What to do and where to stay near Broadway in the Cotswolds

Back in December we spent a night at The Lygon Arms in Broadway with friends.  Although it seems ages ago now, I still wanted to write about it on my blog and share what we did, we had such a good time and I wanted to share my recommendations.  The Cotswolds are a lovely destination, easy to reach from London and the Home Counties and so pretty whatever the weather or season.  We often visit and I will share below my other blog posts about other trips we have done.

Me and my girlfriends planned this night away back in the summer when we had a girls weekend nearby.  It was during the hottest weeks of Summer 2019 and it seemed mad to be thinking about Christmas Markets but that is how it came about.,  We popped into the Cotswold Distillery Shop in Broadway and ended up booking a tour of the Distillery and a night away with the husbands.

The Lygon Arms, Cotswolds

We drove up Friday morning, the original plan was to have early lunch before the Distillery Tour but the traffic had other ideas!  The Cotswold Distillery is located in stunning countryside about 40 minutes from Broadway.  They brew single malt whisky, gins and liquors and offer a range of tours and experiences for the discerning customer and spirit enthusiast.  What a fabulous gift for a special birthday, Christmas or Father's Day or even Mother's Day!

Despite the extreme cold that weekend, we were blessed with the most blue of blue skies and clear sunshine.  My friend commented that she was so relieved it was such a beautiful day, in her head when we planned the weekend, the weather was just like this, thank goodness it wasn't grey and wet.  The drive from Broadway to the Distillery was so pretty, through winding lanes and chocolate box villages.  We had a designated non-drinking driver but if you are all keen to sample the wares then do organise a taxi!  The Distillery however organised a 'takeaway' of samples so she (or her husband) could still enjoy them later.

Cotswolds Distillery Tour

The Distillery is simply stunning, it has clearly had a huge investment to make it a very desirable visitor experience, the internal decor, the facilities, the staff, the cafe are all an absolute pleasure.  Everyone we spoke to was friendly, knowledgeable and obviously loved their job.  We were doing the Distillery Tour and Tasting which includes a video introduction, a guided tour of the production areas and warehouses then finally to the tasting room to try out the whisky, gin and liquors.  If you do go, don't miss out on the cafe and shop afterwards!

The Cotswolds Distillery

Feeling very relaxed and slightly merry we then drove back to Broadway to enjoy the Christmas Market and Late Night Shopping.  We had opted to stay at The Lygon Arms, a famous hotel located in central Broadway right on the main High Street.  However, I will be honest and say we were slightly disappointed with the service and quality of the rooms given the very high cost of an overnight stay.  We appreciate it was very busy that weekend but I still don't think that is an excuse.  I won't go into details here, the location is enviable if you want to be able to walk out the door and be right in Broadway.  However, we have had far far better service when staying at The Dormy House Hotel and it's sister hotel, The Fish.  Both of these are located just outside of the town so you do need to drive in and park to wander around Broadway but for my money, it is worth it.  I have shared two blog post below about these hotels - apologies The Dormy House blog is very old and before I really found my blogging confidence!

Gin tasting at The Cotswolds Distillery

Friday night we had dinner, as part of our room rate, in the hotel restaurant.  And then on Saturday morning we had another wander around Broadway, shopping and a bit more time to relax in the bar before driving home.  There is a spa at The Lygon Arms but we didn't use it this time.

It was a fantastic catch up time with our lovely friends, it was freezing cold but we loved the clear blue skies.  Broadway has a fabulous selection of independent shops.  My scarf in the photo at the bottom of this post is from Wild at Heart, the local shopkeepers are very welcoming, it is a busy little town and ideal for gift shopping or a special outfit or just time to wander.

Another lovely thing to do in this area is Hailes Abbey, a British Heritage site nearby - we visited during the summer - it is not open in the winter months but the site manager is very knowledgeable and is keen to share the history of the site, there is also a really good farm shop for local produce nearby.  It is a lovely location for picnics or an afternoon activity with the children during the holidays.

The Lygon Arms, Broadway, Cotswolds

I packed the obligatory 'capsule' wardrobe, I kept to a simple colour palette of black, pink and grey to make life easier!  I think my overnight packing skills are getting better - a holiday is another matter though, I still pack too much!

Broadway is a perfect location whatever time of the year!

Love from
Michelle xx

Other blog posts you might find useful:

A weekend away in the Cotswolds 
Celebrating my Dad's 80th Birthday at The Fish Hotel, Broadway
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Star print scarf from Wild at Heart, Broadway, Cotswolds

Above: My scarf is from Wild at Heart in Broadway, also available online.
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Below: During the summer we visited Hailes Abbey, not open during the winter, but a lovely location for a summer picnic and visit.

Hailes Abbey, near Cheltenham