Mr & Mrs Smith

Outstanding. Wonderful room. Very modern, upbeat staff and service excellent. Food was very good.

I can't give a more glowing report of Cowley Manor and all they have to offer. We stayed for two nights in a three-floor townhouse/stable block, which was decked out in true 'boutique chic' style. A relaxing soak in the enormous tub with Green and Spring bath oils was a real treat, but that had nothing on the private picnic in the grounds. We ordered a picnic in the 'Cascades' area, which was really private right by the lake. A lovely romantic spot to indulge in good food, wine and company! I would also recommend taking out the bikes for a cycle around the area, but be prepared for a few epic hills (I had to dismount and walk up one). If I was going to be a little cheeky I'd like them to get another couple of bikes, because not every couple in the world needs his and hers bikes! Other than that, get yourself down to Cowley Manor for a luxuriously comfortable spa break in the Cotswolds.

Not much to add to the other comments here. Cowley was a fabulous place to stay, and which we really enjoyed. I would say that we stayed in one of the Stable block 'mini townhouse' rooms that have been mentioned on here. We loved ours as having the three floors made this feel so different to a normal hotel experience. I can imagine that some people may dislike the fact that the stairs are a little narrow, but unless you think that will bother you, I wouldn't let it put you off as the rooms are great and the middle floor bathroom was pure luxury. One other thing, don't miss out on a trip to the shop at one end of the stable block, it really deserves its status as one of Britain's best boutiques. Just watch out that you don't spend more in there than you do on the whole hotel stay.

Great hotel with lots of space, a great ambience and relaxed service. We found so much to do in the 55 acres that we didn't feel the need to leave, other than for lunch at the Green Dragon as others have mentioned. The Cspa with its heated outdoor pool was great to spend time out in the sun, as were the beanbags on the terraces looking down to the lake.

Cowley Manor is a fantastic place to relax. We stayed in the split-level rooms in the stable block. Cosy sofa with TV on the ground floor, and views onto the courtyard. My partner loved the first floor with its great bath tub, again with views onto the courtyard. I imagine a return visit will involve a request for Room 3 from her. The top floor was a superb bedroom with some of the original stable block quirky features beautifully incorporated into the design. CSide spa and pool was wonderful, with very good staff: always there for you when you needed them, but well out of sight for the relaxing bits. Luckily, we had great weather to make use of the outdoor pool. The patio breakfasts and dinner were great, not forgetting the bar and tempting wine list. The countryside setting is what really amazes you. The building is beautiful as is St Mary's Church within the grounds. Walks outside the grounds generally involve stunning views of the Cotswolds, lots of wildlife and the odd visit to The Green Dragon Inn only five miles away. Walks within the grounds are just as special – you will find different places each day. The little grotto has great views of the house. The lakes are beautiful, especially the ornamental cascade between the upper and lower lakes. With swans paddling in the background it was a perfect setting for my engagement proposal to my partner.

We were lucky enough to visit in glorious sunshine, so made full use of the outdoor pool and gorgeous grounds, including the massive beanbag beds. The spa is really fantastic, they even have a choice of music so you don't have to listen to awful Little Chef music. I had the Rejuvenation Ritual which was two hours of bliss and my skin has never been smoother. The brasserie is lovely and the menu can be served in your room. We borrowed a DVD, got room service and champagne and loved every minute of it.

We stayed at Cowley Manor for my 30th birthday and were extremely impressed with the service and facilities. The on-site spa provided a blissfully relaxing afternoon and we even swam in the heated outdoor pool on a cold, wet November day! A couple of 15-minute treatments at a very reasonably priced £15 each were too tempting to resist on seeing available remaining treatment slots. We had dinner at the hotel's restaurant and the food was fantastic and reasonably priced. The hotel is pretty remote, so I was impressed that they don't try to fleece you once you are there. We were made to feel like valued guests throughout and are certainly planning to return.

