The Pig in the Cotswolds

Originally published in The Globe and Mail

Just two hours from London lies the platonic ideal of a British countryside escape: The Pig in the Cotswolds hotel and spa, the newest addition to the Pig hotel group’s portfolio of 11 country-luxe accommodations. Set in the refurbished Barnsley House in Cirencester, a historic property dating back to 1697, the hotel has a rich heritage.

Its gardens in particular are a marvel, created in the 1950s by the manse’s previous owner, Rosemary Verey, who went on to become a celebrated garden designer in charge of green spaces for the future-King Charles and Sir Elton John. Verey died in 2001, but her gardens live on, lovingly tended by a team that includes her grandson, Tony. Guests can stroll the laburnum walk, relax by a Tuscan temple-inspired grotto, pluck apples in the pottage gardens or enjoy tea and cake at a wrought-iron table beneath wisteria.

Inside, recently retired Pig co-founder and creative director Judy Hutson’s vision of whimsical, elevated comfort shines. Handpicked antiques, mismatched upholstery and mullioned windows in the 24 boutique bedrooms (several of which are dog-friendly) add to the atmosphere. Rooms offer views of the grounds and, beyond them, the surrounding National Trust land, crisscrossed with walking paths that beckon explorers to happen upon grazing sheep and Downton Abbey-esque manors.

This story originally appeared in The Globe and Mail, May 2025. To read the full story, click here.