Entire home

Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home

Photo gallery for Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home

Front of home
A dark blue Christmas sky
Winter dusk
Partial side view, down the river
Living/Drawing Room

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
6 bedrooms4+ bathroomsSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Air conditioning
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Lower Slaughter
  • Cotswold Motoring Museum
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • The Model Village
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Cotswold Farm Park
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Brize Norton (BZZ-RAF Brize Norton)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Annex

1 Queen Bed

Attic

1 King Bed

Br 2 - Singles convert to King

2 Single Beds

Br 3 - Bunk Room

1 Single Bunk Bed

Br 4 - Single converts to full King Bed

1 King Bed

Living room 1

1 Double Sofa Bed

Living room 2

1 Single Murphy Bed

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Bathroom 4

Bathroom 5

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home

Brook House is a unique home situated in one of the most stunning Costwold villages. As featured in the recent film "Emma," the village of Lower Slaughter is often the top destination recommended by tour guides when directing visitors to the Cotswolds. Featured on travel documentaries, magazine covers and post cards throughout the world, the village has garnered numerous awards, including "Most Beautiful Village in England", "Most Beautiful Village in the Cotswolds", "Most Picturesque Towns & Villages in Gloucestershire" and "Most Romantic Street in Britain". Brook House was selected for the front cover of the "Cotswolds 2023 Calendar" and is the most prominent house at the center of the village on the banks of the River Eye. The residence is unmatched in it's offering, including a stunning, picturesque riverside setting as well as the huge variety of nearby amenities & activities, many within walking distance or a drive of 2 to 10 minutes. This is also a rare Cotswold home with air-conditioning, of benefit during the increasingly warm summers. Don't be fooled by many other Cotswold listings - set in rural isolation where you are forced to drive 10 minutes to reach a shop or pub. In contrast, from the house you can stroll outside your front door past the ducks and swans on the river and host a children's paper boat race. You can stop by the stables for a horse ride or take a 15 minute walk through the flower filled meadows, past grazing sheep to the sister village of Upper Slaughter, or walk along the river in the opposite direction to Bourton-on-the-Water. From Brook House there are multiple options for lunch, high tea, dinner or shopping, many within walking distance. The historic 14th century market town of Stow-on-the-Wold is a 5 minute drive, while Blenheim Palace, Sudeley Castle & Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, are a short drive away. For dining options, Upper & Lower Slaughter are home to the award winning "Lords of the Manor" restaurant, the grand "Slaughters Manor House" (a 5 minute walk) and "The Slaughters Country Inn" (a 2 minute walk, across the bridge over the River Eye) and a selection of lovely gastro-pubs are a few minutes drive away. The house has been fully refurbished in recent years, one of the only homes in the area to have A/C, full cable TV in 3 locations, WiFi and Sonos with a selection of global radio stations and music, providing a high level of comfort while maintaining Cotswold charm and the feeling of a bygone era. The home offers sleeping accommodation for up to 12, including the 6 bedrooms, we also have airbeds for kids who want to stay in the same room as family or friends and a travel cot for infants & toddlers. As owners we have an outstanding reputation on HomeAway. Please refer to our sister property on Nantucket (off Cape Cod, near Boston) 3003175. Our family spends time each year in every property to ensure it is maintained to the highest standards and exudes the warmth and comfort of a family home in some of the most stunning settings in England and the U.S.A.

Property manager

Robin N
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Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 5:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 30
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Cheltenham

Located in Cheltenham, this holiday home is on a river. Broadway Tower Country Park and Cotswold Way reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Cotswold Wildlife Park and The Model Village. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Prescott Shooting School or Prescott Speed Hill Climb.
Map
Lower Slaughter

What's nearby

  • Cotswold Motoring Museum - 4 min drive - 3.0 km
  • The Model Village - 4 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Birdland Park and Gardens - 4 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Cotswold Countryside Collection - 9 min drive - 10.9 km
  • Cotswold Farm Park - 9 min drive - 7.7 km

Getting around

  • Moreton-In-Marsh Station - 18 min drive
  • Oxford (OXF) - 47 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sheep - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪The Willow - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Chip Shed - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Mousetrap Inn - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Cornish Bakery - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home?

Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Voted Englands Most Beautiful Village, a Storybook Cotswold Home located?

Situated on a river, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Old Mill, Bourton Model Railway Exhibition and Cotswold Motoring Museum. The Model Village and Birdland Park and Gardens are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 52 out of 58 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 58 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 58 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 58 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 58 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Alejandro B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mr

The house is simply wonderful! Highly recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Gillian N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend in very attractive Cotswold village

The house is beautifully furnished, kitchen well equipped and with comfortable beds; it is set near the clear flowing river and very peaceful. There are plenty of rooms to relax in; an ideal house for our family to chat, play card games and to read. We had 2 beautiful walks which are much used by locals and visitors. Lighting could be improved in the Master Bedroom and the Dining Room. The caretaker was most helpful.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eda P., East Grinstead, UK.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Dream cottage, idyllic location

