This intimate Cotswolds hotel is fast becoming known for its food and is dog friendly to boot, says Country Life's Octavia Pollock.
My mother and I arrived at Burleigh Court later in the afternoon than we had hoped and were, therefore, somewhat frazzled. Within seconds of entering the hall, we were feeling relaxed and at home, such was the welcome we received.
In another few minutes, we had dropped off our things in our room and were settled in on the terrace with tea and the freshest, lightest scones imaginable. Copious spoonfuls of clotted cream and jam, a gleam of sunshine through the cloud and a view that stretched away down the valley put the seal on a perfectly soothing afternoon.
That view, across the Golden Valley to Sapperton Church and Rodborough, must have lifted the hearts of the cottagers who once lived on the site, before the present house was built in the early 19th century.
Back then, the smooth, inviting lawn below the terrace was a lake, a photograph of which hangs in the hall. An apocryphal legend says that the owners’ daughter, Mary, drowned when she slipped down the bank, after which it was filled in, but, thankfully, it seems the Evans family instead had a happy sojourn here.
The court passed through various other hands — including a Sir Guy Granet, who employed Clough Williams-Ellis to remodel the garden in the late 1920s/1930s—before finally being bought by Corinna and James Rae, with Simon Austin, formerly of the Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath, in 2019.
Their initial plans were stymied by the pandemic, but they have since put their own stamp on it, not least swapping the dining room and drawing room.
The wood-panelled dining room, with garlanded skylight and art that included a delightful portrait of a terrier with fishing creel and rod, now overlooks the garden and valley, the perfect backdrop to a meal.
The drawing room is classically elegant with stylish touches, well-chosen art and books, the kind of room in which it would be very easy to while away an hour at any time of the day.
It opens onto a stone-flagged terrace set between the house and the gardens, which, with its pizza oven and delightful planting, must be a delight on a summer’s evening. There is no pretension or stuffiness, all is welcoming and congenial.
The dogs, ancient whippet Eddie and bouncy miniature poodle Tiffin, were made equally welcome in our dog-friendly Coach House room, with pots of Sir Woofchester’s Sunday Roast treats, squishy beds and coppery bowls held securely in wooden stands that had my mother turning to Google to find some to buy.
Similarly well-chosen touches were everywhere, with atmospheric landscapes on the walls, plenty of hooks for coats and dog leads, tissues and a bed that was firm enough for support and soft enough to sink into.
Set off to one side of the main house, with a sitting room for the dog beds and a sofa for collapsing on with a book or film, the Coach House (bedroom above) feels as elegant as the Court itself, but pleasantly separate, so there is no fear of feeling as if you’re disturbing anyone when slipping out for the dogs’ nightly constitutional.
After tea, we set off for a stroll up the hill behind the hotel, although pressures of time and wobbly whippet legs meant we couldn’t take advantage of the beautifully described walks provided, written out with directions and pictures to ensure even the most cartographically challenged visitor can’t get lost.
There is a 1¼-hour walk, a two-hour circular walk that can be extended to include a pub, plus half- or full-day expeditions. All take in the vast expanse of Minchinhampton Common at the top of the hill, a flat area of grassland criss-crossed by roads and a golf course, bounded by steep valleys on all sides.
Iron Age mounds testify to how long it has been settled by humans and countless butterflies, orchids and skylarks flourish.
Back at the hotel, we settled in for drinks, ordered at the stylish bar and taken in the drawing room, before strolling through to the dining room for an eagerly awaited dinner.
Burleigh Court is becoming well known for its food, the adventurous head chef Shaun Jones conjuring up feasts for the palate and the eye. Whipped wild-garlic butter set off the crusty fresh bread, definitely one to add to the forager’s pesto and soup repertoire. My terrine of chicken and apricot was meltingly flavoursome and my mother’s cleverly composed play on classic beetroot and goat’s cheese divine. Lamb and rabbit respectively were tender and perfectly cooked, with seasonal accompaniments of asparagus and wild garlic that fit the zeitgeist, but which were presented with the simple truth that local — much is grown in the hotel’s own kitchen garden — and seasonal is always best.
I can never go wrong with chocolate, especially when it comes in multiple forms and scattered with honeycomb. A bottle of Puglian red, not available to buy in UK shops, was a treat, rich, dark and warming; we were very glad we had no stairs to climb on our way to bed.
After a comfortable night and a dew-spangled morning stroll, we made the most of breakfast with exquisite pastries and homegrown honey. My smoked haddock was perfectly flakey and the chef kindly accommodated my cheeky request for a hash brown to be added: set under a perfectly poached egg, it was crispy, salty heaven and I thoroughly recommend its addition.
Such was our welcome and the boundless comforts that my mother and I are already looking at dates to return, not least to experience the newly refurbished plunge pool — shades of Slim Aarons’s 1930s French Riviera — and wellness garden that have opened since our visit. Burleigh Court is an unassuming, elegant and comfortable destination, the kind of place to which you want to return and immediately feel at home.
Rooms at Burleigh Court start at £119 per room a night. Dog-friendly rooms in the Coach House start at £149. Call 01453 883804 or visit www.burleighcourtcotswolds.co.uk for more information and to book
