House of George Hotel

The Cotswolds

Honey-coloured cottages, rolling countryside and a deep devotion to British produce already make the Cotswolds a year-round destination. Now there’s a fresh reason to visit: House of George, a ten-bed retreat with fine-dining in the handsome village of Broadway. The 17th-century limestone building has undergone a four-year renovation thanks to retail heavyweight George Davies.

The restaurant, Moda, is the hotel’s crowning glory, with chef James Wilson in charge of the kitchen. His impressive CV includes Grön and Palace in Helsinki, Oaxen Krog in Stockholm and, more recently, The Newt in Somerset. Drawing on Scandinavian practices of foraging and a love of British seasonality, the nine-course tasting menu delves into succulent duck with boudin noir and silky squash; Jerusalem artichoke and red mullet topped with premium caviar, and James’s signature hand-cut beef tartare, enlivened with hay-smoked oil and wild garlic. Plant-based diners will find a vegan menu of equal standing: cauliflower and pine tartlet, spelt porridge with mushrooms and nettle, and a delicate dessert of blackberry, meadowsweet and vanilla. As the night draws in, cosy up with a nightcap in the fire-lit snug – winter at its best.

Words by Megan Dickson. Photography by Matt Austin and Rob James. Doubles from £250, including breakfast.