Asthall is tucked away on a road that runs parallel to the A40 to the south, i reached it by turning left in the middle of nearby Burford and by following the River Windrush soon found myself in the village with the Maytime Inn in its centre.
Manager Andrew offered a very warm welcome and showed me to my room , . The Saddlers Room a converted stable in what was originally a 17th Century Coaching Inn.
Complimentary coffee facilities were available complete with a minature bottle of fresh milk, a welcome change from those little foil capped capsules you find in most places.
But it was a cold february night and I needed more than coffee so quickly found myself heading for the bar where there was a warm fire and a well stocked bar, and when I say well stocked i mean well stocked.
The Maytime has over 60 different gins of which manager Andrew is very knowledgable , there is even a seperate gin list. I started with a Bavarian Gin called Monkey 47, I tried a couple of others before enjoying a starter of crispy thai salad with plenty of warming red chillies.
Even though it was a cold february night the combination of an open fire,German Gin and red chillies meant i was glowing both inside and out .
A main course of a perfectly cooked rib eye steak and a slice of classic treacle tart and I was very content and ready for my bed.
Now owner Dominic and manager Andrew were very lucky that i was not driving a large van as it would have been very difficult of me to resist helping my self tp the bedroom furniture, big sturdy chests like those that graced ocean going liners, i would probably have taken the Egyptian cotton sheets as well.
One of the things you find in may hotels are the sort of showers you dont find at home,my room was no exception a giant of a shower you could have held a dinner party in it.
A great nights sleep was followed by a proper English breakfast served by two very pleasant smiley ladies.
So the Maytime Inn , great for a night or a longer stay if you want to explore this eastern edge of the Cotswolds with its great network of footpaths or perhaps pop along the road and have a day in Oxford.