Had a lovely stay at Cowley Manor. Grounds beautiful and extensive, fabulous spa (though my husband's massage was clumsy – possibly a trainee – and credit to them, they refunded the charge), very good food (starters very nouvelle cuisine but tasty), and generally excellent service. I wish I had taken more notice of Julia's guestbook comment re: the stable block rooms (Sept 10). Ours was on three levels with the bathroom in the middle, steep and precarious stairs, and shiny wooden floor which was slippery, especially in the middle of the night. The bedroom on the upper level was very hot, even with the fan running most of night. Next time would request room on one level or two at most.

Great hotel, fantastic spa, up to top London standards, very reasonable prices. The biggest suprise was the food, which was also much better than expected – better than the usual regional hotel fare, including excellent fish and chips for lunch. Only disappointment – don't stay in the multi-level former stable 'better' rooms. The separate rooms are very small indeed and the stairs are poorly lit and slippery – not great when you're eight months pregnant and need to go down at night to the bathroom. Also, the bins are emptied at five am outside the bedroom – we will go again but stay in the main house.

I would definitely recommend Exceptional room number 18. The four-poster bed and the views out onto the lake from the loungers on the balcony and never mind the huge bathtub! The spa and pool were pretty terrific. And the staff most gracious and helpful. The juxtaposition of contemporary art and furniture fused nicely with ye olde worldliness of the centuries-old building architecture. Walking in the grounds, visiting the lakes and greeting the swans was a remarkable experience.

I would recommend the Green Dragon Inn (www.green-dragon-inn.co.uk). It's only a hop, skip and a jump away, basically the next turning after Cowley Manor. Food is terrific, especially the fillet of haddock in a lemon batter with French fries (£8.95) and I was also tempted by the steak & kidney suet pudding with minted mushy peas (£13.75) for some fine English fare. The drinks menu didn't disappoint as we sat in front of the log fire. A good selection of fine ales; Otter Ale, Butcombe, Director's and guest ales. I was happy with my draught cider though.

Parking was easy, staff were gracious. All in all, a fine experience of English Inn hospitality

Cowley Manor was absolutely amazing & the pub near by - The Green Dragon was a real find.

Bag a picnic hamper from the very helpful staff and explore the back gardens. There's plenty of weeping willow spots around the myriad of ponds for you to kiss away the day and catch the ducklings on their afternoon exercise.

We stayed at Cowley Manor with our 4yr old daughter so took her to the Cotswold Farm Park, home to lots of rare breeds, adventure playground, etc. Absolutely fantastic day out, only 20 mins from the hotel.

if you're lucky enough experience a beautiful sunny day as we did, then book a lunch hamper from reception and head out into the grounds for a romantic picnic in a secluded spot (rug included!)

If you fancy a bit of exercise, there is a lovely walk if you turn left out of the grounds and keep going - great views of the house and ends in a very warm little pub after about a mile!

There is a very pretty pub within easy walking distance of the hotel called The Green Dragon Inn. Excellent place for a drink or a pub lunch.

Cowley manor is amazing and the food is great but if you fancy a change, head down the road to the Green Dragon pub. It's within walking distance and we had a lovely stroll through the grounds of Cowley manor then down a tiny country lane to the pub. It is a wise idea to book ahead as it was really busy. The reason for this is that the food and atmosphere is lovely. We had a wonderful evening there and a welcome short walk back to the hotel - we were very full!

While staying at the lovely Cowley Manor you can't go far wrong to treat yourself to a visit to the aptly named Cafe Boho (+44 (0)1242 241863) on Great Norwood Street, in the trendy suffolk square area of Cheltenham. Here you can enjoy great coffee and the company of regulars in cosy relaxed surroundings. If you're still in need of caffeine, Gusto is a delightful deli just down the road on Montpellier.

If, staying at Cowley Manor, you decide to go on the recommended four-mile walk in a loop around the nearby countryside and work the route backwards. That way, the wonderful Green Dragon Inn appears towards the end of the walk not the start!