We had a wonderful stay in River Cottage. We were a party of 7 (5 adults, 2 teens) and there was plenty of room for us all. The house is beautiful and the facilities great. So nice to have a well equipped kitchen as so many rentals have the bare minimum. Loved having a morning coffee in the stunning conservatory. The twin room is a little cramped but this did not bother us as we really only used the bedrooms for sleeping. My son loved the attic room. The location is fabulous. It makes a great base for exploring the pretty towns and villages in the Cotswolds but we all agreed Lower Slaughter was the prettiest, and the cottage is the best one there. It gave us all such a sense of peace when we returned after a day out. Would definitely stay there again, highly recommend it!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Les B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent Early Christmas in Lower Slaughter

As my wife and I live overseas we have an early Christmas celebration with our family in UK. We usually stay in the Cotswolds at some exceptional houses. This year we hit the jackpot at Lower slaughter. The house and facilities were exceptional and we could not complain about any aspect. Communication with Robin was very easy and he always replied very quickly. He even arranged for the Christmas lights to be put up earlier than usual. We would certainly look to stay there again and would recommend the property.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kerry N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Cotswolds Retreat

Our stay at River Cottage was perfect. We were three generations from 18-80 celebrating a big birthday. The house was immaculate, well equipped and comfortable. The area is like something out of a movie. We went for lovely long walks ending up at picture-perfect pubs for refreshments. We couldn't have asked for a better house and a more perfect setting. Not sure what a previous review was saying as we only saw one Roly Poly by the front door and the house smelled wonderful! Would definitely come back time and time again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

8/10 Good

Graham R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay in Lower Slaughter

Lovely character property photographed by tourists multiple times a day. Given the proximity to water woodlice are abundant. Master bedroom smelt musty.
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Beverley B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A truly amazing place to stay

This cottage is simply stunning. It is beautiful inside and out. Extremely well equipped and everything is of superb quality. This is balanced with a really homely feel. We all fell in love with the cottage and location. Robin was great at communicating and sent lots of really helpful information. We had a wonderful stay
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

kerrie l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible home in an adorable village

We absolutely loved our time at this property. We stayed for almost two weeks and found the house well-equipped for anything and everything we needed (including cooking big meals and baking). The open fires at night were a real treat, and the house is perfectly positioned in the village—it is quite literally the house that everyone photographs. There are several walks from the doorstep—the walk to upper slaughter is short and lovely, ending at the upper slaughter lords of the manor hotel, which was a great place to grab some hot chocolate and a glass of wine. Our communication with Robin was easy, pleasant, and fast. We would love to come again!
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

trevor p., broughshane county antrim

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lower slaughter, a magical place in time

Words, as we stay at an authors home, may not be appropriate enough to extend the lovely feeling of totality. Each room. Has a character. As a family, we were so happy to stay in your beautiful home and make memories for 60Th birthday Will definetly return….spectacular
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Mary M.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful location

Property was rustic and charming, garden was fantastic, kitchen well appointed, kids loved ‘fishing’ and paddling in the stream out the front. A few things could be improved but overall a lovely stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Anna N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A truly memorable stay in this gorgeous property. The location is unbeatable!

Thank you, an exceptional house
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Demian B., London

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing holiday

The property is on a prime location in a beautiful village in the Cotswolds. The house is quite large, not only in terms of beds but different social areas as well, it never felt busy despite being full such was the good use of space. Kids playing in one area while adults are enjoying a glass of wine in another. The kitchen is large and very well equipped providing a good place for a pre-dinner chat while cooking. The afternoons are amazing with the sunset light bringing out all that yellowish tone from the houses in the village. I will certainly return, highly recommend!!!
Stayed 15 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jill M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family holiday

We were extremely satisfied with this spacious, comfortable and well-appointed Cotswold cottage. It has retained all its original character and charm but has been tastefully uodated and modernised. We loved sitting in the bright conservatory, looking out onto the lush back garden, preparing family meals in the kitchen, and going for long walks in the stunning surrounding countryside. A wonderful week away in a delightful home.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Sunok P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Holiday

Beautiful house. Our family of 5 adults enjoyed the stay enormously. Robin and Caroline were fabulous host and communicators. Thank you.

10/10 Excellent

gillian M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful stay in the cotswolds

What a gorgeous house and village . So homely and comfortable . It had everything you could need and perfectly located to explore the beautiful Cotswolds

10/10 Excellent

Guy F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic stay in a beautiful home after excellent communication

We had a perfect stay at River Cottage and would recommend it to anyone. Robin was great with communicating the details and Caroline did an excellent job to prepare a spotless house before we arrived. We were a group staying for a 40th birthday so it had enough room for us all and space to cook and eat together. We did loads of walks nearby, had pub lunches, borrowed a dog, bounced on the trampoline and generally had a great time. Lower Slaughter is amazingly picturesque. I would recommend hiring a car to get around and collect shopping or people from the Moreton-in-Marsh train station. Would definitely go back if someone else decided to use it for their celebrations!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

ISABEL M.

A great holidays!

Wonderful house, georgeous place, unforgettable holidays!
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Nikki R.

Charming house in a picture perfect village!

