To the manor born
If you have somehow failed to acquire a wealthy benevolent friend with a property in the heart of the Cotswolds, turn your attention to Foxhill Manor. This eight-room Arts and Crafts mansion now operates as a private house hotel. There’s nothing so formal as a reception desk here – guests are greeted with a glass of champagne and an invitation to kick back in the drawing room. And there’s no restaurant menu either. Instead, diners head to the kitchen for a chat with chef Curtis Stewart, who takes into account any culinary whims then rustles up a personalised four-course menu. Dishes feature a winning mix of local ingredients and exotic imports, all served with admirable fair. Such attention to detail extends well beyond the dining room. Each of the rooms has a distinctive look and although fttings are appropriately expensive (four posters, roll-top baths and the like), the overall look is relaxed, with shelves stacked with carefully-chosen books. Should you muster the motivation to venture out, the spa at sister hotel Dormy House is just up the road. Alternatively, it’s a half hour walk to the village of Broadway, whose high street seems to consist entirely of pleasant places to have lunch or buy antiques.
5 Guests at Foxhill Manor are invited to use the living areas as they would in their own home