The Plough Inn

Rooms

The 8 rooms are tucked upstairs above the bar and restaurant. Like every other 17th-century property in the UK, ceilings are low and footprints are compact, but these spaces have more charm in their little window seats than most houses have in their entire floorplans.

We stayed in Double Room 3 and deliberately rose early to start the day with a soak in its roll-top tub, taking in the pink springtime blossom outside the window. You also get garden views from the bedroom and quirky steps leading up to the bathroom.

The other Double Rooms are similarly endearing (though they have rainfall showers rather than tubs); earthy Farrow & Ball shades combine with bright ikat lampshades, painterly cushions, creamy subway tiles and REN products. Rooms 7 and 8 are the quietest, but 8 does overlook the car park. Rooms 1 and 6 are the largest (but 6 gets some noise from the cellar fan and lacks garden views). Room 4 can be a twin, and there is also a comfortable Single Room; useful if you're bringing a child.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• WiFi

Eating

If you wanted to, you could eat and drink from dawn 'til dusk here. After a lazy breakfast and lunch, nibble on bar snacks in the garden (Kelmscott pigs in blankets, perhaps), washed down with a pint or 2 from the bar (craft ales, local ciders), then take dinner in the atmospheric candlelit restaurant.

The menu is a considerate mix of pub classics and more creative dishes. During our Friday-night supper, we were delighted by the crispy plaice fillet with a warm samphire, avocado and crab salad, but it was the genius smoked-haddock fishcakes that had us wanting seconds. Topped with a runny poached egg, wilted spinach and a punchy mustard hollandaise, it was both comforting and indulgent all at once. Add fries on the side (obviously), and you'll leave utterly sated. If you do have room for dessert, the apple and apricot crumble with brown bread ice cream caught our eye.

In the morning, we ambled downstairs to fresh juices and warm buttery croissants with tangy raspberry jam. The accompanying cooked menu may seem minimal, but they’ll do any combo you like - I’d highly recommend the poached eggs with crispy smoked bacon.

If the restaurant is closed (typically Sunday-Monday-Tuesday evenings), other options include The Double Red Duke or The Five Alls at Filkins (both 10 mins' drive).

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant

Activities

• Kelmscott is a tiny-but-beautiful Cotswolds hamlet to explore, with lanes of honey-coloured cottage
  
• Its big draw is Grade I-listed Kelmscott Manor (check opening times), the former home of William Morris, with an iconic collection of artwork from by the father of the Arts & Crafts Movement
  
• Walking and cycling routes lead right from the door; in particular, there’s a lovely stretch of the Thames path just moments away
  
• The pretty market town of Lechlade-on-Thames has a handful of independent shops and welcoming waterfront inns, plus it's a great base for boat trips along the river (10-minute drive)
  
• Kids will love the animals at Cotswolds Wildlife Park, and running around in the manicured gardens (20-minute drive)
  
• The team can point you in the direction of local stables, golf courses and clay-pigeon-shooting centres

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Shopping / markets
• Wildlife

Kids

This is a relaxed and welcoming pub with rooms, so the more the merrier, though you'll have to bring a travel cot or book additional rooms for older kids. The menu has lots of child-friendly favourites, there's a garden to run around in, and kids will love the Shetland ponies in a paddock along the lane.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Rooms 1 and 6 have space for a travel cot (bring your own). Older children could stay in the Single Room or Room 4, which can be made up with twin beds. Excluding Room 3, all rooms are shower only.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Plough Inn is set in the small hamlet of Kelmscott, near Burford in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire.

By Air:
Birmingham (96km) and Bristol (106km) are the closest airports, both around an hour's drive away. London airports are approximately 1.5 hours' drive away. From the airport you could take a taxi, but we recommend having your own vehicle.

By Car:
This is a very rural area with limited public transport, so it's best to arrive by car - there’s free on-site parking. See our car hire recommendations.

By Train:
The nearest stations are Swindon or Oxford, both around a 25-minute taxi ride away.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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