Barnsley House in The Cotswolds: Hotel Review
As the leaves begin to change colour and Autumn creeps in, there’s few places cosier than The Cotswolds. There’s a certain magic here that’s hard to replicate.
And at the start of November I headed there to spend the night at a hotel that’s long been on my wish list, Barnsley House.
A traditional country house hotel without a hint of stuffiness, the Grade II listed building has been thoughtfully renovated to maintain the property’s history. And with only 18 bedrooms, it’s managed to deliver a luxury offering with a boutique feel.
I grew up down the road from The Cotswolds and have stayed in a lot of hotels in the area, but Barnsley House has taken the top spot as the best one yet.
My stay here was gifted, but all opinions are my own. I don’t accept stays in places I wouldn’t pay for myself, and I write honestly about the experience I had.
Location
Located in the small village of Barnsley, there isn’t much to do here, but that’s its appeal.
There’s plenty to explore on foot, with four circular walks setting off from the hotel. And you’re just a 7 minute drive from popular Bibury, meaning you can get there early and beat the crowds flocking to Arlington Row.
The market town of Cirencester is a 10 minute drive away, but I’d recommend heading to the idyllic Cotswolds villages of Lower and Upper Slaughter instead, just 25-minutes in the car.
Getting there
From London, it’s a 2 and half hour drive to Barnsley House, or a train from London Paddington to Kemble takes just over an hour, followed by a short 15 minute taxi to the hotel.
Tell me about the hotel
Barnsley House dates back to the 17th century, and was owned by several families before becoming a hotel in 2001.
Most notably, it was once the home of Rosemary Varey, one of the most famous garden designers of her time. She began work on the gardens at Barnsley House in the 1950s, eventually opening them to the public six days a week.
Rosemary went on to design gardens around the world, including the New York Botanical Gardens, and helped design gardens for Elton John and Princes Charles.
When Rosemary died in 2001, Barnsley House was sold and renovated to become the hotel, but her work remains at the heart of the gardens you see today.
There’s 18 bedrooms at the hotel, alongside a restaurant, bar, lounges to relax in with roaring fires, a kitchen garden and a very impressive spa.
Rooms
There’s 18 beautifully designed bedrooms at Barnsley House, from more traditional 17th century rooms in the main house, to the converted Stable Suites.
Some rooms have views over the garden, and others have luxurious touches like freestanding baths and four poster beds.
Only having 18 rooms means the hotel never feels overcrowded, and it retains a boutique feel despite being a grand country house.
Our room
Tucked away in the courtyard garden you’ll find the original stables, now converted into beautiful suites.
We checked into the Stable Suite, with a freestanding tub, double sink and shower on the top floor, and a large bed, sofa, wood burner and separate toilet on the bottom floor.
We were welcomed with homemade shortbread, baked fresh at the hotel every day, which was a lovely personal touch.
The split-level aspect meant we had much more space than a typical hotel room, and we hurried back after dinner to enjoy a cosy night watching TV by the fire.
Food and drink
The hotels restaurant, The Potager, is a cosy and relaxed space where guests can enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, and Sunday lunch.
The team have curated a seasonal menu, with the majority of the vegetables, salads and herbs coming from the hotels own kitchen garden.
They work closely with local suppliers to showcase the very best of the area, and the food was exemplary.
Breakfast
The days start with a very generous breakfast offering, included in your room rate. Choose from continental and cooked options, or do as we did and have both.
The granola was a standout dish for me, with fresh yogurt and delicious homemade jam.
I’m very fussy when it comes to sausages, but the ones in my cooked breakfast were extremely high quality, topped off with crispy hash browns, perfectly cooked eggs and all the trimmings, to make it another winning dish.
Afternoon tea
Although we didn’t have afternoon tea during our stay, it is available if you’d like it. The Champagne afternoon tea comes with a selection of savouries, cakes, tea or coffee and a glass of Champagne.
It costs £49 per person and can be enjoyed in front of the fire in one of the lounges, in the restaurant or on the terrace.
snack menu
A lot of my feelings towards a hotel rest on how good their snack menu is, and Barnsley House has a great one.
Choose from charcuterie boards and a selection of delicious homemade sandwiches, in case you get peckish in between meals.
THE BOOT
Barnsley House also owns the village pub, The Boot, just across the road from the hotel.
If you’re staying for a couple of nights, I’d recommend having dinner at The Potager one evening, and The Boot the next.
The Boot is everything you’d expect from a pub in the Cotswolds, with a roaring open fire, original features and a menu utilising the best local ingredients.
Choose from dishes like the Bathurst Estate venison, the Stokes Marsh beef burger or the Beef Wellington sharer, with parma ham, truffle mash, portobello mushrooms and seasonal greens.
Spa
The spa at Barnsley House is undoubtedly the star of the show.
Designed to bring guests closer to nature, the outdoor hydrotherapy pool has views across the countryside and is the perfect place to watch the sunset.
It’s heated, and is genuinely warm. That might sound like a stupid statement but so often I stay in hotels that claim to have heated pools and they’re tepid at best.
We spent two hours in here before dinner, enjoying the jacuzzi jets and listening to the birds, it was bliss.
There’s also an outdoor seating area with a fire, an extensive treatment menu, and a sauna and steam room.
Service
Staying in a country manor house conjures up thoughts of stuffy service and a tense atmosphere with little room to relax. But the opposite is true here.
We were welcomed at the front desk by an enthusiastic member of staff, who gladly told us about the history of Barnsley House, and took the time to talk us through the hotel amenities and the surrounding area.
At dinner, our waitress couldn’t do enough for us, and the same was true at breakfast the following morning.
Light conversation from a member of staff re-lighting the fire in the lounge for us, went a long way in making us feel at home here.
Anything else?
As if all that wasn’t enough, Barnsley House even has its own cinema, and guests can book in for a private movie screening.
Would I stay again?
Without a doubt, yes. This is definitely a luxury hotel, but the service, food, amenities and surroundings justify the price point.
Book your stay at Barnsley House
