Guest & Press Reviews

Bruern Cottages, CotswoldsFebruary 2017

Bianca Barrett gets on board with a weekend in the country at this classic country bolthole.

If you live in London, it’s probably safe to say that sometimes it all gets a bit much. From pollution to house prices and blood pressure, everything except annual salaries seem to be on the rise, leaving us feeling exhausted and depleted at the end of a long week. As wonderful as it would be to up sticks and move to a beach hut in Bora Bora, the likelihood of that happening is disappointingly low.

All hope is not lost though, as a short weekend break in Bruern Cottages in Gloucestershire proved. With light and fresh air, marshmallow-like beds and squashy sofas, it was the perfect two-day escape from the rat race and a wonderful reminder sometimes that’s all we need to recharge and reset.

Where is it:

Nestled in the middle of the Cotswolds, the cottages are surrounded by winding country lanes and the rather impressive Bruern Abbey, which stands imperiously across the road. An easy hour and a half by car from west London, it’s very doable for a weekend break. Twenty minutes in the car will get you to the charming local villages of Chipping Norton and Stow on the Wold.

Style: Sitting in a ‘U’ shape around a central manicured lawn, the cottages have breathed life into the old Abbey horse stables. Original features add charm (think stable style doors and original wooden beams) to the Laura Ashley-meets-Liberty country style but crisp white sheets, modern kitchens and power showers stop it all feeling too twee. No two cottages are the same and each has been designed with its own signature style and colour palette. Carefully curated books and pieces of art add charisma, making you feel like you’re in someone’s home rather than a run-of-the-mill holiday house.

bruern-cottages-best-of-the-rest-122a.jpg
 Each cottage is uniquely decorated