Hotel Review: The Rectory Hotel

Last weekend, my sister and I surprised my dad with a 60th birthday weekend away (by surprise, I actually mean that we had to tell him a couple of weeks in advance because he’s the one who drove us up there - what are dads for, eh?). My dad’s birthday was back in June, but given the circumstances, we had to push the weekend away to July in line with the reopening of hotels in the UK. Our destination of choice was The Rectory Hotel, a quietly elegant countryside bolthole, set in the Cotswolds. Read on for my full review.

First impressions: 5/5

Arriving at the hotel on a balmy Friday afternoon, we were greeted by smiling staff at reception and immediately showed to our bedrooms. The hotel has 15 bedrooms in the main house, and three bedrooms in a separate cottage (which is available for exclusive hire). Interiors are similar throughout the bedrooms: simple but tasteful furnishings in plush fabrics, with a mainly neutral colour palette running throughout, awash with pale pinks and greens. Beds are king-size and comfortable, and rooms are kitted out with flat screen TVs, and bath products by Bramley - bigger bedrooms have the added bonus of a beautiful freestanding bathtub as well. We’d booked room number 6 for my parents, the stunning Master room, which offers direct views onto the gardens, features a modern four-poster bed, and a spacious seating area. Oliver and I were booked into a Medium sized room, next door to my sister’s Small bedroom - these didn’t vary too much in size, but ours came with a freestanding bathtub opposite the bed.

The rest of the house maintains a casual atmosphere of laidback luxe - the communal rooms on the ground floor all lead into one another, allowing for easy passing-through. There are two sitting areas featuring velvet sofas and multiple nooks to relax, plus the bar and restaurant, which encompasses a casual dining area and a stunning conservatory complete with exposed brick walls, potted olive trees, and sleek Scandi-like furniture. The restaurant leads directly onto the garden, where guests are invited to spill onto the lawn, and eat al fresco at the tables sprawled in the sunshine.

To do: 3.5/5

The hotel is certainly one to visit if you’re looking to unwind: from leisurely lunches in the garden, to afternoons spent reading in the lounge, the house feels like a private playground for its guests. Despite the hotel being fully booked during our stay, at no point did it ever feel overcrowded or busy. Social distancing was easily maintained, with tables in the restaurant being two metres apart, and sittings being staggered. The garden is beautifully maintained, and there’s also a generous pool if you fancy a refreshing dip. If you’re looking to explore further afield, I’d definitely recommend visiting with a car so you can drive around the nearby Cotswold villages. (Luckily, I have just the guide for you: a roundup of the best pubs, restaurants, and pretty villages in the area). Personally, I’d be more than happy to escape here more often than not to simply unwind, read my book, stay cosy inside, and enjoy the surroundings and sense of calm that the hotel has to offer.

Food and drink: 5/5

There are two dining options at The Rectory: the hotel’s on-site restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, and its sister pub The Potting Shed, which is a two-minute walk down the road. For all of us, a hotel’s food offering can make or break the entire experience, and the fantastic meals we enjoyed really cemented the property as a new favourite of mine.

We ate at the hotel restaurant on both Friday and Saturday evening, which is when Oliver’s parents came to join us for a meal as well. The menu is British with a Mediterranean twist: you’ll find Iberico pork and gurnard risotto sitting side by side with flat iron chicken on the menu. Each dish from start to finish on both nights was flawless, from the ricotta-stuffed courgette flower drizzled in honey, to the melt-in-the-mouth gnocchi, and indulgent gruyere truffle toasties - even the homemade bread served with medjool date butter (a wonder!) was a treat.

Breakfasts were similarly impressive; breakfast is included in the room rate, and you’re free to order however much you like from a continental spread of pastries, granola, and cereals as well as a range of cooked options, some classic, some a little more innovative to appeal to all tastes. Menu options include avocado, smoked salmon, and poached eggs on toast, a full English breakfast, and homemade waffles with berries and mascarpone - all of us were pleased to find that breakfast is definitely not an afterthought at The Rectory (which it so disappointingly is at other hotels), and Oliver raved about his eggs Benedict for hours afterwards.

Whilst we missed lunch at the hotel on both days, lighter options and sandwiches are available on the menu, as well as a lavish afternoon tea menu - we didn’t indulge in this, but if the buttery shortbread biscuits (served with our tea orders) are anything to go by, I’m sure that this would be a delicious experience.

For lunch on Sunday, we ventured to The Potting Shed for a roast: the atmosphere here is welcoming and cosy, and the pub features a buzzing garden. We were likewise impressed with the hearty and simple food here - British classics such as fish and chips, roast pork with all the trimmings, and Scotch eggs feature on the menu, and were all cooked to perfection.

Comfort and service: 5/5

Staff at The Rectory were all incredibly friendly and approachable throughout the property, from reception staff, to bar staff, and those in the restaurant and The Potting Shed. I’d told them in advance about my dad’s 60th birthday, and on Saturday evening and Sunday lunch, he was surprised with birthday desserts.

Despite the house being at full occupancy during our stay, it didn’t feel busy at all. During the day, the communal areas were relatively quiet, and at mealtimes, tables were spaced out and social distancing maintained by staggered seatings. Hand sanitisers were dispersed throughout the property, with the overall atmosphere being respectful and Covid-aware without feeling suffocating.

From the cosy luxe interiors to the beautifully maintained gardens, The Rectory is certainly a property that’s easy on the eye. But this hotel is definitely both style and substance: with its gourmet food offering and stellar service, it’s definitely somewhere I can see myself returning to time and time again. I’ll be racing back as soon as I can!