Located

Located
just two hours’ drive from London,
and short journey from the heart of Cirencester, The Stump is a
welcome and affordable escape from city life. With cosy en-suite
rooms, a roaring fire and raring pizza
oven, this refurbished coaching inn has nailed countryside
hideaway.

The Stump is run by childhood friends Baz and
Fred (aka Harry Henriques and Fred Hicks) who started out selling
stone-baked pizzas in London’s Flat Iron Square. They grew up in
the Cotswolds and have since moved back to fill a
gap in the market with simple yet brilliant Italian food at this
stylish pub
with rooms.

Rooms

There are 10 en-suite bedrooms detached from the pub, each
benefitting from an outdoor terrace. They’re low-key and
comfortable – these guys aren’t interested in being trendy
try-hards, resulting in a wonderfully familiar home-away-from-home
experience. Soak in the delightfully deep bathtub (making the most
of locally produced Bramley products) before heading over to the
pub for dinner. Sated by your Italian-style feast, roll into your
heavenly king-size bed.

What’s for breakfast?

Guests can enjoy a home-cooked breakfast by a roaring fire.
Catch up on the morning papers over a cup of coffee in the cosy
dining area. Choose from a menu of options including granola with
yoghurt and berries, sourdough toast, scrambled eggs and bacon.

How about lunch and dinner?

While away the afternoon cosied up by the fireplace and feasting
on rustic Italian small plates and pizza with a bottle of wine. The
food is a hit among locals, so come evening the restaurant’s
atmosphere comes alive with a convivial buzz. Peruse an Italianate
menu of small plates, stone-baked pizzas and pasta dishes.
Standouts for us were the ragu with pappardelle and aubergine and
ricotta pizza. Dunk your crusts in the fiery “death sauce”, but be
warned that it may make your tongue tingle – an ideal excuse to
tuck into some creamy burrata.

Is there a bar?

The pub springs to life as the sun sets, with locals pouring in
for drinks. We suggest kicking off the evening with a typical
Italian aperitif – The Stump makes a mean negroni.

Amenities

All rooms are equipped with Bramley bath products, a flat-screen
television, Wi-Fi and a coffee machine.

Things I should know…

Room Nine has a freestanding bath so if that takes your fancy
it’s worth asking if it’s available. While the pub is in a rural
Cotswolds location, it is very close to a busy road which can be
noisy if you’re sitting out on the terrace.

Within a short walk I can find…

In the Cotswolds you’re never far from discovering a lovely
country walk which, no doubt, will culminate in a pub lunch. Stroll
from the hotel to the nearby market town of Northleach and make a
pitstop at
The Wheatsheaf Inn.