REVIEW: incredible stay at the newly-renovated luxury Painswick hotel

It is an experience which makes the rest of the world seep away into timelessness.

Nestled away in the narrow lanes of the picturesque Cotswold town, the newly renovated Painswick hotel is one of these rare treats.

Having recently undergone an extensive interior renovation under the stewardship of luxury hotelier Calcot Hotels, I knew it would be seeping extravagance, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Housed in a 17th-century stone mansion, the Palladian-style property in in Kemps Lane is a striking landmark within the historic town.

Yet this sense of the past is blended with a beautifully balanced and stylish makeover, which has been completed under the leadership of Calcot’s design director Nicky Farquhar.

Each room has its own unique individual character and each is filled with thoughtful touches and quirky surprises.

Every twist and turn through the hotels refurbished rooms yields some new discovery.

There is a drawing room, lounge, bar, function room. games room, expansive terrace and spa offering a selection of treatments ranging from a manicure to a volcanic hot stone massage.

And the surprises don’t stop there. Each bedroom is stocked with quirky little intrigues, such as specially tailored walks round the picturesque village or a copy of Laurie Lee’s famous novel Cider with Rosie waiting for you next to the bathtub.

There were also some special treats left on the side for us as we explore the room, including heart-shaped shortbreads and the most divine macaroon ever tasted.

Visiting for our one night stay, we were housed in the top floor room Whitchurch Silk. This was beautiful, modern, clean, spacious and had a lovely décor.

The centrepiece of the airy bathroom was a beautiful standing bathtub, which were accompanied by the softest white robes.

From the suite you are also treated to spectacular views looking out over the green hills of the Slad valley.

But of all the factors that make your stay at The Painswick a great experience, it is the restaurant that really takes it to the next level.

This award winning restaurant is headed up by highly trained chef Michael Bedford. The dinner room was elegant and beautifully-lit and the staff were great at advising and explaining the punchy menu.

Under normal circumstances this would be a little on the steep side - but the cooking, presentation and ingredients really make it utterly worthwhile.

For a starter I had Tewksbury cured salmon with crispy pastry and celeriac cream. This was beautifully presented and perfect cooked.

This was accompanied by a selection of freshly made bread served with pesto made from garlic grown in the garden. Little touches like this really made the difference.

To drink we enjoyed a bottle of red from the maybe too impressive wine list.

For my main I ordered roasted turbot on the bone with braised tomato and gremolata. This was well balanced and delicious.

Each course was a delight in its own right. Plus the wait between each meal was just long enough, allowing for good conversation and a greater appreciation of the restaurant’s atmosphere.

For desert I chose a raspberry soufflé with raspberry ripple ice cream, which turned out to be the perfect cherry on the cake.

It really was impossible to fault dinner in any way. It was simply exquisite.

After dinner we moved to the first floor enjoy the artistically designed bar area, where we perused the extensive cocktail menu and in the end went for a mojito.

Yet again the staff were brilliant at explaining and advising on which drink was their preference and what they would suggest.

This was a good example of the high level of service shown by every single one of the staff. They were professional and welcoming throughout our stay.

Everyone there seemed to take real pride in the service they were providing and this really made an impact.

After a quick nightcap we headed for bed to enjoy a blissful slumber in the king size bed.

The next morning we rose for breakfast to enjoy salmon royale with poached eggs, toasted muffin, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.

This was the perfect end to a wonderful stay. The only thing I could fault would be the parking.

Space, as they do make clear, is extremely limited and access difficult if you are driving anything bigger than a mini.

This however, is a minor issue you have to pay for the terrific the location and views.

Overall it was like a warm bubble of comfort you did simply don’t want to leave.

So if you are looking for boutique countryside getaway, then this is the hotel for you.

• For more information please visit the new website: www.thepainswick.co.uk/