STAY/ EAT: Horse and Groom, Gloucestershire

The view from The Horse and Groom, Bourton-On-The-Hill

Location: Gloucestershire, England
No of Rooms: Four doubles
Cuisine: English gourmet pub grub
Room Price: Doubles from £90
Food Price: Mains from £12
Date Visited: September 2011

I was brought here as a birthday surprise; having just returned from three month's travelling, my boyfriend sensibly decided to choose somewhere that didn't involve a flight or a change of time zone! The drive itself was beautiful, traversing through tiny limestone clad towns and great countryside. As you can see from the featured photograph, the view from the this hotel pub itself is something pretty special.

The Horse and Groom is primarily a gastropub, but also has a hotel offering in the form of four double rooms. We stayed in the standard double and were really impressed. It doesn't feel at all as if the accommodation is an 'add-on' above a pub. The rooms were tastefully decorated, quiet and cosy. The bathroom (something that seems to often be compromised in pub accommodation) was modern and had everything you could ask for. The complimentary fudge, speciality teas and water were also a lovely touch.

The pub has a private garden with a  huge vegetable patch, which is a great segway to talk about the food. The restaurant uses fresh produce that it grows itself. As such, although the food is simple, it is incredibly tasty. The menu changes constantly, but at the time we visited, I started with whitebait then continued on to the steak. My boyfriend predictable had a burger (he might as well make a living out of being a burger connoisseur), but he ensured me that it was one of the best. Small flourishes such as mustard and watercress butter with the steak, and cherry tomato salsa and horseradish mayo with the burger lift this menu above the ordinary. The restaurant itself is of medium size, but the tables are not too close together so that you get a pub ambience with the privacy of a restaurant.

To top off our stay, the full english breakfast next morning lived up to the standard of the evening meal. It was generous and filling, but with none of the greasy guilt that this kind of breakfast usually induces. In short, if you have a spare weekend and would like to be well fed on a relaxing staycation, this is one to visit.

Find out more here: horseandgroom.info