What Makes Our Properties Special?

We are always overjoyed when we hear from our guests about how special their stay was with us, and so we thought it was about time we shared with you a little story about each of our beautiful properties.

From when we first started out in 2017, our vision for Unique Cotswold Cottages was always to create something really special.  We wanted to wow our guests so they would leave our cottages with unforgettable memories.

Over the last 6 years we have stuck by this vision, we watched it come to life as we tirelessly and meticulously planned, designed, and created.

Each of our properties has their own unique story that gives them their charm.  And by adding special touches to each and every one of our hand-picked cottages, and sending a personal pre/post arrival email, we have created the vision we set out to accomplish.  This forms part of our unique stamp and lays the foundation for a superbly comfortable stay.

We have done this by leaving a handwritten welcome card for every guest that stays with us. 

A welcome tray filled with high quality local and sustainable treats such as wine, organic rape seed oil, biscuits and honey is provided for our guests to use and enjoy. 

We provide unique local offers and discounts for guests at local restaurants, cafes and pubs.   And to make their stay that much more special, they also have their own on-hand housekeeper who lives locally so should there be any requirements, all our guests need to do is pick up the phone and our housekeeper will be there to help.  

welcome tray at honeypot

We want to make sure each and every one of our guests has the most comfortable and restful night’s sleep.  This is our absolute top priority!  So in all of our cottages you will find the best of the best mattresses by Hypnos in all our cottages, 500 thread count Egyptian cotton bed linen, roll-top bath tubs, walk-in showers and Egyption cotton towels.

Our cottages have all mod cons including high speed wifi and we also offer a later check out than usual, so guests can enjoy taking their time on their last morning with us.

Guests also have the option to book an in-cottage Spa treatment from Solace Asia Therapy, which specialises in deep tissue massage, reflexology, Thai stretch massage and much more.  

Our cottages are of course in beautiful walking country so guests have their own personal walking map, we have umbrellas, spare bathroom accessories in case anything is left at home, and let’s not forget your four-legged friends - they have their own basket, treats, blankets and bowls.

And if you are wondering what are the best villages to visit in The Cotswolds, well our cottages are located in some of the prettiest places to visit in this glorious landscape.  So without further ado, let’s look a little more closely at our properties and their locations…

Little Gem Cottage - Bourton-on-the-Water

Our first cottage, Little Gem, is over 200 years old. It was a garage for many years but then became a cottage that belonged to the neighbouring house.

When we acquired Little Gem back in 2017, it was very tired and in desperate need of some TLC so we rolled our sleeves up, got to work and it is now a beautifully refurbished Cotswold stone cottage complete with a log burner, fully equipped kitchen, delightful private patio garden and private parking.

The bedroom has a king size bed, a roll-top bath and walk-in shower in the bathroom.

An open plan living/dining/kitchen space has every top quality appliance you should need and the stable door in the kitchen leads to a charming, private patio garden with Weber barbeque, outdoor sofa and table & chairs for outdoor dining.

Located in Bourton-on-the-Water - also known as ‘The Little Venice of the Cotswolds’ - and a stone’s throw from the centre of this charming village.  Bourton itself is a quintessentially quaint Cotswold village with its low stone bridges and it has many cafes, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants serving delicious local food.

The Loft, Stow-on-the-Wold

The Loft is a beautiful, romantic rooftop apartment for two in the heart of Stow-on-the-Wold.  The Grade II Listed building is over 400 years old, it lived one of its many lives as a bakery and we have taken great care to preserve its charm.

This cosy and quirky apartment is at the top of a stunning Cotswold stone building but don’t be fooled - the loft is both spacious and luxurious and has its own access and delightful, private decked terrace with outdoor dining and sofa, perfect for unwinding with a bottle of wine or breakfast.

In the loft we have created a haven with the feeling of a retreat so it is perfect for a romantic getaway where you can enjoy the large bedroom with a stunning roll top bath complete with a view of the stars.  There is also a walk-in shower, a large lounge with a dining table, a kitchen with breakfast bar, and everything else you could possibly need.

