Friendly neighbours waving ‘hullo’, long afternoon rambles in best-of-British countryside, homecooked suppers using delicious local produce – how many of us have driven through the Cotswolds wishing we had our own weekend cottage where we could enjoy such shenanigans? And that’s where pretty grey-stoned Coates Mill is perfect.
It’s most city-dwellers' daydream to pack up the car Friday and head off to their cosy country house until Monday. And this end-of-terrace two-bedroomed cottage down a tiny lane a few miles north of Cheltenham fits the bill perfectly – especially as it’s also available for long-weekend slots – a rare treat among rentals. Following 2007's flooding, Coates Mills owners gave the downstairs a sophisticated refurb, and all the fawn- and taupe-toned paintwork and upholstery feels more Elle Deco photoshoot set than reasonably priced rental cottage.
Original terracotta tiles and wooden beams and floorboards hark back to the cottage’s 18th-century past, while touches such as contemporary ceramics betray Coates Mills’ current owners’ professions as boutique-hotel proprietors (they own Thirty Two hotel in Cheltenham). As well as offering all the creature comforts you could crave from a petite self-catering property – a fully equipped kitchen, super-comfy beds, a lounge with an open fire, a private well-kept garden – it’s also the ideal base to sample Cotswolds many attractions.
The outdoors couldn’t be greater than amid Gloucestershire’s green rolling countryside and you’re only a ten-minute trot from the charming town of Winchcombe on the north-western edge of the Cotswolds. Don your hiking boots and tackle the Cotswold Way walk, or opt for a lower-octane outing and dip your toes into National Trust gardens, then collapse in a gastropub where local residents are quick to welcome you with a smile. Or stay in your slippers, and don’t budge from the anything-but-twee townhouse-style interior of Coates Mill itself. Relax with the weekend papers by the roaring wood fire when it's cold outside, or stray out into Coates Mill's leafy garden and fire up the BBQ when the sun’s shining. Your weekend pied-à-terre dreams come true? Indeed, this charming cottage-for-four is sure to feel like your very own Cotswold retreat.
Reviewed by Juliet Kinsman
