As you drive down the sleepy Cotswolds residential road and look over your left shoulder, you’ll be in disbelief at the beauty that The Laurels by Luxury Cotswolds Retreats exudes. A stunning five-bedroom, quintessentially English property that’s equally as impressive on the outside as it is in, you’ll never want to leave this cosy corner of the world…
Luxury Cotswold Retreats Review: A Cosy Minimoon Escape in the Countryside
Location
In the small hamlet of Draycott you’ll find short residential streets lined with honey-toned cottages that look like they came straight from the set of a rom-com.
Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds, the property is surrounded by rolling Gloucestershire countryside. If a minimoon on home soil away from the hustle and bustle of reality is what you’re after, this place is just the ticket.
First Impressions
Arriving at twilight, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get a real first impression of The Laurels in all its daylight glory, but much to my joy, the glow of the neighbouring cottages and the illuminated kitchen and bedroom interior gave the property its own spotlight and somehow made it seem far more grand and inviting at the same time.
You’ll notice The Laurels from a mile away, with its wrap around garden, picture-perfect doorway and pretty sage green window frames – the most warm and welcoming home on the street.
Before entering, we took a stroll around the perimeter of the home where we found the games garage, a hot tub and plenty of outdoor dining areas perfect for al-fresco eating and entertainment – warm weather not necessarily permitted!
Rooms at The Laurels by Luxury Cotswolds Retreats
The interior is tastefully designed with lots of character, whilst still holding on to that infectious Cotswold charm with dashes of contemporary luxury – including the underfloor heating and Sonos sound systems installed in the ceilings of almost every room.
It’s worth noting that the whole home is furnished and designed by Cotswold Grey– a local interiors boutique located in Moreton-in-Marsh where you can visit and purchase much of what you see.
With five exquisite bedrooms ranging in sizes from double to super-king, you’re spoilt for choice and left with the decision of which of the wonderful rooms to choose for your slumber. No one would blame you for choosing to sleep in a different room every night, believe me, the thought crossed my mind! In the end we opted for the ‘flamingo room’, as we called it (pictured above).
This room had a sizeable en-suite with a lovely his-and-hers sink. They say shower facilities can leave a lasting impression, and it’s safe to say the waterfall shower head was ours bliss.
Should you choose to stay in a different room, the top floor town-house style bedroom came complete with two huge skylights and a telescope, perfect for a spot of stargazing with your other half.
Food and Drink
As you enter the huge kitchen-diner, you are welcomed with a cupboard filled with gorgeous reactive glaze dinner sets and glassware from Cotswold Grey, perfect for low-key evenings fuelled by home cooking. There are a few supermarkets to stock up the self-catered kitchen in Moreton-in-Marsh before you arrive.
As a lovely welcome touch, the team at Luxury Cotswolds Retreats provided a hamper filled with goodies, including local produce like the Burford Brown eggs, Cotswold Butter and a fresh crusty loaf as well as chocolate and a bottle of Prosecco. The Nespresso coffee machine and Starbucks pods were also a very pleasing sight to this caffeine-lover.
For those wanting to just kick back and relax without worrying about cooking, there are plenty of local options offer, from takeaways to gorgeous country pubs.
We decided to venture out into the Oxfordshire Cotswolds and have dinner at The Kingham Plough.
Nestled in the picturesque village of Kingham, just a stone’s throw from Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and the famed Dayelsford Farm, the Kingham Plough celebrates local, seasonal ingredients and offers everything from light bites and small plates to fine classic dishes.
We were sat down by the crackling wood fire in the corner, a lovely way to warm up from the bitter cold January air. If an intimate dinner setting is what you’re after, you’ll find it at the Kinghmam Plough.
I chose the curried parsnip soup to start, which came topped with a coriander and chilli salsa with a ‘Cotswold Crunch’ bread roll on the side – an absolutely mouth-watering dish.
For the main, I opted for the vegetarian fresh tagliatelle with fresh kale and hazelnut pesto, lemon, courgette, parmesan and pangrattato and for dessert I went outside of the box and chose the banana rice pudding with chocolate and hazelnut sauce.
If a more meat-based dish is your preference, my partner opted for the ribeye steak served with chips. As soon as he cut into the steak, he lifted his fork in my direction to show off the perfectly pink medium-rare middle – it certainly was a hit with this self-proclaimed steak connoisseur.
Things to Do During Your Stay at The Laurels
If you’re wanting to nestle within your own post-wedding love bubble, The Laurels is the ultimate haven.
Cosy up by the fire in the living room – as wood fire newbies, after a few pokes and prods we managed to get it roaring – and watch your favourite film or open the huge antique cupboard in the corner where you’ll find a great selection of board games to get stuck into.
If the weather permits, set your sights to the courtyard to the rear of the house where you’ll find a games garage with table tennis, table football and darts. Or, for something more relaxing, take a bottle of fizz and relax in pure bliss in the hot tub.
If you fancy venturing out a little, I recommend visiting the lovely town of Moreton-in-Marsh to explore the quaint boutiques and eateries that line either side of the high street.
Of course our first port of call was to visit Cotswold Grey to fawn over the beautiful interior pieces, many of which we had already spotted in The Laurels.
I also reccomend popping into The Cotswold Cheese Company, a lovely, old-fashioned store selling many varies of cheeses and artisan products, perhaps even try a sample or two.
More things to do in the local area:
- Visit Moreton-in-Marsh Market, open every Tuesday
- Wander through the tranquil gardens of Batsford Arboretum
- Explore Sezincote Estate and Gardens
- Visit Chastleton House in the spring and summer months
- Treat yourself at Daylesford Organic Farm
- Take a trek up to Broadway Tower
- Visit the picturesque market town of Chipping Campden
How to Book
Head to www.luxurycotswoldretreats.com/the-laurels to check availability and enquire about staying at The Laurels.