An Idyllic Weekend Away at Bruern Luxury Cottages In the Cotswolds

After the sweltering heatwave of last week, we were in desperate need to cool down and chill out so an intermittently rainy weekend away at Bruern luxury cottages in the Cotswolds was just what the doctor ordered (literally here with my thyroid op last month)!

A short drive away from Windsor (1 hour ish), situated in the the heart of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds between Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford, we arrived at this picture-perfect (and well-hidden) hamlet of cottages late at night on Friday ready for the weekend ahead.

Our cottage was aptly named Goodwood, nestled beside neighbouring luxe cottages on a private road (funnily enough the name of the cottage is the name of the private road I lived on as a child, in Ilkley, Yorkshire so brought back happy memories at first view) and the sprawling vineyards cascading from the exterior walls, ripening grapes patiently waiting for the sun, made for one of the prettiest settings I’d ever seen. We felt like we were on a film set, such its beauty.

   

With everything you could possible want or need for a long weekend away (or even longer), Bruern Cottages provides you with a luxurious home-from-home or ‘a home in the country’ with local produce kindly gifted to you upon arrival (homemade raspberry jam, granary bread, lemon cake, champagne, biscuits, tea and even ingredients for a home cooked breakfast the kids gobbled up the following day), making for a thoughtful and most welcome addition to your stay.

 

Everything about your stay Bruern is carefully considered, it’s what makes them stand apart from other cottage stays, and cements them as leaders in their lane.

Twice National Winners of Visit Britain’s England for Excellence Award for Luxury Self-Catering, and current holders of Enjoy England’s Gold Award for quality, Bruern holiday cottages set a benchmark for self-catering and the cottage we stayed in is my dream home in every way: the vintage country style vibes, pastel cupboards and four poster beds.

Maybe a move to Oxfordshire might be on the cards (yes, I know I say this after every holiday we ever have) but this part of the world is honestly, the most mellow place we’ve ever visited. The fact you could hear a pin drop in the cottage made me realise quite how noisy Windsor is with its endless overhead flights and tourists in the town centre!

We certainly took to the slower, quieter way of life.

I loved the retro country style interior design and the careful eye and attention to detail within, from the green and white kitchen tiles and tablecloth to fresh flowers in pretty vases (flowers make a home as my Mum always says) and tartan print soft furnishings, local artists’ prints upon the walls, chaise longue style chairs, heavy curtains, with a wood burning fire if you fancied it, and not forgetting the comfiest of four poster beds for the best night’s sleep guaranteed.

What more could a family want?

 

An idyllic location, the charming grounds are simply bursting with flora and greenery, with a gravelled path leading to a heated indoor pool, gym, a private garden with goal posts and two quaint playgrounds boasting swings, slides, a Wendy House and a life size Connect 4 to keep the kids entertained, meaning you never need to leave the premises if you’d rather not venture out.

With intermittent rainfall, we took this as our cue to swim, nap, watch movies, sleep and repeat, during our long weekend there.

Alexander became a stronger swimmer thanks to all the visits to the pool, a short walk away, and we were often the only ones splashing around with other families arriving as we left. I managed 40 lengths on one occasion (the most I’ve been able to swim post-op) and with super shower facilities and an outside sunbathing area for when the sun comes out, you can enjoy the facilities at Bruern all year round.

It really was the most perfect of staycations and we couldn’t be more grateful for the break.

We returned home, feeling as if we’d been away for weeks and weeks, such was the R&R we experienced there.

Utter bliss. Book now!

Thanks for the memories, Bruern, we shall be back!

We were provided with a complimentary stay at Bruern in return for this honest review.

 

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