Calcot In the Cotswolds – A Lovely Rural Escape From The Daily Grind

Calcot, formerly known as Calcot Manor, is part of the Calcot Collection, a portfolio of properties that boasts Barnsley House, The Village Pub and The Painswick, as well as Northumberland’s Lord Crewe Arms

Sitting on one of the highest points of the Cotswolds, Calcot is steeped in history, dating as far back as the 14th century when the Tithe Barn was built by monks from the Cistercian Abbey at Kingswood.

Originally opened as a seven-bed hotel in 1983, there are still only 35 luxurious rooms and suites in its current guise, and therefore offers an intimate and sophisticated setting.

We stayed in “Woodchester”, one of Calcot’s two large family suites which take the form of a two-storey converted cottage with its own front garden and outdoor terrace, creating a “home from home” feeling. Guests are greeted by a cosy and rustic interior where a king bed dressed in crisp white sheets is overlooked by a wooden stag’s head. The main area is also furnished with a well-stocked mini-bar including fresh milk for coffee and tea, a flatscreen TV, a writing desk and soft seating. There are separate doors leading to another small room housing a bunk bed and TV for children, and to a downstairs toilet, meaning that there is enough space for all.

A wooden staircase gives access to the upper floor where there is a double bath and a standalone shower, twin sinks lined with beautifully-scented toiletries from Aromatherapy Associates, and roof windows offering views over the hotel’s central and picturesque courtyard.

At Calcot, there are many activities for residents to stay entertained and healthy. With so many acres belonging to this property, visitors are free to meander along the two-mile trail, and bikes for adults and kids available to hire at no extra charge.

In addition, there are two tennis courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, plus a well-equipped gymnasium. For a more slow-paced and relaxing experience, which we settled for, guests can relax at the 17,000 square foot Calcot Spa.

Here you will find an eight-seater open-air hot tub where you can sip ice-cold champagne and be serenaded by the scents of the adjacent log fire. The upper floor of the spa has a sauna, steam room and beds where you can lie back and sip chilled cucumber and lemon-infused water.

Although we didn’t have the chance to sample them, there a number of treatments provided by the Calcot Spa.