The Weekenders - Search for weekend getaways around the UK.

The Priory Inn - Tetbury

3|2|1

Rural chic in the Cotswolds

The lovely Priory Inn in Tetbury is a fine purveyor of rural chic, with a super-friendly atmosphere to make it a proper home-from-home. Essentially a very popular gastro-inn – winner of multiple awards and glowing reviews – with 14 beautifully furnished rooms as a bonus, it’s the perfect place to stuff yourself silly then walk it all off in the Priory’s glorious Cotswold surroundings.

Situated at the edge of Tetbury’s historic and postcard picturesque town centre, The Priory has become a real local asset. The bar and restaurant are warm and inviting, with light and airy contemporary design mixing well with the period features so important in a place like this. The restaurant really is the highlight, with great menus of modern British food, tinged with a touch of the Med, cooked by a young and enthusiastic kitchen team. Everyone is catered for – romantic couples looking for that special night out can enjoy the full fine dining experience, with local and seasonal produce playing a huge part, and puddings that will make you fall in love all over again. Meanwhile, light eaters and lunchers will love The Priory’s fantastic pizzas and inspired British tapas selection (wood oven-baked mini sandwiches anyone?). The wine list is amazing, while local ales, beers, liqueurs and wines are the star of the show.

Bedrooms at The Priory are (unlike in that other Priory… I would imagine) super comfy and pleasingly swish. Contemporary works of art and nice, neutral colour schemes mix with fluffy towels, gleaming, white-tiled bathrooms and lovely, locally-made toiletries to really boost the luxury levels. And if that wasn’t enough, local company Zenspa offers a whole range of beauty treatments on site. It’s even easy to relax at The Priory with kids in tow – the inn prides itself on its family-friendliness, with inter-connecting rooms and family rooms, baby monitors-a-plenty and staff who will do their utmost to alleviate any parent-of-noisy-child guilt that you might be feeling. Hurrah!

Where is it?

The Priory Inn sits in the heart of gorgeous Tetbury. This stunning market town, sitting at the southern end of the Cotswolds, is as pretty a town as any in the north end of the area, with a sweeping main street flanked by gorgeous shops, houses and historic curiosities in local stone, all built around the town’s regal, 17th century market hall. The lovely Chipping Steps and picturesque Gumstool Hill (used for Tetbury’s annual woolsack races in May – a brilliant time to visit and see this 17th century tradition. Check out www.tetburywoolsack.co.uk for details of this year’s event) are the stuff of old ladies’ postcards. It really is a potterer’s paradise, with delis, cafes and specialist boutiques-a-plenty, while the town is famous for its huge collection of antiques shops. From armour to clocks to ancient Asian artifacts – if it’s old, you can buy it in Tetbury. For the most diverse selection, pop into one of the Top Banana Antique malls (www.topbananaantiques.com Tel: 0871 2881102), home to an enthusiastic collective of experienced antiques experts who sell everything from top hats to tallboys.

Tetbury is also famous for its royal connections – Prince Charles lives in ‘the Tetbury suburbs’ at Highgrove, while Princess Anne pops by for sugar from her home at Gatcombe Park, 4 miles away. Each owning acres and acres of land, it’s Highgrove that has become a mecca for organic farming, and is the centre of the organic Duchy Original empire (www.duchyoriginals.com). You’ll be able to stock up on all your Duchy Original oat biscuits, jams, showers gels and, most importantly, tangerine thins (a bit of a Weekenders addiction) at the brand-new Duchy Original shop, due to open in Tetbury in March 2008.

Once you’ve scoffed and shopped your way through Tetbury, the stunning countryside that surrounds it is your oyster. The gorgeous Cotswolds are on your doorstep – miles and miles of rolling hills, country lanes, impossibly perfect villages and some of the best pubs in Britain. The 103-mile Cotswolds Way that passes by Tetbury might be a bit much for a weekend stroll, but there are plenty of great walking and cycling opportunities in and around the town. Particularly lovely is the 10-mile walk from Tetbury to the famous National Arboretum at Westonbirt (www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt Tel: 01666 880220), one of the most spectacular tree collections in the world, passing right by Highgrove (www.walkingbritain.co.uk, walk 1337). For more information on this lovely area, read The Weekenders Guide to the Cotswolds.

Where can I eat?

The restaurant at The Priory Inn really is a no-brainer of an eating option. Not only is the food fantastic, but there’s nothing better than eating an amazing meal and downing a bottle (or two) of vino, safe in the knowledge that your bed is within staggering distance.

But if you’re after an alternative, there are plenty of other great foodie spots in the area. The newly-opened Chefs Table (www.thechefstable.co.uk Tel: 01666 504466) in Tetbury is a deli-cum-fishmonger’s-cum-bistro, with a paradise of fine and fresh foods for sale downstairs and a dining room upstairs serving an amazing lunch menu. Simple, rustic, French dishes are a speciality – yum. For a great dinner option, The Conservatory at Calcot Manor (www.calcotmanor.co.uk Tel: 01666 890391) is very chic and yet very approachable for the fine dining section in a classy hotel. The menus are vibrantly British, with a touch of the Italian, and the puddings and wine list are fabulous. If you’d rather venture out deep into the Cotswolds countryside for a meal, The Bell at Sapperton (www.foodatthebell.co.uk Tel: 01285 760298), 9 miles from Tetbury. This cosy and popular little gastropub, in a idyllically rural location, offers a sophisticated, but friendly menu of British dishes, and its list of great, local suppliers is never-ending.

Picnic lovers will be in their element in Tetbury, with foodie havens such as The Chef’s Table, multi award-winning and Rick Stein favourite Hobbs House Bakery (www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk Tel: 01454 321 629) and famous House of Cheese (www.houseofcheese.co.uk Tel: 01666 502865) all selling great hamper fodder. Tetbury even has its own Food & Drink Festival in September (www.tetburyfoodfestival.co.uk).

Top of page

The lovely Priory Inn in Tetbury is a fine purveyor of rural chic, with a super-friendly atmosphere to make it a real Cotswolds home-from-home.