The Painswick, Painswick, Cotswolds

We love the five-mile Laurie Lee trail around the Slad Valley - the path is dotted with posts displaying the writer's poetry.

The Painswick is on the western edge of the Cotswolds, a 15-minute drive from Gloucester. The 18th-century Painswick Rococo Garden is a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk from the hotel.
By car: The hotel is around 2 hours 30 minutes from London, 50 minutes from Bristol and 1 hour 15 minutes from Oxford. There is limited parking at the hotel, but the town has a car park.
By train: A direct train runs from London Paddington to Stroud taking around 90 minutes. Stroud station is a 10-minute taxi ride from the hotel. thetrainline.com

A neon installation by reception and eye-catching artwork on the walls are offset by classic country house features such as handsome old fireplaces. From couples to wedding parties (who take over the entire hotel), there's a broad-brush appeal to this hotel, but The Painswick is especially in tune with the younger, cool crowd. It was built as a vicarage that included a small chapel, and this is now a bright and colourful bar.

Despite the steep hills, cycling here is a pleasure thanks to the electric bikes you can hire at the hotel.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Gardens
• Room service
• Free Wi-Fi
• Bike hire

• 24-hour front desk

• Games room

Top-floor room Whitchurch Silk is a winner for the incredible views from its mullion windows.We love the eclectic array of books in the rooms.

Small, Medium, Big, Bigger, and George's Suite
Facilities include: King size bed, ensuite bathroom, REN toiletries, bathrobes, Chef's homemade snacks, pantry and mini fridge, Nespresso coffee machine, Sky TV, digital radio, books and magazines, free Wi-Fi, safe, hairdryer

The homemade bread and pastries at breakfast are melt-in-the-mouth delicious. Try the squash soup with sage pesto at dinner.

The Hearth: small plates and sharing platters. Open for dinner 6-9pm.
The Painswick Restaurant: refined European and British dishes. Open for afternoon tea, Mon-Sat 12-4.30pm. Dinner daily 6-9pm. Sunday lunch 12-3pm. Mains from £21.