The Painswick

The Painswick is a Cotswold gem set in the beautiful and unspoilt ancient wool town of the same name. It is a quiet retreat and ideally located for excursions to some of Gloucestershire's most delightful towns and countryside. A tight car park followed by a short climb up a double stone staircase to the front door and your hard work is over. Glimpses through to comfortable rooms, with the promise of goodies to come, tantalize. The sixteen rooms are pleasantly spacious, with an interesting mix of quality contemporary and period furnishings. An abundance of fluffy towels, gowns, quality linens and pillows plumped to bursting make a dive straight into bed hard to resist. Bathrooms are similarly pristine and airy and come with roll top bath and separate high spec shower. Drinks before dinner can be served fireside in the upper drawing room - a spacious but cosy space with carefully chosen decorative furnishings, contemporary paintings and a fine array of cushions brightening the many comfortable chairs and sofas. The beautiful dining room still boasts fine architectural features and an original parquet floor, and the food is fabulous and very reasonably priced. Post dinner, retreat to the lower drawing room for liqueurs, herbal tea and coffee where you'll find another roaring fire and arty coffee table tomes to peruse. Breakfast is another culinary treat; sensibly sized portions, fresh as can be, served in the sunlit dining room. The service is exemplary - staff at The Painswick Hotel take great pride in their place of work and whilst their dress code is informal (jeans with white shirts), they are tidy, charming and ever present.