Review: The Feathers, Woodstock

On a mini-break in the charming Cotswolds town of Woodstock, Shannon Brown reviews the newly refurbished The Feathers hotel for Travelbite.co.uk.

For our first anniversary, my husband and I were looking for a quiet, but romantic weekend getaway and The Feathers in Woodstock fit the bill.

Easily accessible from London, but far enough away to let us feel like we'd escaped the Big Smoke, just one night in this independently-owned boutique hotel left us feeling completely refreshed.

Location, Location

Nestled in the centre of the Cotswolds town of Woodstock, The Feathers is situated in a lovely, 17th century townhouse.

Being there on one of the hottest evenings of the year meant having all of the windows open and I was a bit concerned that the noise of the town would keep us up all night. But I needn't have worried - the charming town settled down at a reasonable hour and our rest went undisturbed.

The Feathers is ideally located for a number of activities in the area. Woodstock has been called the Gateway to the Cotswolds and the hotel is an ideal base to explore this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty further.

We chose to explore the town, doing a bit of window-shopping along the main street, eyeing the antiques and coveting the collectible books.

Of course, the main attraction of Woodstock is nearby Blenheim Palace and we were pleased to find the 300-year-old home of the Churchill family was just a short walk from the front door of The Feathers.

The hotel is also located a short distance from the centre of Oxford - we took the bus, which only took about 20 minutes - giving a chance for further sightseeing and some high-street shopping.

Drink and Dine

The Feathers offers a host of gastronomic delights, and as we sat down to dinner in the main restaurant, we immediately knew that we were in for a treat.

While the meal itself was delicious and carefully prepared - I chose the brill, which melted in my mouth and was perfectly seasoned and flakey, while my husband thoroughly enjoyed his herb gnocchi - the highlight of the meal came when we were given the most luxurious thing I have ever been offered: pre-dessert. It was several alternating layers of fruit jelly and panna cotta topped with popping candy.

Of course, for those looking for a lighter bite, The Feathers offers a bar menu. There's also the new gin bar, which boasts the ultimate gin and tonic and some fabulous Martinis, as well as over 50 types of gin. Whatever you choose, a drink on the terrace on a warm night could be the perfect way to finish off your dinner.

And don't forget breakfast. As carefully prepared and presented as dinner, my eggy bread was a light and fluffy reinvention of French toast and my Scottish husband proclaimed his porridge the best available south of the border.

And Something More

The Feathers has recently been completely refurbished and every aspect of the building's décor oozes lush personality. As we walked through the tiny hallways and up the winding staircases, we were met with carefully placed details. It was a personal and comforting change from the majority of hotels I've visited.

As part of the redecoration project, each of The Feather's 20 rooms has been individually furnished, ensuring that the sense of uniqueness continues throughout the hotel.

Our room included a lavishly large bed and a gorgeous freestanding bath. The distressed hardwood floors could well have been original to the building and whether the furnishings were authentic or not, they fit perfectly with their surroundings.

Shannon Brown

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