Last year we had one of the loveliest and cosiest overnight stays we’ve ever had in the Cotswolds, at wonderful Charingworth Manor just outside Chipping Campden. We arrived at the hotel on a cold day in March and were so happy to be showed into a warm lounge and seated next to the lit fireplace. We were about to enjoy the hotel’s Champagne Afternoon Tea and we were in for a real sweet treat. Read about our experience HERE.

 

 

Stunning views and a warm, cosy feel

Following our afternoon tea, we were shown to our room, and what a wonderful room it was with stunning views over the gardens, a warm feel, and a welcome basket to rival all others. We always love that bit of time right when we’re shown to a lovely hotel room when we settle in, take in the views, and relax a bit before we go on with whatever is next. On this stay, the settling in included cake (even with the amazing afternoon tea we had just enjoyed, I found room for these scrummy little bite-sized pieces of cake that were part of the welcome to our room) and an amazing basket of goodies from local suppliers like The Cotswolds Distillery and Cotswold Gold. A truly wonderful welcome.

 

 

A walk in the beautiful grounds

With all the cake, champagne, coffee, and total loveliness we’d enjoyed, it was time for a bit of movement, so we braved the weather and ventured outside for a walk in the grounds. Wonderful. Even on a slushy, wet winter’s afternoon, the Charingworth Manor gardens and surrounding views are stunning, and we enjoyed our outdoor time so much… not enough to stay much more than 20 minutes, mind you, but that was mostly because a visit to the spa was next.

 

 

From the cold and wet outside, to the warm and wet of the spa at Charingworth Manor. Ahhh. We started out in the lovely pool with a swim, but quickly moved on to the sauna and steam room. The perfect end to the afternoon.

 

The most wonderful dining experience

In the evening we dined in the hotel’s lovely, intimate restaurant. Low ceilings, lovely little nooks and corners, and the friendliest service imaginable… such is the setting in the John Greville Restaurant at Charingworth Manor. And with a menu that is a mix of traditional dishes, all created using locally sourced produce and seasonal ingredients, and the end result is one of the most wonderful dining experiences you can find in the Cotswolds.

Among the starter selection, we chose the cream of mushroom soup, and the smoked mackerel and trout terrine. Absolutely delicious, generous starter portions and the perfect start to a perfect dinner experience. Our mains were the unbelievably delicious slow cooked blade of beef and the most perfect ribeye steak. Now, at this point we were so full (don’t forget, we’d started in the early afternoon with the amazing afternoon tea followed by the welcome basket cakes), but there was sticky toffee pudding AND Pannacotta on the dessert menu, so…………. you see where this is going, yes?

 

 

There’s always room for pudding

We so enjoyed our desserts. I simply cannot resist a sticky toffee pudding and my second choice will always be a Pannacotta… I was in pudding heaven. But when we had enjoyed our desserts and the lovely waiter came over to offer us coffees and after-dinner sweet treats, we simply couldn’t. So, we thanked everyone for the most wonderful dinner and rolled up to our room, threw ourselves on the bed in pain and agony, we were so full. 10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. The lovely waiter from the restaurant was at the door with a tray full of coffee, tea and the aforementioned after-dinner sweet treats. We couldn’t believe it.. how completely fabulous was he? He didn’t want us to miss out on anything, so he had taken it upon himself to bring us the final part of the Charingworth Manor dinner experience for us to finish in our room. So, we did….. I don’t know how we found room for it, but I think we truly the discovered what the Japanese call “betsubara”, composed of betsu (separate) and bara (stomach), literally meaning that your body has a second stomach for sweets, which essentially means “there’s always room for pudding” (in this case “second pudding”).

 

 

A Completely Perfect Stay at Charingworth Manor

Dining and all the culinary offerings at Charingworth Manor are an experience A completely wonderful one. Breakfast in the morning was perfect too, and a completely wonderful finish to a wonderful stay. We can’t wait to go back to Charingworth Manor again. Book your stay HERE.

Mette ♡‬