The Loft is in the heart of Stow village so you can peruse the boutiques and antique shops to your heart’s content!

The Bolt Hole - Winchcombe

At over 150 years old, The Bolt Hole spent many years as a butcher's shop before we lovingly refurbished it to the delightful holiday cottage it is today.  With its open plan living/dining room/kitchen and every appliance you should need including a washing machine, dishwasher, 6-ring hob, double oven, fridge with freezer box and microwave so guests can enjoy the ease and comfort of this home-from-home.  

To add to the cosy atmosphere of this little haven, we also installed a log-burner and wall-mounted Smart TV to turn those chilly evenings into a perfect setting for snug relaxation.

Despite the Bolt Hole’s size it boasts a king-size bed with views from the bed of the beautiful countryside, a walk-in shower and roll-top bath.  We also welcome babies and have provided a cot and highchair.

The Bolt Hole is in the conservation area of Winchcombe which is deemed an area of notable historic interest worthy of preservation.  Winchcombe is the ‘walkers paradise’ of the Cotswolds and with its wealth of delightful walks and cycle routes on the doorstep you’ll be pleased to know there are many timbered inns, coffee shops and restaurants - including the celebrated Michelin rated “Restaurant 5 North Street”  - to satisfy your appetite!

Honey Pot - Chipping Campden

Delightfully cosy Honey Pot is Ideally situated just off the  high street in a very quiet location, and yet it is just  a minute’s walk away from the centre of Chipping Campden.  

We have made our guest’s stay at Honey Pot as smooth running as possible with a large private parking area and EV charger right outside.   Guest’s can enjoy air conditioning when the weather is hot and relax in the private enclosed garden on a balmy evening with a bottle of wine, or for breakfast in the morning.  Honey Pot has everything you need to make as comfortable a break as possible including dishwasher, walk-in shower and luxurious touches everywhere.

Chipping Campden, a charming old wool merchant’s town in the heart of the cotswolds,  was described by the noted Historian G.M. Trevelyanas as ‘the most beautiful village street now left on the island’, and it’s not hard to see why with its elegant terraced buildings, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century.

Here our guests can enjoy a vast choice of independent shops, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants.  We have partnered up with some of these wonderful eateries to offer our guests a discount. 

NEW - Hideaway Cottage

Our stunning Hideaway Cottage was originally named after the nearby River Windrush and in its past life has been a bookmakers and a boot shop.  The name Hideaway feels very apt, as the access to the back gate and private garden is hidden away.

Beautifully decorated and immaculately presented, this property will surprise and delight.  A little bigger than our other properties, Hideaway has a cosy study/bedroom as well as a beautiful wood panelled master bedroom with king size bed - both have been lovingly decorated with fixtures and fittings including wood panelling, and as with the rest of the property are high quality, sustainable and locally sourced wherever possible.

The master bedroom at hideaway cottage

The spacious bathroom has a roll top bath and walk-in shower - perfect for unwinding after a day’s exploring or walking the surrounding Cotswold hills. 

The fully equipped kitchen with top quality appliances, opens out to the cosy living space with log burner, beautiful sofas and smart tv for those cosy nights in.

Hideaway has its own private parking space complete with EV charger for guest use.  The delightful private patio garden has Bramblecrest table and chairs for outdoor dining and outdoor sofa so you can enjoy the morning papers. 

Bourton village is just a short, easy stroll away where you can enjoy the many characterful shops, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants including The Mousetrap Inn and Bakery on the Water, a fourth-generation, family run artisan bakery.

We hope that you have enjoyed our ‘tour’ and we would love to welcome you soon as another happy guest.  Should you wish to look further into our properties and our ethos, you can find more info on our website www.uniquecotswoldcottages.com

Happy browsing!

Sustainability and the tourism industry

At Unique Cotswold Cottages, we're trying to do our part to help protect the environment as much as we can and we thought we would share with you some of the sustainable initiatives that we have been working on.

So, what are we doing? Well, we believe that investing in local suppliers is one of the best ways we can do this, so we are consciously buying products that are locally sourced or made in the UK. By doing this, we have reduced our carbon footprint and we are supporting local businesses at the same time. 

