I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started planning my 102-mile hike along the Cotswold Way in England. I just knew I wanted to get away and spend 10 days in nature experiencing the beauty of the Cotswolds. I’m not a hiker by any means, but when I heard about this trail, it seemed manageable. I knew that if I was able to stay in a hotel every night and get a beer at the pub at the end of a long day, that I could make it through anything. My husband, Chris, joined me and we did very minimal training for the hike. Looking back, I wish I’d trained a bit more but we still came out alive and I’d even do it again! The scenery was breathtaking and it was absolutely the break I needed away from the hustle and bustle of life. We walked through hundreds of acres of farmland, walked by thousands of sheep, watched the sunset over the gorgeous green fields, tried fish & chips at the local pubs and somehow, we only got stuck in a rainstorm once! We went in mid-May which is known to be one of the drier months in the Cotswolds, not to mention, most of the spring flowers are still in bloom and the landscape is incredibly green and lush. I’ve already decided that one day when I retire, I plan to move to the Cotswolds and live in a perfect little farmhouse covered in roses and ivy. It took us 10 days to hike the trail and we didn’t take a single day off. If I were to hike the trail again, I would definitely take day off to rest in the middle, likely in the adorable town of Painswick.
I actually have a full guide that you can download for free over on my photography blog, if you’re looking for more tips about what to pack, how to plan your trip, and what not to miss along your hike! We even made a full video series about our hike over on my YouTube channel here! Now, I wanted to share the hotels we stayed in along the way. I spent a LOT of time researching the hotels before our trip and realized there weren’t that many options in most of the towns. These towns are TINY. As in, one pub, one coffee shop, one street. You truly are in the middle of nowhere. The locals are so kind though and you will get the authentic Cotswold experience. I hope this helps you with your trip planning! I’m going to share the hotels in order from Chipping Campden (where you’ll start the hike) to Bath, England. However, you can definitely start in Bath and end in Chipping Campden, it’s totally up to you! We just found it a bit more exciting to end in Bath, spend a day at the spa, and take a few days to explore the beautiful city.
If you’re starting out in London like we did, here are a few hotel recommendations!
LONDON HOTELS:
Montcalm Piccadilly Townhouse, London West End– (where we stayed) 4 star
This hotel was in a great area, close to tons of food and shopping, and even had a cute little coffee shop called Gail’s attached! It was super convenient to be able to grab a coffee and croissant right when we woke up, especially being jetlagged! The rooms were incredibly clean and felt a little fancy, which was much appreciated after our long trip from the US. The room was somewhat small, but we don’t mind since we don’t spend much time in the room anyway. Overall, I would stay there again because the price was great for what we got.
Athena Hotel – (where we stayed in London after our hike) – 3 star
This hotel wasn’t quite as fancy at the Montcalm Piccadilly, but it was clean, which is what I care about the most. It was a bit off of the main strip but we were still able to walk to all of the things we wanted to see. London is surprisingly walkable and the tube can really get you anywhere you need to go. I’d probably choose to stay in the Montcalm Piccadilly over the Athena, but if you’re working with a budget, the Athena is totally acceptable and a clean place to lay your head at night.
LUXURY HOTELS:
Hazlitt’s Hotel – 4-star
The Resident Soho – 4-star
The Soho Hotel, Firmdale– 5-star
RECOMMENDED LONDON TOURS:
Harry Potter Warner Bros. Tour
One of the highlights of our trip! You can check out my full blog post about this tour here!
Ghost Ghouls & Gallows Boat Tour
A great way to incorporate a boat ride and spooky historical stories about London. Check out my full blog post about this tour here!
Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Guided Tour of London
River Cruise on the Thames
DAY ONE – LONDON TO CHIPPING CAMPDEN TO BROADWAY
6 miles
Take a morning train from London Paddington Station to Moreton-in-Marsh Station. You can also take the train to Stratford-upon-Avon and then take a bus from there if you’d prefer. We took a 10:53am train with arrival at 12:22pm, but I’d recommend taking an earlier train to have more time to hike to Broadway. We booked our train tickets to and from London directly with the GWR (Great Western Railway) website. Buy the “Two together” rail pass if you’re hiking with someone to save money – GWR.com. Or you can book through OMIO and use the code OMIONEW25 for 10% off for new customers. Their app is super easy to use and keeps all your tickets in one place if you’re traveling amongst multiple countries in Europe.
Take the Robin bus from the town of Moreton-in-Marsh to the town of Chipping Campden where you will begin the hike. There’s an app called The Robin that you can use to track the bus and buy tickets, but it was not working for us. We got lucky and there was a Stagecoach bus (the local standard bus) waiting at the bus stop right outside the train station and we hopped on and bought a ticket to Chipping Campden from the bus driver. It was about a 40-45 minute bus ride and we were dropped off right next to the starting point for the Cotswold Way trail. I believe the Stagecoach buses run every 2 hours and might not run as often on Sundays, so keep that in mind!
