The Sheep, Gloucestershire

Overview

Forward-thinking pub group Brakspear pushed open the doors to this uniquely renamed and stylishly different pub with rooms 5 years ago, following the huge success of the refurbished Porch House, literally across the road in pretty Stow.

In need of more rooms in the town, yet fully aware that the former Grapevine Hotel needed to have its own identity, Brakspear's in-house design team set about transforming the dated 17th-century stone building into something vibrant and funky for this traditional Cotswolds town.

Step inside and expect to be wowed by the bold colours and fun retro touches that create the quirky, contemporary vibe throughout the smart bar and dining rooms, the revamped garden area, replete with a bespoke feature fireplace, and the 22 comfortable and boutique-styled bedrooms.

There's a secluded and sheltered terrace garden with smart tables, chair and cream brollies, plus cushioned wooden benches fronting a unique feature fireplace - perfect for keeping warm on cooler evenings.

Rooms from

Doubles: £125

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted
Disabled access
Alfresco dining
Parking available
Dog stay: £15

Family favourite
Families can expect a big welcome throughout the pub and children will love watching their pizza being cooked in the wood-fired oven!

Outdoor adventures
The nearby 102-mile Cotswold Way National Trail takes in some of the best scenery the region has to offer.

A touch of culture
From the Cheltenham Folk Festival, traditional Cotswold cheese rolling and the Cheltenham Literary Festival, there's plenty to keep culture vultures entertained all year round.

Rooms

Cosy, Standard, Superior and Premium bedrooms ramble across two floors and careful thought has been given to the overall comfort and detailed touches to the rooms.

Home-from-home comforts come as standard - from a Nespresso machine, retro-style phone, Roberts radio to a cosy hot water bottle, plenty of magazines and generous supplies of Temple Spa Aromatherapy bathroom products.

Quality fabrics and furnishings, including very comfortable Feather & Black beds and mattresses, striking feature wallpapers, soothing heritage hues and colourful cushions complete this pleasing picture. Most rooms have shower over baths, while larger rooms have original beams; two have gorgeous hydrobaths to soak in and one has a private patio garden.

Restaurant & bar

Imaginative pizzas and comforting pub classics with a twist are the focus of the seasonally changing menu.

Served all day, it's a real crowd-pleaser featuring excellent burgers, quality Aberdeen Angus and South Devon steaks from nearby Todenham Farm and fabulous 10" pizzas - why not build your own and then watch it cook in the open-to-view wood-fired oven?

The long bar dispenses an impressive array of drinks. Look to the individual lists or chalkboards for the choice of cocktails, the range of 10 boutique gins and the craft bottled beer list - anyone for a glass of Punk IPA or Pistonhead. The short wine list favours France and there's 12 offered by the glass.

Things to do

Horticulturalists shouldn't miss Hidcote Manor Gardens. Full of rare shrubs and trees, herbaceous borders and unusual plants from all over the world, it's one of the country's finest gardens boasting superb views across the Vale of Evesham from the garden

Nearby Moreton-in-Marsh, just a short drive away, has plenty of country houses and gardens to explore. Batsford Arboretum has over a thousand varieties of trees including cherries, azaleas and rhododendrons: the colours are especially striking in spring and autumn. Or, situated to the west of Moreton-in-March, Bourton House Garden is an award-winning visitor attraction with spectacular topiary, superb herbaceous borders and a unique shade house.

History lovers should visit Chastleton House, a fine Jacobean mansion with a striking south front. The house was built by a local wool merchant in the early 17th century, who purchased the estate from Robert Catesby, one of the conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.