The Cotswolds - How to Make the Most of a Three Day Visit
Sometimes a trip gets planned around something else, such as an incredibly exciting opportunity. When I was invited to sing Dan Forrest’s masterpiece "Creation" in London in June 2026, it only made sense to build a trip around the week-long rehearsal/concert schedule. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to visit the Cotswolds, located north-west of London.
Multiple British shows and movies are set in the Cotswolds region including: Downton Abbey, Father Brown, Bridget Jones's Diary and the Harry Potter Series. It’s easy to understand why; the Cotswolds are simply magical.
When planning the logistics, one fact remained clear. My husband Pete and I would not be renting a car. Between driving on the left, navigating the narrow roads lined with tall hedgerows, and remembering different traffic laws, I thought it best to keep my nerves calm and do this trip by train. With that decision made, the planning fell easily into place.
Because there is only one Cotswold train stop out of London, Morton-In-Marsh, the decision where to stay was easy. The rest proved to be a cinch. Philadelphia to London Heathrow is a simple, non-stop flight. Transferring from London Heathrow to Paddington Station; also a breeze because of the airport's great signage.
An annoying hiccup occurred soon after our arrival. My favorite credit card got denied after my first two purchases. This was a problem.
In April, my American Airlines Mastercard’s bank switched from Barclay to Citi. The switch seemed easy; but because I was new to Citi, they didn't yet know I was such an upstanding credit card user (and bill payer). Despite my husband letting Citi know online we were traveling to England and France; our purchases started getting denied. It took three phone calls to the Citi fraud department before a supervisor in IT finally hit the right button making my card good again.
Traveler’s Tip: It’s a good idea to have a back up credit card when traveling abroad. Always alert your bank and credit card company online and by phone before leaving the US. Fortunately, Citi's toll free international number worked great.
Shaking off the exasperation, Pete and I boarded our train on the GWR line for Morton-in-Marsh. Be advised, train fare for reserved seating is expensive but the train line is quite lovely. We purchased two round trip tickets for the 1 ½ hour trip for 140 pounds ($210 USD).
Travelers Tip: I recommend purchasing flexible fare tickets even though the cost is more. When our travel plans on the return trip changed slightly, we caught a different train at no extra cost.
The English countryside is bucolic to say the least. By the time we arrived in Morton-in-Marsh, we felt totally relaxed and ready for a new adventure.
I searched quite extensively for the “perfect” inn for our three night stay. Thankfully, I began the search eight months before trip time. I’m a big believer that the early travel bird catches the best accommodations. For this trip, I struck gold!
An easy walk from the train station, The Manor House Hotel is well situated at the end of the main road.
I booked the private Apple Cottage located at the rear of the hotel property. At the end of the path flanked by lovely gardens, what drew me to the accommodation was the private hot tub off a private patio. I do love a good hot tub.
The Apple Cottage is no ordinary hotel suite; it’s a house! Inside you’ll discover two floors of comfort featuring a large living room with a sofa bed on the ground level and a huge master bedroom and bath upstairs. I literally pinched myself; it felt so fairy tale-like.
Over the next three days, we explored by foot and by tour van. Wandering on our first day, we discovered an arboretum and falconry center accessible by sheep meadows separated by unique kissing gates. Charming doesn't begin to describe.
Traveler’s Tip: We stumbled upon the Cotswold Falconry Center by accident. The visit proved to be a highlight of the trip. If you’d like to experience a Snowy Owl flight just over your head or watch how a Secretary bird stomps his prey (such as poisonous snakes) to death with his feet, this hidden gem must be included in your itinerary.
To explore the Cotswolds area without a car, I booked on Tripadvisor - The Cotswolds in a Day Tour from Moreton-in-Marsh. Our driver, Steve, took us to five different villages, each unique. For us, it was the perfect solution to travel without stress.
Dinners were a nightly delightful surprise. Before leaving the US, I scoured Google and Tripadvisor reviews to find the best restaurants for us. The following are our choices with personal ratings: 1-3 don’t bother, 4-7 passable, 8-10- must try.
The White Hart Royal Hotel and Eatery- Rating -9. Pete had the most stunning pot pie that came out looking like a muffin. The pastry was divine and the meat and veggies inside, scrumptious. My chalk stream trout tasted fantastic.
Siam Cottage - 10. Fantastic curry. Pete loved the Crying Tiger. The decor is delightful.
Raj Mahal - 7. Dinner was delicious but somehow our order got forgotten when our waiter simply vanished. Fortunately, we had the best seat in the house while we waited, and waited……..
Traveler’s Tip: Be sure to make reservations well in advance, especially during high season.
As far as choosing a Cotswold village to stay in, I highly recommend Moreton-in-Marsh. Despite it being the only village serviced by the train line from London, it gives off a quiet, English countryside vibe without a million tourists swarming about. All the villages we visited on the tour seemed similar except for Stow-in-Wold; an enchanting English show stopper. If you dislike touristy spots, skip Burton-on-Water. Teeming with tourists, the shops seemed too much the same and the restaurants were crowded.
Three nights seemed the perfect amount of time to spend in the Cotswolds. Since we still had another day before I had to be in London, I booked an overnight stay in Oxford, located between Moreton-in-Marsh and central London. This proved to be an excellent decision.
Oxford University is believed to be over 1000 years old, with evidence showing earliest teachings to have begun around 1096. The palpable history throughout the city is jaw dropping. For instance, Pete and I enjoyed a beer at the Kings Arms, dating back as a pub for over 400 years. The building itself goes back another few centuries.
If you are a Harry Potter fan, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into the movie set as students pass you on the sidewalk in their traditional gowns.
My personal highlight was our hotel. After much research, I booked a night in a prison. Ok, a former prison. The main building of Oxford’s Hotel Malmaison, built as a castle for William the Conqueror in 1071, became a prison in 1230. Later Victorian additions made it extremely Count of Monte Cristo-like before closing for good in 1996 (the last hanging inside was in 1950).
Our luxury room lived up to its name. Once three cells, our room consisted of a large bedroom with a bath featuring a beautiful claw footed tub.
In the main hallway are the metal catwalks once patrolled by guards. We didn’t dine at Malmaison but we had a wonderful time at the hotel’s happy hour located in the basement, Chez Mal Bar.
We stumbled onto the restaurant White Rabbit for the best pizza we’ve had in recent memory. Dining al fresco, we felt as relaxed as two travelers could be after a magical four days in the UK.
Looming ahead, the real reason for this trip.
We thought the Cotswolds and Oxford would be “As good as it gets”. Little did we know how wrong we were.
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