The hidden gems of the Cotswolds: Moreton-in-Marsh

 

Whilst it wasn't out first trip to the Cotswolds, this visit gave us a list of places we were surprised weren't on our list the first time. We stayed in Moreton-in-Marsh a small village at the north of the area. When research places to stay, Moreton was a clear winner in terms of location. Whilst the more southern areas would be around 50 minutes to get to, most places were a 20-30 minute drive, and an easy base to begin village hopping. Whilst many villages have pubs, independent shops, and touristy activities, we never felt the need to stay for more than a couple of hours, so being somewhere close by to our favourite spots, was quite important.

Moreton-in-Marsh has tree lined streets, lots of quant pubs, hotels, and small businesses and restaurants. For our first night we opted for dinner at Bellini, a small Italian on the high street. Portion sizes were large, and we shared a bruschetta and garlic bread (more like the size of a garlic pizza), polla alla milanese, and the duck breast. A gorgeous dinner and we would absolutely recommend booking a dinner table here.

Another hidden gem is the hotel. Manor House Hotel was one that I hadn't seen advertised much at all. I did my Tiktok research too, and couldn't find much, if anything, about the hotel. I intend to change that as this hotel was beyond what I had in mind. We booked a superior room, which came with a bath and separate shower, small dressing room area, and the main bedroom was large, with a desk and drink facilities. The room was at the front of the hotel so had views of the road, and breakfast was included. This involved a small menu of food, including eggs Benedict, avo on toast and classic breakfasts. My husband's words are "the best scrambled eggs on toast I've ever had", and that bar was high.

The garden was vast, and I can imagine how lovely it would be to spend a warm evening out there in the summer months. The foyer had multiple seating options including next to a fireplace, and the bar and restaurant were beautifully done. I believe this is a 4 star hotel, and I really can see why.

Our final night was spent at The White Heart Royal hotel for dinner. We arrived a little early and the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. The food came up quick, service was great, and I had a great fish and chip dinner. We also popped into The Redesdale for a drink, another gorgeous pub that was clearly popular for dinner by the amount of people checking in for their table.

Moreton-in-Marsh is accessible from London by one train straight to the village and a 5 minute walk to the high street, so even without. a car, a weekend in the Cotswolds really isn't that far away.