The apartment we stayed in feels like all one might need in life: a kitchen big enough for breakfast but small enough to justify venturing out at dinner, the comfiest bed in a wallpapered bedroom with an old-school Marshall radio to fall asleep to, and a spacious bathroom with a clawfoot tub, a rainfall shower and intuitive night-lighting.
Much of the decor and interiors are brought to life through local craftsmanship (we see much of the same frames, vintage logos and soap products in neighbouring pubs), oak floors that are subtly heated should you choose to book in the winter, and furniture from the likes of Penny Morrison and Matilda Goad that I’d describe as cottage-y minus the creaks, from upholstered chairs to a dominos-stacked coffee table. The place is quaint yet utterly comfortable; it’s neat as a pin but has much character.
It’s also a stone’s throw from Stow-on-the-Wold’s shops and galleries: we peek out at the square from the curtains, before popping into Penelope Chilvers (unassumingly housed in an old organic farm shop) to fawn over every pair of leather shoes, The Curated Store for soap, cards and candlesticks, and Alfonso for the best homemade pistachio gelato.
A stay at the Vaults includes complimentary concierge service, which gives a hotel-like feel when it comes to restaurant reservations or taxi bookings. Though we’re a quick drive from Daylesford and Burford, we stick to Broadwell, a picturesque civil parish just under a 25 minute walk away. We make the beautiful round trip there twice in one day: first in the early afternoon, where we head out to glimpse May blossoms falling over centuries-old roofs, and are given directions by a gardener who promises to see us at the pub later.
Joey Kendal Brown / The Vaults at Stow
Joey Kendal Brown / The Vaults at Stow
