The Crown at Church Enstone Hotel

Cotswold, England

Exposed oak beams, flagstone floor, inglenook fireplace, photogenic village and rolling countryside on the doorstep… So far, so Cotswolds. Add to that interiors decked out in inky blues and soft greens and hand-blocked wallpapers and fabrics by Rapture & Wright, with Turkish kilims underfoot, and you know you’re in safe hands. After all, the husband and wife team behind the refurb of The Crown at Church Enstone have form: following up successes at The Kingham Plough and The Hare at Milton-under-Wychwood nearby, Matt and Katie Beamish have gone all out to recreate a homely vibe.

Wander through the plant-filled garden room for a moment in the walled, cottage garden, but bear in mind you may need to work up an appetite for a menu of classic, elevated British pub fare. Confit duck leg, butterbean and smoked lardon cassoulet with gremolata, followed by green apple and cinnamon crumble, crème anglaise could be on the cards – with meat, eggs, fruit and veg courtesy of local
farms and suppliers and charcuterie from Salt Pig down the road in Chipping Norton. Up in the five bedrooms, comfort in the form of Ambassador mattresses, crisp linen and cosy armchairs seal the deal.

If you’re up for The Crown Full English in the morning – with homemade breads, local jams and honey in the mix – you may want to borrow a circular walking map after and head out for a brisk 90-minute hike to Soho Farmhouse, or just wander the village, with its noteworthy 12th-century Saxon church.

Doubles from £130 including breakfast. 01608 677262, crowninnenstone.co.uk

Words by Liz Atkins.

This review was taken from the 250th issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.