This Jacobean mansion, beautifully situated by the River Coln in the Cotswolds, should be the perfect place for a relaxing break. Unfortunately most of the staff are disorganised, unpleasant and disgruntled. We waited a whole hour for a cup of tea and biscuits, with no apologies. It's a real shame that such a wonderful place isn't better managed.

Arrived here very late one night, but the staff could not have been more helpful. The setting for the hotel is stunning but I have to agree that the interior is 'tired', however I did feel that this was reflected in the price - we paid £99 bed (four poster) and breakfast. We were also allowed access to a suite free of charge for a business meeting. Bearing all this in mind I would still recommend that you give this hotel a try.

Looking at the other reviews it would seem we are out of step with the majority of guests, and certainly all the other people staying at the time seemed perfectly happy, some even raving about the place. However, our experience was that of a place which had seen better days. Our room, the second we were shown, was cold and we thought the ancient heating system wasnt up to the job, except that on the morning we were leaving it went into overdrive and finally heated the room. The furnishings are very dated and old country house style, but not the most comfortable of that type. Our bedroom furniture was a mismatch of old stuff (not antique) with a wardrobe door which liked to swing open - no proper catch to close it. The charm of the sloping and creaky floors can wear a little thin, along with the old dirty metal window frames; it should be possible to at least clean away the dust and dead flies. The lighting over our bed was wall lights which did not have a switch or pull reachable from bed.
The food is good, but a few healthy options would be a welcome addition, although the chef will try to oblige with special requests. We enjoyed breakfast with good local sausages, and a continental buffet alternative.
The waiting staff are good and friendly, but we did not feel there was much enthusiasm from the reception staff, who looked philosophical when we mentioned about the heating, but did not appear to be willing to help.
The grounds are lovely as is the exterior of the house, and the village of Bibury is well documented to be worth a visit - the National Trust cottages are very picturesque, and we saw kingfishers at the trout fishing lakes - always a bonus! In summary, the hotel boasts that it is like being a guest in a country house - maybe, but if you we staying with friends you could forgive the decor and draughts. We think the owners should spend a couple of nights there.

This is an incredibly impressive hotel, both inside and out, set in beautiful grounds on the edge of Bibury, a ridiculously picturesque village in the Cotswolds. Scrunching up on the gravel drive in front of the house, we had great fun parking our knackered old VW Golf in between a Ferrari and an Aston Martin, before wandering in through the old front hall to reception. The hotel is very smoothly run with the minimum of fuss by Rob and an old school friend of his, who took over from his parents a year or so ago. The staff managed that difficult balance of being friendly but unobtrusive. Dinner was about as good as £35/head should be. Breakfast the following morning was delicious (REALLY good sausages :o). We'll definitely be going back.