The Swan

Autumn is my favourite season. It’s not because I don’t love the summer, but what a relief it is to leave behind the inexplicable guilt of wasting a sunny day, the confusion of short-haul luggage options, and the constant pressure to be beach-body ready. 

Yes, autumn is the time for crisp blue-sky country walks, long bubble baths, fireside wine and hearty roasts – what’s not to love? And I can’t think of a better place to enjoy these earthly pleasures than the Swan in Ascott Under Wychwood. 

Mr Smith and I pulled into the hotel car park on a blustery and wet evening. The clocks had not long lurched back and it felt a lot darker and later than 5pm, so we were pleased to discover we still had a whole evening ahead of us.

The hotel is more accurately a pub with guest rooms. You enter straight into the pub itself to be greeted by the most wonderful blast of warmth – nothing beats the scent and sound of a crackling open fire. The locals enjoying an evening pint seemed to agree. The prospect of an evening nestled by the fire with a bottle (or two) of red, with rain sheeting down outside, was a cosy one indeed. 

We were shown upstairs to our room by a friendly chap, where the combination of wonky floors and walls, as well as there being only a handful of bedrooms off a small landing, gave us the feeling we’d arrived at a friend’s much-loved country cottage.

Each bedroom is adorned with a different lively wallpaper – ours a stylish tropical green – and in an otherwise simple room, the pièce de résistance at the far end: the bathtub. 

It was big enough for two, but there was absolutely no chance I was sharing. I shooed Mr Smith downstairs to claim the best spot by the fire, poured in the bubbles and dove in (and don’t feel bad for him – he doesn’t know how to properly enjoy a hot bath anyway).

In a state of deep relaxation, squeaky clean, and ready for a drink, I went to find Mr Smith only to discover the prime fire spot was occupied by another couple! 

‘What happened?’ I hissed. ‘Those seats were supposed to be ours!’ Mr Smith had relaxed too, it seems – properly enjoying his pint of ale.

But it turned out there were plenty of other cosy nooks to nestle into, and with the pub’s soft blankets over our knees and a glass of wine in hand, contentment washed back over me. 

Our dinner was booked in the pub restaurant, which, by the time we’d finished our drinks, seemed very busy for a pub in a tiny village. It didn’t take us long to realise why. The Swan has a reputation for fantastic hearty British food, sourced from local suppliers, with seasonal menu and daily specials. It’s a hit with locals as well as attracting patrons from afar. 

We opted for the (perfectly cooked) sharing beef for two with obligatory hand cut chips, washed down with (yes, you guessed it) another few glasses of red. It goes without saying, my beach-ready-body is a thing of summer past. 

Rolling into bed, we were already looking forward to doing the whole thing again tomorrow – bath, eat, drink, repeat. Maybe this time we’d get our beach towels laid out on the fireside chairs at breakfast…

Next morning, the rain had cleared and it was one of those gloriously crisp, bright autumn days. After a stack of breakfast pancakes we decided to explore the local area and villages on foot. 

Trail shoes on, we set out on an overly-ambitious run. It’s understandable why the Cotswolds is such a sought-after area. With its chocolate-box houses, honeyed stone and picturesque villages, it’s an archetypal vision of the English countryside. 

Much to the annoyance of Mr Smith, the run was repeatedly stopped by me pointing and ogling at the different houses I could only dream of living in some day – ‘What about that one? Oh no wait, what about that one? Ooooh!’

Back at the Swan, as predicted, it was a repeat of bath, eat, drink – but this time those fireside seats were ours!

With full bellies and heavy hearts we left this friendly pub-cum-hotel. And with so many pubs making the transformation into lavish hotels, it was pleasing to see that this one is still at the heart of its village, and very much a destination for locals as well as welcoming visitors from further afield. It is authentically warm and welcoming, with a family atmosphere, and that’s why people keep coming back. We certainly will – get those fireside seats ready, we’ll see you next autumn.