For example, our guest soaps are made by a local artisan producer Petala Soaps made in Bourton of the Water, the home of our gorgeous properties  Little Gem Cottage and Hideaway Cottage.  Petala soaps are not only a delightful addition to our cottage bathrooms, but they are also an environmentally conscious choice.  To make the soap this local artisan producer uses a highly sustainable, traditional cold-process method from natural oils.

Plus, our logs are supplied by local company Cotswold Firewood and Logs who source their firewood locally from either waste products from tree surgery operations or timber taken from thinning sustainable woodland.

We're also trying to make it easier for our guests to be eco-friendly. So that our guests can charge their electric vehicles while they stay with us, we've installed EV chargers at two of our properties, Hideaway Cottage and Honey Pot with plans to do this in the rest..

During the renovation of our Hideaway Cottage property, we donated numerous household items and furniture to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, ensuring that our unused items went to a good cause and did not end up in landfill.

We're also proud to say that we work with lots of other Cotswold and UK-based companies who share our commitment to sustainability. To name a few:

  • Cotswold Gold is a local supplier of high-quality rapeseed oil. Their oil is cold-pressed and bottled on their family farm in the heart of the Cotswolds, ensuring that the product is not only delicious but also sustainable. We include it as a welcome gift, so that our guests can taste and enjoy the delicious flavour of this locally-produced oil. 

  • At all of our properties, we provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from Faith in Nature. Their products are natural, cruelty free and ethical. Their production facility is in Lancashire, UK, using the water from nearby Lake District. What's more, they use 100% recycled and recyclable bottles and plant a tree for every product bought. 

  • Bramblecrest is a UK-based company that manufactures their outdoor furniture in Indonesia, where they have a team of highly skilled artisans who use sustainable materials and techniques to create their products. They are committed to ethical and responsible sourcing, and their furniture is made to the highest quality standards. So when you relax on their outdoor sofas or enjoy breakfast on their table and chairs, you can do so knowing that you are supporting a UK company that values sustainability and quality craftsmanship.

Bramblecrest garden furniture at Hideaway Cottage

  • Rise and Fall is one of our absolute favourite suppliers, and we are proud to offer their Soft and Smooth bedding range to our guests for the ultimate night’s sleep!  They are committed to sustainability and minimising their impact on the environment. Their cotton is grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals.  They also work with suppliers who share their values and are certified by independent organisations such as the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Fairtrade. Additionally, Rise and Fall uses packaging that is made from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.

Rise and Fall bedding at Little Gem

  • Serious Tissues is a UK based company provides all our properties, The Loft, Little Gem, The Bolt Hole, Honey Pot and Hideaway Cottage with 100% recyclable and plastic-free toilet paper made from old paper such as newspapers, office documents, and Christmas cards. Their 3-ply toilet roll comes in a recycled cardboard box and is free from chemicals, perfumes, and dyes. But that's not all; when you purchase a pack of Serious Tissues, they plant a tree in various locations across the globe to help restore ecosystems and protect forests. As of now, the company has planted 341,064 trees.

Serious Tissues loo roll in the bathroom at Little Gem

  • For our latest refurbishment project, Hideaway Cottage, we turned to David Hunt Lighting, a reputable lighting company based up the road in Shipston-on-Stour. David Hunt Lighting is known for their exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail, producing lighting fixtures that not only illuminate a space but also add to its aesthetic appeal.  They use eco-friendly materials and employ energy-efficient manufacturing processes, making their products a great choice for us. We also made sure to select carpets made in the UK to support local manufacturing and reduce our carbon footprint.

  • We are currently trialling Arya Eco kitchen sponges which are made from coconut fibres and natural, sustainable, plastic free materials.  And Envirowipe cleaning cloths which are fully compostable and also made with 100 percent natural fibre, for use in the kitchens of our properties. 

So, that's what we're all about at Unique Cotswold Cottages. We believe that sustainable tourism is the way of the future, and we're committed to doing our part and we are working to make sure our properties are as environmentally friendly as possible.