Where to Stay in the Cotswolds

Bourton sits on the River Windrush in the central Cotswolds, 4 miles from Burford and 5 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold. The main High Street runs parallel to the river, lined with honey-stone B&Bs and tea rooms. It is the most visited village in the region, which means crowds from 10am to 4pm in summer. Stay here if you want to walk everywhere without a car. The Model Village on New Road and Birdland Park on Rissington Road are both under 5 minutes on foot. Book a room on Station Road or Lansdowne for quieter nights away from the tourist core.

Best for

First-timers wanting a quintessential Cotswolds base without a car

Walk times

Birdland Park, Rissington Road 5 min
Model Village, New Road 3 min
Cotswold Motoring Museum, High Street 4 min

Skip if: You visit in July or August and cannot tolerate tourist crowds from 10am to 5pm

Local tip: Arrive before 9am or after 5pm to see the village without tour buses. The Windrush riverbank behind the Old Manse Hotel is empty even when High Street is packed.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Chipping Campden

The authentic medieval market town walkers and photographers choose

Budget $0-$0/night

Chipping Campden is the northern Cotswolds at its most unspoiled. The medieval High Street stretches nearly half a mile, flanked by 14th-century wool merchants' townhouses in warm golden limestone. Market Hall stands at the center, built in 1627. The town attracts fewer day-trippers than Bourton and sits directly on the Cotswold Way long-distance footpath. Stanton and Stanway are 3 miles south by road. Hidcote Manor Garden, owned by the National Trust, is a 4-mile drive. Accommodation clusters on High Street, Sheep Street, and Lower High Street, ranging from classic coaching inns to small boutique B&Bs.

Best for

Walkersphotographersand couples who want an authentic market town without coach-party crowds

Walk times

Market Hall, built 1627 2 min
St James Church, Church Street 5 min
Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden 8 min

Skip if: You rely on public transport. Buses from Chipping Campden are infrequent and stop running early evening.

Local tip: The Eight Bells pub on Church Street has been serving since 1380. Book a table in advance. The Noel Arms on High Street is the oldest hotel in town, with rooms in the original 14th-century building.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Burford

The Cotswolds gateway with the best road connections

Budget $0-$0/night

Burford sits at the eastern edge of the Cotswolds where the A40 crosses the River Windrush. The steep High Street drops from the A40 down to the medieval bridge, lined with antique dealers, independent restaurants, and stone-fronted hotels. Oxford is 20 miles east. Cheltenham is 22 miles west. Bourton-on-the-Water is 9 miles north. The Lamb Inn on Sheep Street and Bay Tree Hotel on Sheep Street are both within 3 minutes of the High Street action. Burford Priory occupies the western side of town. This is the best base for drivers doing a multi-stop Cotswolds circuit arriving from London.

Best for

Drivers doing a Cotswolds loopantique huntersand visitors arriving from London or Oxford

Walk times

Burford Bridge over the River Windrush 8 min
St John the Baptist Church, Norman tower 5 min
High Street antique row 2 min

Skip if: You want to be surrounded by postcard villages. Burford is a gateway town, not a destination village.

Local tip: High Street gets heavy coach traffic at midday. Sheep Street and Witney Street run parallel and have quieter pubs and restaurants with the same honey-stone backdrop and far fewer people.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Cheltenham

The Regency spa town with trains, restaurants, and the best transport links

Budget $0-$0/night

Cheltenham is the spa town on the northwest fringe of the Cotswolds, not a village but the region's best urban base. The Promenade is the main shopping street, lined with Regency terraces. Montpellier Quarter, a 10-minute walk south, has wine bars and independent restaurants on Montpellier Walk and Suffolk Road. The train station has direct services to London Paddington in 2 hours 20 minutes and Birmingham in 45 minutes. Hotels range from budget options near the station to boutique Regency conversions on Parabola Road and Pittville Circus Road. Bourton-on-the-Water is 15 miles away by car.

Best for

Non-driversfamiliesand anyone who wants reliable restaurants and transport links with Cotswolds day trips

Walk times

Montpellier Quarter, Suffolk Road 10 min
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, Clarence Street 5 min
Pittville Pump Room 25 min

Skip if: You want to wake up in a honey-stone village. Cheltenham is a busy Regency town with city noise and traffic.

Local tip: Avoid Cheltenham during Festival week in March. Prices triple and rooms sell out a year in advance. Every other week it is a calm, walkable base with excellent independent food options.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.