Pub with rooms in Swinbrook, Oxfordshire
Curator's notes:
Rooms from
Doubles: £125
Good to know
Most credit cards accepted (not Amex)
Private & alfresco dining
Disabled access
Family
favourite
Children can tuck into half portions of most courses or go for
bespoke items such as pasta or scampi and chips, and they can stay
overnight in some bedrooms.
Outdoor
adventures
You really are spoilt for choice in terms of where to walk in this
idyllic corner of the country - with numerous trails ideal for a
day's hike or a shorter stroll.
Water and
waves
With the Windrush River babbling alongside the pretty garden, this
is the perfect location for some riverside relaxation.
When it comes to stopping over for the night, there are eleven bedrooms spread across two buildings - the Riverside Cottage and the Stables.
The Riverside Cottage is as pretty as a picture, built of Cotswold stone and refurbished to a high standard. Three of the rooms are on the ground floor with their own garden area and a charming thatched summer house. Six bedrooms all decorated with soothing neutrality and given splashes of colour from cushions and fabrics are available in the stable block.
The pick of the bunch is 'Debo's Room' (named in honour of the late Duchess of Devonshire), a spacious suite with a roll-top bath and separate sitting room. The classy finish carries on into the bathrooms with their mix of natural stone tiling, including some mosaics, travertine flooring and fluffy white towels. There are fabulous views from most rooms - grazing cows, the meandering river - and there's a genuine sense of getting away from it all.
Whether eating in the bar by the fire, in the Mitford Room surrounded by pictures of the family, in the vaulted conservatory or outside on the terrace, you're spoilt for choice for atmospheric eating spots across the Swan.
The British and European influenced menu perfectly balances refined and rustic cooking with a sophisticated touch. Why not start with the antipasti sharing plate, followed by grilled Cotswold ribeye steak with Stornaway black pudding? The Swan has not forgotten its roots as a pub either, so expect pub favourites such as fish and chips or steak and ale pie as well.
There's a regional flavour at the Swan with real ales from the likes of Hook Norton and even a local lager from the Cotswold Brewing Company. There's a good range of whiskies, gins and Cognacs too, with Archie's homemade bullace gin well worth a try. The wine list offers an extensive selection by the glass - or for those in need of a hair of the dog, don't miss their excellent Bloody Mary - renowned by locals!
