The Bell Inn

This is a wonderful inn in the heart of the Cotswolds, and my destination for one night’s stay after walking across country. I was partly drawn to it by Giles Coren’s ecstatic review of the food. I arrived to discover a cosy, kindly hostelry, a perfect hideaway, with aromas of woodsmoke and promising dinners to come. My room was delightful (though there is a smell of sewage on the way up…) and I had a very comfortable night’s sleep - except for one tiny thing - if you leave the window open, it rattles and needs tightening up. (Sorry, I meant to mention this when I checked out.) The St John claret is excellent, a very good and affordable option. For main, I had the venison loin with salsify, horseradish, bacon and a side of creamed spinach. Although the venison could have been a little warmer, this was a magnificent meal. The horseradish was very sharp but the balance of flavours worked beautifully. Pear sorbet to follow also unusual and delicious. My only disappointment was the cheese selection. Only two cheeses, both of them mild to the point of blandness. For that price, and given how much skill went into the main, I thought this was really very poor. I’d always expect three cheeses, and traditionally a cheddar, a blue and a soft cheese. This was just a soft and what looked like perhaps Ashcombe. At least it was served at room temperature and not straight out of the fridge however, as so many places insist on doing. The atmosphere was very genial, and the service was perfect, very attentive and friendly. And at breakfast, the little-known but charming “Path Towards Tomorrow” by Damien Montagu was playing, a favourite of mine. I would definitely stay again - the cheeseboard was the only misstep for me and all the more because everything else was so right.

Stunning ancient inn with great food …lovely rooms and great service.

What a find. I will be back. I loved this pub and rooms. Beautifully presented and decorated. Food for dinner and breakfast was great. I loved all the candles and furnishings and the fire lit on a slightly chilly morning at breakfast was lovely. I’d definitely recommend the bell inn. Parking is on the streets near by so as long as mindful of residents it really isn’t an issue. It a very quiet village

A VERY popular & busy pub. Positives: Room clean, tidy & smelt nice. Good water pressure for an old pub with plenty of hot water. Great shower and complimentary toiletries. Nice having an Nespresso machine with complementary cookies, as well as the usual tea and coffee sachets. Good continental breakfast, with the option for cooked food at an additional cost. Staff friendly and helpful. Negatives: Room 2 was quite small. Very noisy, dont expect to get to sleep before 23:30, if you're lucky. No parking. Parking on the road near the pub was pot luck. Very hot room, although they did provide a fan. Be aware there are some stairs to the room, we struggled a bit, but no option to change as fully booked.

Lovely atmosphere, staff were very friendly, food was gorgeous, would definitely recommend to stay here

A real treat! Stayed one night and had a meal in the restaurant. Lovely, cosy tradition village inn. Open fire in the hearth. Candles on the tables. Service was attentive, friendly and polite. Food was full of flavour. The flourless chocolate cake was amazing! Continental breakfast was excellent. Delicious granola and fruits with creamy yogurt, warm croissants, cereals and more! Rooms were comfortable, cosy and clean. Only issue was the winter weight duvet - it was so hot! Even with the window open we found it difficult to sleep. Maybe offer lower togg duvets? Other than that we had a lovely stay and meal. Would recommend.