Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
small-paned windows, it has been frequently modernized. Rooms are midsize and
cozy, much like something you'd find in the home of your favorite great-aunt.
Victoria St., Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 2BX. www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/
bourton-water.
&
01451/820082.
Fax 01451/810381. 15 units. £90-£110 double. Rates include English
breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar.
In room:
TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
Side Trips from Bourton-on-the-Water
UPPER & LOWER SLAUGHTER
Nestled between Bourton-on-the-Water (2 miles) and Stow-on-the-Wold (4 miles) are
two of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds: Upper and Lower Slaughter. Don't be
put off by the name—“Slaughter” is actually a corruption of
de Sclotre,
the name of the
original Norman landowner. Houses here are constructed of the usual russet-colored
Cotswold stone, and a stream meanders right through the center of Lower Slaughter,
providing a home for free-wandering ducks, which beg scraps from kindly passersby.
The only conventional “sight” here is the
Old Mill
in Lower Slaughter (
&
01451/
820052;
www.oldmill-lowerslaughter.com), a sturdy 19th-century stone structure
built on the River Eye with the sole purpose of grinding out flour. Entrance to the mill
costs £1.25 for adults, and 50p for children 5 to 15, which also includes an ice-cream
parlor and tearoom (daily 10am-6pm).
To reach Lower Slaughter from Bourton-on-the-Water, head west along Lansdowne
Road, turning right (north) onto the A436; after a short distance, you'll see a signpost
pointing left into Lower Slaughter along an unmarked road. The walk along the river
to Upper Slaughter takes around 1 hour (see “The Great Cotswold ramble”, above).
Where to Eat & Stay
Lords of the Manor Hotel
A 17th-century manor house set on several
acres of rolling fields, the Lords of the Manor successfully maintains the quiet
country-house atmosphere of 300 years ago. Set within gardens with a stream featur-
ing brown trout, it offers luxurious, modern rooms and exceptional service. Half the
rooms are in a converted old barn and granary, and many have heart-melting views.
Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire GL54 2JD. www.lordsofthemanor.com.
&
01451/820243.
Fax 01451/
820696. 27 units. £195-£320 double; £380 suite. Rates include half-board. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; room service.
In room:
TV/DVD, hair dryer, minibar, MP3 docking station.
Lower Slaughter Manor
This is another atmospheric country inn with spa-
cious and sumptuously furnished rooms, some with four-poster beds. Bedrooms in
the main building have more old English character, although those in the annex are
equally comfortable and include the same luxuries. The hotel dates from 1658, when
it was owned by Sir George Whitmore, high sheriff of Gloucestershire.
Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire GL54 2HP. www.lowerslaughter.co.uk.
&
01451/820456.
Fax
01451/822150. 19 units. £230-£310 double; £370-£450 suite. Rates include English breakfast. AE, DC,
MC, V. No children 11 and under.
Amenities:
Restaurant; lounge; room service; tennis court.
In room:
TV,
hair dryer, Internet (free).
11
STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
21 miles S of Stratford-upon-Avon; 9 miles SE of Broadway; 10 miles S of Chipping Campden; 4 miles S
of Moreton-in-Marsh
Straggling along the top of a 240-m (800-ft.) escarpment, the old wool town of Stow-
on-the-Wold makes an enticing base for exploring the northern Cotswolds. Stow lies
