COSY IN THE COTSWOLDS

Everything I loved about our two-day stay in the Cotswolds.

When I moved to the UK from LA a little over two years ago, I had no idea I'd fall in love with the English countryside in the way that I have. Our first staycation in the English countryside was to Somerset. We stayed at a charming Airbnb owned by a lovely couple. They had converted their old milk barn into a one-bedroom loft, which was perfection. They had two horses, a friendly pig, and a host of chickens that gave us the freshest eggs every morning. It was so peaceful, so tranquil. I loved every minute of it.

With my mom in town for a few weeks, I wanted to make sure she got to experience a bit of the English countryside so I booked a two-night stay in the Cotswolds for us. Here's everything we did and my recommendations to help you plan your future trip to the Cotswolds.

Where We Stayed

I found a quaint little boutique hotel on Mr & Mrs Smith called Artist Residence, Oxfordshire. It was the perfect base for us. We took a 1-hour train ride from Paddington to Hanborough and it was a 15-minute taxi ride to the hotel.

Tip: Have the hotel call a taxi for you ahead of time (give them at least a 15 to 20-minute lead time) if you're arriving at Hanborough instead of Oxford because it's a smaller town so there isn't a taxi rank where taxis are readily available. Also, you won't see a sign for Artist Residence, but it's behind the pub Mason Arm.

What We Ate

The great thing about where we stayed is that it's nestled at the back of a quintessential British pub called The Masons Arm. However, don't let the humble exterior fool you, this pub is on the Michelin Guide for a reason. We decided to stay in and have dinner there on our first night and it did not disappoint. The burrata and roasted fig salad caught our attention first, so we had that to start – I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say it was heaven on a plate. We followed that with the spiced butternut squash soup, a vegan option, but you couldn't tell because it had such a delectably creamy texture. For our main, we shared the Hake which came with a garden pea velouté, petit pois a la Française, and crushed potatoes. We had a pear tart for the grand finale with homemade custard cream ice cream.

We ate there three times, twice for dinner and twice for breakfast. I'd planned for us to have dinner the second night at The Bell at Charlbury, but I accidentally made reservations for the wrong night and they were fully booked when we tried to change it. I'll admit it wasn't too much of a disappointment considering how delicious the food is at the Masons Arm.

Where We Visited

We visited three villages on our full day out in The Cotswolds. Each place had its own unique elements that I'll share down below. The Cotswolds has so much to explore, it's impossible to see everything in one day, so I chose some of the most recommended villages that were less than an hour away from Oxfordshire.

Bibury

Bibury, often hailed as the prettiest village in England, is a must-visit destination in the Cotswolds. Its picturesque thatched cottages lining the River Coln create a scene straight out of a fairytale. While there, we stopped at the charming Twig Coffee Shop for a brief caffeine fix. We wandered the charming streets, admiring the iconic Arlington Row cottages with their honey-colored stone walls and thatched roofs. We picked up a few souvenirs at the gift shop just outside of the Bibury Trout Farm then headed to The Swan Inn for a cozy and truly memorable lunch. The food was superb, and so was the ambiance. We had fun singing along to their classic playlist at our table for two right next to the fireplace.

Bourton-on-the-Water

Often called the "Venice of the Cotswolds," Bourton-on-the-water was another charming village, with many more stores and restaurants than Bibury. We strolled along the riverbanks and watched a family of ducks sliding into the water like little planes landing. We popped in and out of the shops and ended with the most delicious pumpkin spice ice cream (that came in a small waffle cone cup) from Box Bush.

Stow-on-the-Wold

I confess, Stow-on-the-Wold quickly became my favorite. I wish we had more time because I loved everything about it, from the idyllic setting to the charming shops. I loved browsing through Sam Wilson home store, where I picked up a beautiful Lebanese cookbook called Sofra, and One@Stow, where I snagged a lovely candle from Cronas Candles.

I can't wait to go back and explore more of this magical place.