-breakfast at the Rectory, go for a ramble in the grounds and seek out the Grade II-listed dovecote, which dates back to the 13th century. Next, pootle around the dinky village of Crudwell, admiring All Saints Church and the village’s historic architecture. Back at the hotel, borrow a magazine and snuggle up by the fire with a slice of just-baked cake. Try horse riding and clay-pigeon shooting near the hotel (obliging staff can arrange either). Sample the region’s bountiful produce at the Stroud Farmers' Market. Browse antiques at Lorfords Antique Emporium in Tetbury or roam around Stow-on-the-Wold: the Cotswolds' epicentre for antiques. (Perusing the shops of Burford, Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh is just as enjoyable.) Westonbirt Arboretum has one of the world’s most spectacular tree collections. You can happily spend a day kicking up leaves and gazing at the staggeringly tall redwoods. Take a picnic – and binoculars for some top twitching. Malmesbury Abbey is the oldest abbey in England; ambling around the town there is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Go for a helicopter ride or aerobatic flight at nearby Kemble airfield, or try your hand at piloting a light aircraft.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