Thank you Robin for renting us your lovely house for our New Year Break. We had three families together and everyone enjoyed the house and the lovely open fires immensely. The village is simply stunning as is the house's location. Highly recommend to anyone!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sheila T.

Fabulous Cotswolds home and village!

This was a beautiful home that comfortably fit our family of 11. The village is absolutely picturesque and quiet, but with the ability to dine out. An easy walk to Bourton on the Water for additional restaurants and services. It exceeded out expectations, which were high!

8/10 Good

Dr James M.

Beautiful house

This Cotswold stone house is in the centre of a picturesque village. The house itself is well decorated with good furniture many of which are antique. The kitchen facilities are excellent with everything you could possibly need. Plenty of cutlery and china and cooking utensils. The beds are extremely comfortable. The showers are very good with good quality towels. The local pub servers fresh well cooked food.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Simon G.

A lovely cottage, suitable for two families. Very well placed. Easy to get to.

A spur of the moment holiday that went way beyond our expectations. Breathtaking scenery and lovely places to just walk around. Highly reccomend the "River Cottage"!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Liz W.

Luxury family break.

We had a wonderful 4 days in the stunningly picturesque Lower Slaughter. A family gathering with 9 of us, the house provided plenty of space for the teenagers to immediately separate out from the adults and relax in their own way. We found the house was beautifully decorated with plenty of character while still having a modern feel and all the amenities you need for a luxurious stay to completely relax. We experienced the most comfortable bed in the world in the master bedroom it was a struggle to leave it in the mornings! The location is perfect, from the stunning charm of the village itself to the local highlight of Bourton on the Water only a 10 minute drive away with so many lovely shops to browse in. A very lovely stay was had by all thank you so much.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Karina W.

Magical House in a Great Setting

We've stayed in other homes in the area, but this one is quite amazing & took the biscuit. The home itself is beautifully designed and furnished, with so many rooms to gather in, or escape and read a book (my fav was the large sofa in the conservatory, though the hubby liked to hide & work in the upper attic room with the view of the river). However, the real plus for us was that we could walk to the tea room at the Old Mill (which has fabulous, reasonably priced knick knacks for the home, leather coats, bags and 40's era CD's), walk 3 to 5 minutes to one of the nearby restaurants, as well as a 2 minute drive into the beautiful larger towns of Stow & Bourton on the water. We love Lower Slaughter. It's always the first place we take visitors from abroad when going for a country drive, so staying in this house (which is the gem in the village) made it all the more special.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sarah G.

A perfect house in a picture perfect setting

If you are looking for the perfect place to have an idyllic family holiday then look no further. Lower Slaughter is a beautiful Cotswold's village and River Cottage a delightful place to stay. With five bedrooms in the main house and a separate annex plus a large kitchen, well appointed sunny garden and two sitting rooms, there's plenty of space to either hang out together or hide away. The location is conveniently situated for trips all over the Cotswolds with Cirencester, Cheltenham and Oxford all near by and nearby attractions including Warrick Castle and the lovely ramshackle Snowhills Manor. But to be honest you probably won't want to venture too far given the river for children to splash in, the lovely walks, local riding centre and friendly tea and ice cream shop up near the mill. The property is beautifully looked after and the manager Caroline was fantastic - providing instant helpful service when we couldn't work out the thermostat. It's also very much a place for kicking back and cooking your own meals - the kitchen is well appointed with a fantastic oven and Lower Slaughter is not a village with a multitude of restaurants or pubs - although the nearby Manor House does lovely teas and the Slaughters Inn across the road is lovely. If you were planning to eat out rather than in then nearby Stow on the Wold has a number of good pubs and restaurants including an excellent Indian takeaway and famous racing pub the Hollow Bottom which does a lovely sunday lunch is a short drive away. Overall this is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday - we went with my sister and her family plus my nephew's best friend and his mother which meant a total of six children and five adults and all of us agreed afterwards that we'd never had such a relaxing stay. Not one argument the entire time...which must be down to the magic of the house.

10/10 Excellent

Claire L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful home in an idyllic village

Great house, plenty of space for our whole family. Spectacular location. Terrific and responsive hosts. 10/10 - we want to come back during summer!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

About the host

Hosted by Robin N

Host profile image
We live between the U.K. and U.S. (American husband, English wife) and take pride in creating homes for our family which we love, then offering those to discerning renters when we are not there.

Why they chose this property

This romantic home is unique, featured on postcards, in magazines and television editorials about the Cotswolds dating back more than a century. Just steps from your door there are a variety of amenities, including the Country Inn (with a pub & fabulous expansive garden, the Slaughters Manor House, the Lords of the Manor and the Old Mill. A few minutes away are Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, a bit further drive will take you to Blenheim Palace, Sudeley Castle, and Shakespeare's birthplace, Statford-upon-Avon.

What makes this property unique

Location, location, location. A stunning position in a beautiful village with easy access to all Cotswolds amenities - wifi high speed fiber internet, full Cable with "catch up" TV offering thousand of TV series and movies going back many years, Sonos Music system offering radio stations from around the world, as well as the opportunity to pick and tailor your own genre of music