'I just wanted to let you know how thrilled the entire family is with this destination. It is truly spectacular'

'It’s hard to imagine anywhere else that’s 90 minutes from London that has the Mead Cottage/Manor House/ Castle Combe ambience'

'It’s a great house and it works really well for us having the hotel and the pubs so close so we can have a couple of grown-up evenings away from the kids. You’ll be hearing from us again soon'

House style

Country cottage

Grounds

There’s a small suntrap garden at the back of the cottage, which is located in the beautiful private grounds of the Manor House Hotel

Sleeps

Four in two bedrooms, one of which can be converted into a twin room

Ideal for

Intimate weekend getaways

Rates

Four nights mid-week: £467–£647; three nights (Friday to Monday): £503–£697; one week: £718–£1,100; Badminton Week: £1,250

Minimum hire

Three nights (Friday to Monday). Check-in 4pm; check-out 10am.

Also

The cottage is decorated with fantastic contemporary Aboriginal art; contact the owners if you are interested in buying some. No smoking in the cottage, and pets are not permitted.

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Interior

Bedrooms 

Bedroom 1: large master bedroom with open-plan en suite bathroom and mezzanine dressing room.

Bedroom 2: double or twin bedroom with a fascinating ‘Russian Doll’ dresser by Paul Johnson of bloq.co.uk.

Kitchen The fully equipped kitchen has an oven and hob, dishwasher, fridge, microwave, washing machine and dryer. Tea, coffee and picnic equipment are provided. If you are self-catering and need to stock up, see the ‘Services’ section.

Living room The living room is contemporary but full of traditional touches such as thick wood beams and stone fireplaces. A Scandinavian wood-burning stove sits in one fireplace and an antique grate in the other. There is a flat screen TV and a library of DVDs and CDs.

Dining room The dining table is in a vaulted alcove off the living room and has space to seat eight guests. The dining room furniture was designed by Stefan Bench of Pureform.

Other A small work space at the top of the stairs has WiFi internet connection and a library with a diverse collection of books.

Outdoor

Gardens The small terraced garden behind the cottage isn't particularly secluded but it's a great suntrap. There’s a gas-fired barbecue on the patio. The cottage is located on a semi-private road in the grounds of the Manor House Hotel.

Parking There is private parking for two cars in the hotel car park near the cottage.

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Getting there

Trains Chippenham is an hour and 15 minutes by train from London Paddington; see www.trainline.co.uk for details.

Local taxi service Home James (+44 (0)1249 463 463), or Webbs Taxis (+44 (0)1666 823 551), both in Chippenham. For car hire, click on our Travel Offers page. Smithcard holders get a 10 per cent discount with Hertz.

Directions by road The road connections to the area are excellent. From London, take the M4 to Junction 17, then head for Chippenham. Drive into town, first following signs to Castle Combe racing circuit and then to the the Manor House Hotel in the centre of Castle Combe village. Follow the hotel driveway to the car park beyond the house. Mead Cottage is diagonally opposite.

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It’s hard to believe that somewhere as peaceful and picture perfect as Castle Combe is little more than an hour away from London. With its historic pubs, tranquil water meadows and charming cottages, this quintessential Cotswolds village is the ideal place for a quiet and intimate weekend away with friends. Oliver Cromwell chose well when he holed up in the Castle Inn during the Civil War. Mead Cottage lies behind an ancient church, within the immaculate grounds of the Manor House Hotel and is the image of an idyllic rural retreat.

Yet step inside and you’ll instantly find that the warm, honey-coloured stonework and ancient timbers have been expertly blended with the chicest of contemporary interiors. The main living and dining area is snug with deep, comfortable sofas and two fireplaces, whilst the clever open-plan design creates a sense of space. Unexpected quirks such as hay bale seats and Aboriginal art (of which the owner is a real aficionado) add flair and character.

The atmospheric dining area is set in a vaulted alcove and is skilfully lit with moody spotlights. Again combining the old with the new, the ancient stone walls complement the customised dining table by Stefan Bench. The cottage also features several works by other leading British designers. On a warm summer’s evening there’s no better place to relax than in the little suntrap garden at the back of the cottage; perfect for a barbecue.

Both double bedrooms are irresistibly cosy; one has an open-plan en suite and the other has a spacious bathroom with freestanding bath. There’s a real old-world charm about the wonky wooden floors and higgledy-piggledy layout. If you fancy a lie-in, Mead Cottage’s proximity to The Manor House Hotel means you can order an indulgent breakfast in bed. In fact, you needn’t use the fully equipped kitchen at all; the hotel caters for everything on request. Mead Cottage’s perfect combination of privacy and the option of first-class service is a real bonus. Guests at the cottage can also use the Manor House Hotel’s excellent golf course, designed by Peter Alliss.

There is a whole range of ways to explore the beautiful Cotswolds scenery, including horse riding, hot-air ballooning and country walks; you certainly won’t run out of peaceful picnic spots, either. The area has excellent transport links which mean that you can easily dip into the delights of Bath, Bristol or Oxford. And if you want to really blow away the cobwebs, you can follow in the tyre tracks of Stirling Moss, and race a Ferrari around Castle Combe’s famous racing circuit.

Reviewed by Jim Whyte

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