HIKER’S TIP:
If you decide to stay a night in Chipping Campden before beginning the hike, I’d recommend the Cotswold House Hotel or The Bantam Tea Rooms & Guest House!
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Crown & Trumpet Inn (where we stayed – budget option) – 3-star – Check-in: 1:30-8:00 pm
We were SO excited when we finally saw the Crown & Trumpet inn in front of us. It had been such a long day traveling from London to Chipping Campden to Broadway. Our feet hurt, we were starving, and we couldn’t wait to take our backpacks and hiking shoes off. The Crown & Trumpet inn is old and historic, which you can tell by the crooked floors and quirky building. But it was such a gem to start off our trip. We were sad that we missed dinner because we arrived too late, but we were able to grab dinner at a restaurant just up the street called The Swan. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable, so that was all we really needed! It was a cute place overall and a great place to start off our trip because it was exactly what I had envisioned. We learned to make sure we arrive at the inns before 6 or 7 so that we could make sure we get dinner and drinks before the pubs in the bottom of the inns close.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Broadway Hotel – 3-star
The Lygon Arms – 4-star
Abbots Grange Manor – 5-star
DAY TWO: BROADWAY TO WINCHCOMBE
11.9 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
The White Hart Inn (where we stayed)- 2-star – Better than we expected! Check-in: 3:00 pm
When I was booking all of my hotels, this is the one that I wasn’t quite sure about. The photos just didn’t do it justice though! It had an adorable, cozy pub in the bottom, the food was delicious, and the room was super clean. It had a traditional english inn vibe, similar to the Crown & Trumpet Inn. There’s nothing quite like fish and chips and a beer at the end of a long hiking day! There was a cozy fireplace too, and I discovered that dogs are allowed in the pubs and it just added to the quaintness of the whole experience.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Lion Inn (very limited hotels in this area – book EARLY)
There is actually a campsite that is close to Hailes Abbey & Church called Hayles Fruit Farm if you prefer not to hike as far as Winchcombe
DAY THREE: WINCHCOMBE TO CLEEVE HILL
5.6 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Rising Sun Hotel by Greene King Inns (where we stayed) 3- staR
The Rising Sun Hotel definitely had the best view out of all of the hotels we stayed in. It’s located on the top of Cleeve Hill and has a lovely picnic area to watch the sunset. The food wasn’t incredible, but it had the traditional english fare like fish & chips and various meat pies. We were exhausted when we arrived so we really enjoyed sipping a drink while we gazed at the view. The room wasn’t anything special either, but it was clean. All of the hotels on our journey were sparkling clean, so that is definitely something I’m not used to after coming from the US. Overall though, I would definitely stay here again just for the view!
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Cleeve Hill Hotel – 4-star
TIP: Very limited hotel options so book EARLY!
DAY FOUR: CLEEVE HILL TO BIRDLIP
15.8 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Royal George Birdlip by Greene King Inns (where we stayed) –Check-in: 3:00 pm
The trek to the Royal George was one of our longest hiking days, so when we emerged from the woods and saw this beautiful building and glistening picnic area, it almost felt like we were in heaven. I still remember sipping my aperol spritz as I watched tiny bugs flit around as the sun set. The room was bigger than some of the previous hotel rooms, and felt fancier than any of the hotels we’d experienced up until that point. There’s really nowhere else to stay in the this town, so make sure to book your room early! There is a lovely pub and restaurant in the bottom. This hotel is actually owned by the same company that owns the Rising Sun Hotel, so the menu is exactly the same. There is a decent amount of options on the menu, it just felt more like “hotel food” than some of the other meals we had along our journey.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
George Hotel – Cheltenham – (3 miles off trail)
Big Skies Cotswold Glamping – about halfway through the hike for the day – would be a great place to stay if you didn’t want to hike the full distance this day
TIP: Limited hotel options in this area, book EARLY
DAY FIVE: BIRDLIP TO PAINSWICK
8.6 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
St. Michael’s Restaurant and Rooms (where we stayed) – 4-star- Check-in: 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
You can book this hotel directly through their website. We stayed in the Indian room which had a beautiful view of the church in the center of town. This hotel is owned by a couple who also run the restaurant. This is more of a unique experience, similar to an Airbnb. If you’d prefer a more traditional hotel, I’d go with one of the options below. Our room was stunning though, and the bathroom was incredibly unique. This hotel is very central and walkable to everything else in the town. Painswick was my favorite town along our hike and I wish we had stayed another day. Make sure you grab dinner at the restaurant, as it’s known for some of the best food in town! There are quite a few restaurants to choose from, so we actually ended up bar-hopping a little bit. Definitely try a gin & tonic while you’re hiking in the Cotswolds. The local gin in England is amazing!
