18 pubs (and restaurants) with stylish bedrooms
Don't book a drab B&B just because it has a log burner! This is my opinionated edit of the rural getaways where you can eat apple crumble AND take design notes.
If you know me in real life, you’ll know I’m pretty obsessive about attention to detail. Especially where interiors are concerned and especially when it comes to booking hotels or B&Bs. Some would say fussy or hard-to-please, I say thoughtful and particular.
I know what I like and if a place catches my eye, I will devise some farcical reason to get myself there for an overnight stay. Cue trying to convince my boyfriend that four hours will pass quickly and it will be so nice to be surrounded by nature.
I used to work as the managing editor for a travel company, so hunting for design-led places to stay, up-and-coming hotels and new openings is a habit I never did (and don’t plan to) break. Some people splurge on new shoes when they need a treat, I start researching road trips and places to stay…
Never does this gravitational pull towards the Cosy Country Break strike more searingly than in autumn. I don’t even like pumpkin spice but I do love nostalgic ‘90s films and they charm me into a frenzy at this time of year. Also, I have red hair and an October birthday, so this is my season! If I can’t get to New York in the fall to peruse bookshops and sip coffee in a square somewhere, I’ll damn well go to Somerset instead.
I’ve included 18 pubs and restaurants for now and if you’re wondering why I haven’t included X or Y place, chances are, I considered it but decided it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. That’s why you’re here, I hope? Because you don’t want another generic round-up of boutique pubs with bedrooms and fireplaces (there’s no shortage of those). This is a carefully chosen edit of my favourites for interior inspiration. The ones where I’ve stayed overnight, visited in person or stalked online, all because I love what they’ve done with the place and I’d happily book them myself. You’re very welcome to tell me about your own faves in the comments!
Time-consuming edits such as this one take me aaages to put together as they’re very research-heavy and I’m painfully fussy about what I’ll include. I always want them to be brilliant and never half-arsed, so going forward, most of my round-ups will be exclusive to paid subscribers. Please consider upgrading via the button below if you’re able to!
Keep scrolling for a carefully chosen edit of design-led pubs and restaurants with rooms where the interiors are as good as the bucolic setting…
The Bull, Charlbury, Cotswolds
I had lunch at The Bull a couple of months ago (we still talk about the fudgy purple carrots and I was ecstatic at realising that there was a £2.50 soft-serve ice cream cone on the dessert menu). Anyway, the vibe was buzzy and very stylish (not surprising when you realise it’s by the same people as The Pelican in London’s Notting Hill) and I overheard the people next to us describing one of the bathrooms upstairs with a log burner, so I had a sneaky Google under the table to see the bedrooms and look at them! Unlike much of the Cotswolds, you can reach Charlbury easily by direct train from London.
Updown Farmhouse, Betteshanger, Kent
I haven’t yet visited Updown Farmhouse in Kent but my friend Sophie has and she really liked it, so I bookmarked it for later. You see, Sophie’s a brilliant interior designer (otherwise known as Cote de Folk) and I trust her taste implicitly. I have it on good authority that the food is great and I have delusions of grandeur, so I’d want to stay in their separate two-bedroomed gatehouse. I think I’d try to pop into The Rose for lunch while I was there since I’ve never been to Deal and it’s only around 15 minutes away by car.
