Pool, gardens and grounds
Fully enclosed for dogs and kids, the courtyard garden here is an oasis in Cotswold stone and golden gravel, a sanctuary from the world of must-dos and deadlines thrown at us by the modern world.
Break out in small groups to chat or read or stay up late and make memories around the firepit. Eat out on the garden tables with burgers and bangers from the barbecue or pepperoni from the pizza oven. Stay out to watch a few hours vanish in the heated outdoor pool.
Living spaces
Spaces here are built to be sociable. Cardynham House creates a doughnut shape, with living spaces grouped around the central courtyard. It’s as much a medieval masterpiece on the inside as it is on the outside. Once a 15th-century wool merchant’s manor house, it’s now fully restored and embellished with homely comforts.
Exposed Cotswold slate marries with clean white walls to form a seductive and spiritual neutral palette. Yet contemporary touches, such as tiles, carpets, rugs, wooden floors and resurrected fireplaces make this a hearty, homely place. Fun, too. Get together for a movie night in front of the projector screen right next to your very own Bar.
Get the most out of your stay with the online Lobby system. Pick from a seductive menu that includes in-house yoga in the expansive living spaces or professional photography that documents the time you shared in such a special setting. Chat, laugh, love. Let Cardynham House reset the delicate balance of your life.
Cooking and dining
Sign up for the online Lobby system and the day might begin with a breakfast delivered to your door. Follow that up later with a curry night or wine-tasting. Or maybe eat al-fresco in the outdoor kitchen with steaks and sausages from the barbecue or pepperoni from the pizza oven. Wash it down with Prosecco from Majestic Wines.
The dining room seats 26 and you’ve two ovens and an induction hob with which to craft culinary perfection. If that sounds too daunting, in-house catering might appeal. DineIndulge brings the restaurant to you, while Love Bites are the canapé experts for special occasions.
Head out to The Royal Oak in Painswick for hearty fare washed down with real ale and cider, or The Falcon, overlooking the churchyard with its famous 99 clipped yews. Or The Royal William in Cranham Village, enthusiastically supporting local suppliers such as Cam Catering Butchers, Bramley’s Fruit and Vegetables, and Woefuldane Dairy.
Eat out on the extensive terrace with views over Painswick and the Five Valleys at The Edgemoor Inn. Try serene Prithvi, offering a sophisticated approach to Indian dining in an intimate and relaxed surrounding. Or head to child-friendly Daphne for chicken Guvech, a mixed grill, Daphne-style incik or veggie options.
Bedrooms
Sleeping 24 in nine luxurious sanctuaries, Cardynham House gives you family flexibility, with plenty of twin/double options. Sleep soundly then wake to the quiet bustle of the tea rooms, craft shops and antiques emporiums. Oh, and the breakfast you ordered over Lobby. You did remember, didn’t you?
Bedroom one sleeps three in a kingsize or twins plus a single bed; the en-suite comes with bath and separate shower. Bedrooms two and three are superkings or twins with en-suite shower rooms, while bedroom four provides a superking or twin plus two singles. Bedroom five offers a superking or twin plus a single and en-suite shower.
Bedroom six gives you a superking or twins and an en-suite shower, while bedroom seven again offers a superking or twin, an en-suite shower room and a slipper bath in the bedroom.
Bedroom eight is a superking or twin that comes with a private bathroom with a separate shower, and bedroom nine is a superking or twins plus two singles that features a private shower room.
Children welcome
Cardynham House might look like an adult sanctuary, a calm refuge from the wicked world, but it hides plenty of nuggets for children, too. And because you’ve got nine bedrooms holding 24 guests, they get to make it a home-from-home as well. One that welcomes two four-legged friends.
The big draw here will be the heated outdoor pool. Dive in, splash away a sunny afternoon, then towel off and head to the outdoor kitchen for Hawaiian or pepperoni from the pizza oven or burgers and bangers from the barbecue. Stay out in the courtyard until sunset with marshmallows around the firepit.
Inside, there’s Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to watch on the projector screen, so stock up on popcorn, or explore the Apple FireStick. Keep in touch on the fibre Wi-Fi. Stay up late around the open fires playing cards and charades and send them off to the bar with their tails between their legs.
What people say
Hills, horses and history
Spatter your pals at Paintball Raiders. Ride the Cotswold hills on horses or ponies from the Tumpy Green Equestrian Centre. Discover Bath’s baths, Roman history and night life. Meet the meerkats at the Cotswold Wildlife Park, see farm animals at Cattle Country and do just about anything at the Cotswold Water Park.
