With

With
quirky decor, manicured gardens and a gourmet restaurant,
The Swan Inn is an English
countryside bolthole offering a bucolic escape from London.

Only an hour’s train ride from London‘s
Marylebone station, this 16th-century inn has been revived in the
form of a rustic restaurant with rooms. Nestled in the village of
Ascott-under-Wychwood, owners Sam and Georgie Pearman (co-founders
of boutique Cotswolds hotel group, The
Lucky Onion) have carefully curated interiors, pairing
traditional English style with quirky modern artwork and eclectic
decor. Spend days cosied up by the fireplace and feasting on
gourmet dishes at the hotel’s much-lauded restaurant.

Rooms

Double rooms at The Swan Inn ooze countryside comforts, with
roughly hewn wooden beams stretching across ceilings,
scallop-hemmed lampshades and walls which alternate between
eclectic wallpaper and exposed brickwork. Arise from a deep slumber
to soak up views across the gardens before taking a soothing soak
in the room’s deep bathtub. If you’re travelling with children, the
family room offers a large sitting room, double room, twin room and
bathroom.

What’s for breakfast?

The hotel provides a buffet breakfast of cold meats, pastries,
yoghurt and cereal, but if you’re after a hearty English breakfast
opt for the cooked menu. Sip tea or coffee out of floral,
hand-painted mugs as you choose between the scrambled duck eggs
with Chapel & Swan smoked salmon or the Cacklebean eggs
benedict – with extra truffle for a touch of morning decadence.

How about lunch and dinner?

Come evening, the inn springs to life as locals spill into the
restaurant. Book a table in the back room to admire artwork and
curios curated by Georgie – we were particularly taken by the
portrait by Keith Tyson and the mood-setting red lampshades –
before turning your attention to the menu. Start with the
Rockefeller oysters and follow with the Huntsham Farm Middlewhite
pork pie. Finish with the jaffa-cake chocolate pudding, served with
a deliciously creamy pistachio ice cream and topped with candied
pistachios.

Is there a bar?

Not exactly, but nab a spot in front of the brick fireplace in
the lobby to sink into velvet, crimson-coloured armchairs and order
a few aperitifs before you head into the restaurant.

Amenities?

Rooms come with a selection of magazines perfect for lazy
leafing, and kettles and tea bags are ready and waiting for a
morning cuppa. Shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, moisturiser and
the like are from 100 Acres Apothecary, an eco-friendly brand
making 100% natural bath and body products inspired by the British
countryside.

Things you should know

While England isn’t known for its weather, the inn does have a
garden complete with firepits and metal tables and chairs for sunny
days.

Within a short walk you’ll find…

Fields, fields and more fields – this is the Cotswolds, after
all. One of the prettiest parts of England, we recommend simply
wandering down country lanes until you stumble upon the next
village, Shipton-under-Wychwood, almost a half hour walk away.
Alternatively, order a cab to drive 10 minutes for lunch at
The Chequers, The Swan’s sister
restaurant. Traditional British dishes are served under towering
ceilings, flagstone floors and walls decorated with antique
furnishings and trinkets. Be sure to order the twice-baked cheddar
souffle doused with spinach and mustard sauce, and follow with the
beer-battered haddock and chips.