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Falcon Inn– 4-star
The Painswick Hotel – 4-star
DAY SIX: PAINSWICK TO STONEHOUSE
9.5 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Stonehouse Court Hotel (where we stayed) – about 1 mile off the trail – Check-in: 3:00 pm
This was one of my favorite hotels of the whole trail. It was stunning and the food at the restaurant was incredible. There is a beautiful and haunting stone building near the river behind the hotel, so don’t miss it! When I arrived at Stonehouse Court Hotel, I was feeling a bit dehydrated and they accidentally booked us a room that was already in use. They ended up upgrading us to a suite, and it was an absolutely stunning and magical experience. The hotel itself feels somewhat ghostly and there is obviously a lot of history behind it. I’ll forever remember this hotel because it was so special. I’m still dreaming about the bread, butter, pie and soup I had there. It was one of the best meals of my life!
TIP: Limited hotel options in this area, book EARLY!
DAY SEVEN: STONEHOUSE TO WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE
14.5 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Swan Hotel (where we stayed) – Check-in: 3:00 pm – If arriving after 9pm, contact the hotel directly beforehand
The Swan Hotel might have been one of my least favorite hotels that we stayed inn. The food just wasn’t great and the room was small. It was still clean though, which matters the most. But I just wasn’t thrilled with the experience overall. There aren’t any other hotel options in this area though, so you don’t have a choice. Maybe we were just having an off night, as there wasn’t really anything specifically wrong with it. Maybe it’s because we were just coming off of a high from the Stonehouse Court hotel!
TIP: No other hotel options in this area, book EARLY!
DAY EIGHT: WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE TO TORMARTON
15.1 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Best Western Compass Inn (where we stayed) 3-star – Check-in: 2:00 pm
I was a little nervous about booking a Best Western hotel because I wanted to steer clear of anything that reminded me of hotels in the US. But the Compass Inn still had a quaint, locals vibe and the dinner was quite delicious. There weren’t any other restaurants close-by without getting an Uber. I still think about the dessert I had there though! The rooms were cute, spacious, and clean. It didn’t necessarily feel fancy or upscale in any way, but it was good enough for us! We had a great time here, meeting people in the pub and chatting with the staff. It’s really the only hotel option in the area unless you wanted to stop a little sooner at the Dog Inn in Old Sodbury.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Dog Inn – 3-star – Old Sodbury
TIP: Limited hotel options, book EARLY!
DAY NINE: TORMARTON TO COLD ASHTON
6.6 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Toghill House Farm (where we stayed) – Check-in: 3:30 pm
The Toghill house farm is a stunning bed & breakfast and another one of our favorites from the hike. We got lucky and ended up in the attic room, which was incredibly stylized and comfy. There was a beautiful clawfoot bathtub and a gorgeous view of the farmland around us. We wandered the property a bit and met a gorgeous black horse. There isn’t really anywhere else to stay around this location and it’s quite difficult to get to though. Make sure to follow the walking directions the hotel will send to you. There is a free homemade English breakfast included too! This is really more of a B&B and you’ll get to know the owner and family quickly. Such a memorable experience towards the end of our hike. We even made some friends that were also hiking the trail!
DAY TEN: COLD ASHTON TO BATH!
10.2 miles
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Oldfield’s House (where we stayed) – 4-star – Check-in: 2:00 pm
I was incredibly excited to stay at a 5-star hotel in Bath at the end of our hike. The Oldfield’s House is a bit off the beaten path and up a hill (which was not ideal at the end of a 102 mile hike), but it was a great price and had an incredible view of the city. The staff went above and beyond and treated us like kings and queens. However, the room was a bit disappointing. We had a choice of two rooms, one was in the basement with no windows and the other was in the attic and was stuffy and smelled strange. However, I think we arrived too late in the day and that is what was left. The house itself is stunning and we loved having a drink in the lounge as we watched the sunset. The room we stayed in looked pretty, but the bathroom needed to be updated and smell taken care of. If I stayed here again, I would make sure to communicate with them which room I’d be getting. It was nice being treated so nicely though and we couldn’t beat the price!
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Francis Hotel– 4-star
Leighton House – 5-star
The Gainsborough Bath– 5-star
I hope this helped you in your search for affordable hotels along the Cotswold Way! I still look back on every single one of these hotels fondly because they were all so individually unique. There simply aren’t hotels like these in the United States unless you stay in B&Bs. We met so many lovely people and I came home raving about our trip to my family and friends. I hope I get the change to hike the trail again one day! Don’t forget to check out my full guide for hiking the trail, and make sure to watch our video series on my YouTube channel where we documented every moment of our hike!
Thanks so much for reading!
❤ Myles Katherine
C'est le Brie 