Tucked just outside the market town of Tetbury, Calcot Manor & Spa isn’t one of those looming stately homes that announces itself through size and grandeur. A cluster of low-slung, honey-coloured Cotswold stone buildings, it could easily be mistaken for any number of handsome country houses dotted across this corner of Gloucestershire. But look closer – or simply step through the front door – and you immediately realise why it has won a number of national accolades, including a coveted place in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection.
Rooms and facilities
Calcot has a warm, unstuffy atmosphere that makes you want to slow down the moment you arrive. There are 35 rooms in total, spread across the main house and a series of converted barns and cottages.
The cottage rooms are something else entirely. Ours came with an enormous upstairs bathroom that felt more like a wellness suite: double baths, double sinks, a generous walk-in shower, and even a television mounted on the wall for screentime-plus-soaking. The rustic-chic interiors throughout are the stuff of Country Life spreads: muted greige palettes, monogrammed cushions, and Egyptian cotton bed linen so soft even the kids agreed to a (five minute) lie-in.
In 2026, two new treehouses are coming to the grounds. Details are still under wraps, but if the rest of Calcot is anything to go by, they’ll be worth the wait.
The spa, a short walk across the car park from the main building (yes, you can do it in your dressing gown and no one judges you!), is one of the finest in the Cotswolds. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the centrepiece, an outdoor hot tub heated to a steady 38°C year-round, set before a crackling wood fire. Inside, a 16-metre heated pool, sauna, steam room, and seven treatment rooms cover every pampering base. Non-residents can access the spa too, with day packages ranging from a twilight evening dip to a full head-to-toe overhaul. Families needn’t feel left out – while the spa itself is adults-only, younger guests have their own splash pool.
Calcot’s newest addition, The Grain Store, opened in 2025 as a sleek fitness hub across two stone barns. There’s 280 square metres of Technogym equipment, a spin studio, yoga space, and a high-impact cardio studio. The café is a genuinely stylish spot for a post-workout coffee (or just hide there while the kids are in the Play Barn next door, like I did). Look out for the Recovery Garden, arriving in 2026, which promises wild saunas and cold plunge baths.
Food and drink
Two dining options are available at Calcot, both excellent and refreshingly unpretentious. The Brasserie holds two AA rosettes and earns them – the seasonal menu is comforting and considered in equal measure. Most restaurants can be judged on the quality of the bread; I still can’t stop thinking about the warm loaf that arrived to start our meal.
Breakfast the following morning was an event in itself – a generous buffet supplemented by a full menu. The omelette, made to order, was flawless, and I appreciated the unstuffy atmosphere, which was perfectly suited to dining with under-fives!
Down the corridor, The Hive operates as café, lounge, and cocktail bar rolled into one. It’s the kind of place you drift into for a pre-dinner drink and resurface from an hour later having ordered another round. Think cosy nooks, ambient lighting, and staff who are friendly without being overbearing.
Hotel highlights
The lounge is worth arriving early for. Sink into one of the deep armchairs beside a roaring fire, surrounded by abundant floral arrangements and richly-patterned rugs, and you won’t want to get up again for hours. There are coffee tables scattered with the day’s newspapers, and a crowd that’s part local regular and down-from-the-city weekenders. The vibe is luxurious, but not stiff.
What to do nearby
The hotel sits within a 240-acre estate, much of it given over to rewilded meadows and rolling fields grazed by Belted Galloway.Tetbury itself is minutes away and well worth an afternoon: antique shops, a handsome market hall, and good independent cafés. Cirencester, Painswick, and the broader Cotswold circuit are all within easy reach for day trips.
Best for
Families who want their children genuinely catered for. The Playbarn, an Ofsted-registered, purpose-built space with climbing zones, craft areas and lovely staff meant our children were happily absorbed within minutes of arriving, leaving us to enjoy the spa in peace.
It’s equally well-suited to couples after a proper recharge, spa-day groups, and dog owners (Calcot is warmly pet-friendly). In short: almost anyone who wants to be looked after properly in one of the Cotswolds’ most beautiful corners.
Rooms from £442. For more information, visit the website here.
To get more of what you love from your favourite Sunday supplement, follow us on Instagram (@youmagazine), Facebook (YOU Magazine) and X (@YOUMagSocial).
