The Swan, Ascott-under-Wychwood, Cotswolds, UK - Explore & Book
"The Cotswolds gastropub was in danger of becoming a cliché: snuggly candlelit bar, yellowing limestone walls (ivy draping optional), Range Rovers parked outside, Hunter wellies parked inside. So it's heartening to find that The Swan is offering such a fun and fresh twist on the formula - innovative dinner dishes, truly friendly service, bedrooms which burst with character. They carefully chose Ascott-under-Wychwood, a just-below-radar village with all the requisite Cotswold ingredients, but not quite as instagrammable as the Slaughters. Hence, perhaps, the happy mix of locals and weekending Londoners chatting at the bar when we visited. Grab a pint of Hooky in the suntrap patio, or settle down in the cosy wallpapered dining room for a menu packed with unusual ingredients and winning combinations. Think triple hamburger with toffee apple sauce, or raw grains and chermoula chicken for the more health-conscious, followed by spiced coconut cake with chilli'd sorbet. Then stumble upstairs into bed - deeply comfy, of course, with stacks of pillows, rolltop baths, rich Farrow hues, and wonky beams aplenty. Highs A winning combination of good food, cosy bar, comfy bedrooms and sub-two-hour access from almost anywhere in southern England We loved the courtyard garden, with its covered eaves for al fresco dining lending a quasi Mediterranean feel This would be a great venue for a party of friends, with its private "feasting" hall for hire Many of the meats, dairy and other ingredients are locally sourced, and it shows Families can book a split-level suite for 4; there's a nice kids' menu, and dogs are welcome in some rooms Lows Ascott-under-Wychwood is not a pin-up Cotswold village; it's what you might call B-list pretty Be aware that some breakfast items cost extra Higher rooms can get hot in midsummer (there's no A/C, only fans) Expect some gentle hubbub at weekends drifting up from the courtyard (until 11ish) We haven't yet seen the 3 adjacent new suites in person, but they look great in the photos" - Michael Cullen
