Hillside Cottages
Warmington
Warwickshire
If you are in need of a relaxing break, pretty much in the middle of nowhere and not too far from anywhere, Hillside Cottages certainly has many attractions! We stayed just after Easter for a few days and thoroughly benefitted from the peace and quiet. Essentially, there are two semi-detached studio apartments, Lavender and Honeysuckle as well as a detached single storey cottage, Wisteria, set in well maintained, prettily planted gardens, with a big paddock and plenty of parking. And fences have been placed to ensure maximum privacy for each cottage, around its individual outside space.
Barry Powell has created really well designed, totally lovely accommodation. We stayed in Wisteria Cottage. There are nice touches everywhere, enviable wooden fittings and sliding doors to the outside allowing light to really fill the rooms. I caught a couple of stupendous sunrises, wrapped in a furry blanket on a very comfy sofa! The decor is tastefully simple, with no chintz in sight, hurray! And the bed has to be one of the best I have ever rested in, not vast to be sure, but fabulous for sleep and with good quality linen.
And ten out of ten for the bathroom as well: a full on rainforest shower, oodles of hot water and really, really good, a water softener that works. And it was spacious too. The studios have neatly arranged bathrooms, one that looks like a cupboard which opens into a sweet, well thought out shower room. You could call it the Narnia effect! And I loved the under floor heating, it felt indulgent and what’s wrong with that?
The farmhouse style (mini version) kitchen area is part of the sitting room, as is so often the way in modern apartments and it does make for easy living. Wisteria Cottage has a handy breakfast bar, the perfect height and shape for my laptop, which worked a treat with the easy to use Wifi, no codes and no faffing. Absolute joy. You could have easily made a simple meal or two with the kitchen equipment but why bother when there are so many places keen to feed you, close by?
Warmington itself has a pleasant pub, with traditional food. They did a great ham, egg and chips as well as a perfectly serviceable Merlot and real ale for himself. We ventured to Farnborough and ate at The Inn there. It was a treat and to be recommended, I’d like to go there again on a balmy summer’s evening and sit outside. Which is what we did at The Antelope in Lighthorne, although jackets were needed. This is a part of the country which is replete with pretty villages, good pubs and inns set in attractive countryside. It’s also close to Stratford on Avon, always a delight, especially if you can visit the RSC but escape the tourists. Which is precisely where the lovely Hillside Cottages come in: a refuge from the hustle bustle of busy life.
Hillside Cottages: http://holidayincotswolds.co.uk/
