The Old Stocks Inn: A Scandi-Cool Sanctuary In The Postcard-Perfect Cotswolds

The Old Stocks Inn offers a stay steeped in originality, with bright, bold interiors and lashings of TLC.

The Old Stocks Inn is surrounded by beauty. There’s nearby Bourton-on-the-Water (the Venice of the Cotswolds) and no shortage of rolling hills and honey-coloured cottages that the area is so well-loved for.

But they often say; it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And as you open the mint blue door to The Old Stocks, what’s waiting might take you by surprise.

For this Grade II-listed, 17th-century coaching inn is like no other countryside hotel.

Cotswolds’ stone walls are contrasted by brightly coloured furniture, and playful trinkets and prints add an inviting warmth to the rooms.

The Old Stocks Inn has all the quirkiness of an east London coffee shop, plus that countryside charm we all escape the city for.

When the former coaching inn was originally transformed, the owners restored the period features to retain its Cotswolds’ loveliness.

You’ll find yourself ducking under beams and climbing slanted staircases as you wander from room to room. Many of the bedrooms feature bespoke-adjusted furniture to fit within the inn’s original structure. It’s beautifully wonky in places.

It’s clear that attention to detail is paramount to the owners of The Old Stocks Inn. Before you arrive, you’ll be asked a few questions to tailor your stay. On arrival, we were treated to a free G&T at the bar and our favourite music playing from the speakers.

The staff are extremely friendly and approachable. I got the impression they’d go the extra mile if there was anything at all you needed.

The Old Stocks’ 16 boutique bedrooms range from Cosy Rooms to Amazing Great Rooms. All rooms offer home-from-home comforts but like us, you’ll want to book the latter for a few added luxuries, including a complimentary mini bar and a freestanding bathtub.

To our delight, our room (number 21) was in the attic – the oldest part of the building. The ceiling is slanted and the low beams add period charm.

Our huge bed was scattered with a Scandi-style throw and cushions, and the turquoise Chesterfield begged for us to take a seat and flick through the boutique magazines on offer.

There’s no shortage of mod cons, with a shiny new 40-inch TV, a Nespresso machine and a power shower big enough for two.

Handily, there’s also a welcome pack containing a bucket list for the Cotswolds. It’s refreshing to see a hotel recommending local places to eat and drink, despite being in direct competition. That’s helpfulness right there.