Oak House No. 1 Garden View Bedroom
Last weekend, we packed our bags and headed off to Tetbury for a well-earned country break. Here’s our guide to what’s moving and shaking in this most pretty of Cotswolds villages…
Best Way to Travel: by car. Tetbury is easy to reach on the M4 and M5, and you’ll need wheels if you want to drop in on Cotswolds capital Cheltenham or any surrounding villages.
Best Place to Stay: Oak House No 1 on Chipping Street. Owners Gary and Nicola Kennedy have opened out their home as a B&B/guest-house hybrid, guaranteeing a wonderfully unique stay. Huge rooms and impeccable décor will please, but it’s the fantastic service that really seals the deal. You feel more like a family member than paying guest, really – the lavish breakfasts and three course dinner parties round the dining table are not to be missed.
Top Restaurant: The Chef’s Table on Long Street is recommended for real fine dining, with superchef Michael Bedford at the helm. A bistro-style menu will make you remember why classics like chicken kiev and soufflé are, well, classics. There’s also a deli on site, handy for taking some delicious local fare home with you.
Top Bar: The Ormond at Tetbury bar has Georgian styling and a lively atmosphere that befits a much larger place – great for a gear-change after all the hearty walking/antique shopping on offer around the village. Food served at the bar has an impressive local pedigree, too – we loved the twist on the Thai green curry with local summer veg.
Top Tip: walk or bike your way around the surrounding countryside. Any route will do – most like to take a stroll past nearby Highgrove, but we worked out our own way which looped round old rail tracks, crossed a dairy full of quizzical cows and passed under an aerial re-enactment of a WWII dogfight. Take any direction and you’ll find something special – much like Tetbury itself, really!
When Isabel Clift isn’t putting together five minute guides for the TI blog, she can also be found penning pieces on shopping the Paris sales and star-spotting from the silver screen at movie hotels.
Tags: Oak House No. 1, Tetbury, TI Tips
