Women's Cotswold Retreat: The Cotswold Escape

The Cotswold Escape!

2025 launches the beginning of my new project. I love giving my tours to individual groups and couples or solo travellers, but I started to think that it would be so much fun to just occasionally have a whole week with one group, a group of women who don’t already know each other, and create the ultimate Cotswold retreat or ‘posh holiday’ for them.

And so begins ‘The Cotswold Retreat for Women’ - The Cotswold Escape!’

This is a five night/six day holiday with superb private accommodation in one of the most idyllic Cotswold villages, well off the beaten tourist track.

This is a retreat for just five women - guests may be a solo traveller or like to come with a friend/s - plus myself - your host and guide. I think this is unusual to offer a retreat with small numbers. I want my guests to feel unpressured and unhindered. I feel that smaller numbers make the trip more chilled out.

This is a week of pure joy and escapism to lift your spirits and fill your hearts, readying and steading you for when you have to return to 'normal life'.  ​

The Accommodation

Our Cotswold home for the week just so lovely.

I am so excited about where we are staying. I have spent months agonising over where would be the best place to stay in the Cotswolds. I looked at a lot of different types of hotels, inns and self catering options, and eventually I found a beautiful holiday house in a charming village with rail links to London . 

The furniture and furnishings are of exceptional quality, everywhere inside and out is so bright and soothing. It has a very positive and actually rather feminine ‘feel’. I really will be taking notes on the design to implement them my own home!

Everyone will have their own bedroom. Four of the rooms have super king size beds, and a and the fifth, smaller room has a very comfortable double. I shall be staying in a sweet twin bedroom up in the eaves.

The outdoor space is lovely too, with lots of separate seating areas, lavender grows in abundance and there are different dining options.

Photos by Charlie Bettinson

Location

Our 'home' is just over an hour’s train ride from London Paddington, and only 30 minutes from Oxford. I love the option of being able to go into London or Oxford, or stay local. There are excellent pubs in the village and a great deli too. 

The village is surrounded by rolling hills, and a vast private country Estate.

This historic estate covers around 5,000 acres, including farmland, woods, and a remnant of the ancient Wychwood Forest. The estate was originally a royal hunting lodge and has a rich history dating back to the Domesday Book commissioned in 1086.

There are various public walking routes through this private estate, where we can get close to the native species so protected on this land.

Each Day will have a Different Theme

I do not want the week to be exhausting or too much rushing around, so I am keeping the days fairly simple, with minimal driving and maximum exploration time.

Here is just taster of how the week will go… (I can't type it all out here otherwise it won't be a secret!)

Day 1 ~ The First View of the Cotswolds

10am Arrive in Cotswolds via London Paddington train to Hanborough.

I will meet you off the train and we can put all your luggage into my spacious vehicle.

We will visit these places:

1. Blenheim Palace - explore the grounds and palace. Might possibly be able to get access to palace roof! Their ‘New for 2025!’ opportunity. 

2. Explore pretty town of Woodstock

3. Great Tew. Could this be the cutest village in Oxfordshire?? (Yes IMO) 

4. Lunch time! Time for us to take a seat in the gorgeous pub in Great Tew. The Cotswolds caters to dietary reqs very well with advance notice.

5. You might enjoy some fresh air and a country walk after lunch. I will lead you on a short circular walk around this village.

6. 3pm - time to show you your new home for the week. I will give you a short a orientation of the village and then we shall check in to our accommodation.

7. 6pm. Time for a little celebratory drink, out on the terrace before we head out to the pub for dinner. The village pubs have great beer gardens and cosy inside spaces for grey days.

Once You Have Booked...

I will gladly send you the full plan and you can start researching (or not) and begin to get excited about what I have in store for you!

There is plenty of flexibility and opportunity to just chill out if that is what you need, but I want you to see as much as possible too.

Evenings

After dinner, the evenings will mostly be yours to enjoy however you wish, though I do have a few special 'quintessentially English' treats on several of our evenings.

Price

What is included in the price?

The price of the retreat varies depending on which room you choose. Here are the individual room prices and descriptions below:

Bedroom 1  (1 flight of stairs) - super king-size bed with ensuite bathroom with bath and shower fitting over bath - £4267​

Bedroom 2  (1 flight of stairs) - super king-size bed with shared bathroom. £4100​

Bedroom 3 (1 flight of stairs) - double bed with shared bathroom (2 sinks in bathroom) £3980​

Bedroom 4 (2 flights of stairs) - super king-size bed with private ensuite bathroom with freestanding rolltop bath and separate walk in shower £4500​

Bedroom 5  (2 flights of stairs) - super king-size bed with shared bathroom (two sinks in bathroom) £4100​

• 5 nights in the same accommodation

• 6 days of private Cotswolds tours with the small group of 5 women plus your guide

• Ground Transportation for all tours and shopping  

• Entrance tickets to Bath Abbey, Roman Baths, Blenheim Palace, Giffords Circus.

• 6 breakfasts, 1 afternoon tea and 6 main meals - lunch or dinner, depending on each day's activities.​​

• Water, soft drinks, snacks, fruit and other lovely freshly baked treats will be available every day in our home for guests to help themselves.​ 

• Every evening pre-prandial drinks will be served before heading out for dinner - either glass of champagne, Cotswold gin & tonic or a mocktail or soft drink, whichever you prefer.​​​ ​ 

What is not included? 

Transfers to and from the Cotswolds

You will receive information on how to get to the Cotswolds easily from London. I will meet and greet you at the train station.

Airfare Guests are responsible for their own airfare ​

Some meals Some days or evenings you will have free time to eat at your leisure.  I am always happy to provide you with tips on where to eat!​ ​

Travel insurance

We strongly advise you to arrange your own trip insurance.

Cancellation

Refunds are NOT available if you have to cancel.​

In the highly unlikely event that I, as your host, had a problem and was unable to host and tour, I would immediately notify you of the situation and either offer you a full refund, or bring in my back up contingency plan, with some great Cotswold friends who are qualified to guide, drive and tour and would follow my specially created itinerary for the week.

If you have been on a tour with me before and would like to know more about this special retreat, please get in touch. If you enjoyed your tour with me before, please do leave nice comments below to encourage new Teacup Tour guests. Personal recommendations are the most valuable form of advertising and I am so very grateful for your support.

If you are new to my business and would like to book yourself a place on this lovely holiday, then please get in touch and I shall be delighted to chat and get you booked in.

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