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WHAT'S THE VIBE?
Gloucestershire, but make it fashion? The Londonification of the Cotswolds continues apace with Cowley Manor Experimental, the newest opening from the Experimental Group, quickly becoming a hospitality heavyweight following on from recent openings in Menorca, Biarritz and Verbier. With Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor drawing a crowd looking for a dose of the good life and maybe a boogie in between, Cowley Manor Experimental offers an alternative for those who are after a taste without having to face a membership committee. Design wunderkinds Dorothée Meilichzon and De Matos Ryan have been shoulder-tapped to bring the property up to date. But, as they say, it already had good bones.
The manor house traces its history back over three centuries to when it was first constructed in 1695. Formerly owned by Edward the Confessor, Cowley Manor is widely recognised for providing inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. The gardens date back to the 19th century and are fed by seven natural springs which flow down a Grade II-listed water staircase to the River Churn. Does it deliver? Go ask Alice.
The Italianate neoclassical main house drips with colonnades and balustrades and the interiors riff on the children’s book. Separate from the building, the full-service C-Side spa is a destination in its own right. Inspired by the many natural springs on the property with an indoor/outdoor swimming pool ensconced in evergreen trees, it looks like it could have been lifted from Ex Machina. This uber-luxe wellness space includes steam rooms, a sauna and a gym that’s perfect for counterbalancing the food and drink. On that note…
C-Side Spa
Mr Tripper
WHAT TO EAT?
We’d be remiss not to recommend an appetite-sharpener at Experimental Cocktail Club Cotswolds. The group started out running cocktail bars and does a class job of it still. On a Friday evening a DJ was perched at the end of the countertop spinning house tunes while guests unwound with outside-the-box beverages such as the Agave Gibson – crafted with sesame-infused Bruxo X mezcal, Tapatio Blanco tequila, Cocchi Americano and a watermelon pickling liqueur.
The restaurant is in the adjoining room, and it’s a sight for sore eyes. Heads swivel between the high-ceilinged, wood-panelled grandeur of the dining room and the sunset-doused grounds of the property that it looks out onto.
The sleek, chic and talented Jackson Boxer has been given the reins in the kitchen and brings his technique and taste to bear as executive chef, leaning equally into the modern British larder and the Experimental Group’s French roots. Opt for the crudites with whipped stracciatella and green garlic oil if you’re looking for a taste of the local terroir.
We were floored by a dictionary-thick Hereford côte de boeuf that was locally reared and slathered in a bone marrow sauce as rich as Croesus. Desserts were similar show-stoppers. We enjoyed Guinness and chocolate cake in the room while sipping from a flask of pre-batched Verbier-inspired digestif.
The Restaurant
Mr Tripper
WHAT TO DO?
Look, while it’s nice to visit a hotel that will keep you well-watered and well-fed, you’ve hardly left London for the restaurants. Take the opportunity to get out into the Cotswolds and savour its chocolate-box charm. The aforementioned gardens are a fine starting point, but there’s plenty in the vicinity. Walking trails and old ways thread the wooded landscapes, such as Crickley Hill, famed as much for its views as for the swathes of snowdrops and violets that blossom in its meadows.
Failing that, scratch the history buff itch at one of the ancient Roman villas nearby, pay a visit to one of the region’s famous gardens, or point it into Cheltenham for a touch of Gloucestershire gentility and maybe a horse race while you’re at it. The world is yours.
