The Green Dragon Inn

The Green Dragon Inn

The Green Dragon is a nine-bedroom inn in Cockleford, in the Cotswold countryside near Cheltenham. Its 17th-century pub has stone-flagged floors, beams, log fires and distinctive Mouseman furniture, making the building itself part of the reason to stay. Dinner follows the traditional pub pattern of a main menu and daily specials, while the bedrooms allow a walk and a meal to become a complete rural break.

At a glance

• Accommodation award: 4 Gold Star Inn
• Bedrooms: 9
• Main restaurant: The Green Dragon Inn Restaurant

Why we like it

The pub’s physical character is unusually specific: handcrafted furniture and old stone floors give it more identity than a general claim of rustic charm. Its small room collection makes it easy to keep the trip centred on a walk, a drink and dinner at the inn.

Eat

The Green Dragon Inn

The restaurant is part of the pub, with British favourites, changing specials and some broader influences appearing across the menu. The kitchen describes local sourcing where possible and cooks to order. This is an appetite-led country-pub meal rather than a tasting-menu occasion.

The October 2026 menu makes the style clear. Steak-and-kidney suet pudding sits alongside fish pie with hake, cod, smoked haddock and prawns. Lighter beginnings include smoked mackerel on sourdough with peperonata, while a cauliflower and spinach balti pie supplies a vegetable-led alternative. The combinations offer more range than a short grill list, without losing the comfort-food identity.

Daily specials run alongside the main menu, so read them before deciding what to order. The Sunday menu is updated separately, and the inn notes that it is posted on the preceding Saturday. That makes Sunday lunch a meal to check close to the visit rather than plan from an old saved menu.

The setting is inseparable from the food experience: beams, fires and Mouseman craftsmanship make an evening here feel like time in a country pub. It suits diners who want a good supper after walking and a sociable place to linger, without expecting a formal hotel restaurant.

Published evening hours run from 6pm to 8.30pm Monday to Thursday and to 9pm on Friday and Saturday. Sunday food is advertised from noon to 8pm, making it a useful alternative to rural inns that stop after Sunday lunch. Secure a table for the time that fits the walk and arrival.

Sleep

The nine rooms include double and twin arrangements, with the largest suite offering extra seating space. The small collection keeps the stay close to the inn’s individual character rather than the repeated format of a large hotel. If travelling with children, discuss the available extra-bed or cot arrangements with the team; the room layout is the useful detail. A larger room can be worthwhile for a two-night stay, particularly if the weather makes a quiet afternoon indoors part of the visit.

Retreat

Cockleford’s countryside is the main daytime attraction. Plan a walk that brings you back in good time for dinner, or use the inn as a base for a more leisurely Cotswold drive. Cheltenham adds a town option without changing the rural feel of the overnight. The pub itself is a credible place to spend a less active afternoon, especially when the fires are part of the seasonal atmosphere. This is a break that does not need a spa appointment or an ambitious sightseeing programme to feel complete.

What guests say

The retrieved Google reviews repeatedly praise the food, the staff and the character of the country pub, including its fires and the neighbouring shop. Overnight comments are fewer and contain both comfortable-stay experiences and criticism of room condition. The strongest shared recommendation is for the pub and dinner; choose the particular bedroom with the same care as the meal.

The Gourmet Getaway

The indicative Gourmet Getaway price combines one night’s accommodation and breakfast for two with dinner for two at the selected restaurant. Use the current price panel to compare options, then check the room and restaurant for your dates. Any official hotel package is shown separately, with its own inclusions and terms.

Worth knowing

• Check the daily specials as well as the main menu; Sunday choices are published separately shortly before the day.
• Sunday food service extends into the evening under the advertised schedule, while weekday evening service has a shorter window.
• Confirm beds, extra beds and seating space against the particular room if staying as a family or for more than one night.

The Gourmet Getaways view

A good choice for a traditional Cotswold pub break where the building, supper and surrounding countryside all contribute. We would arrive with time for a walk and a drink before dinner, then give the specials equal attention to the main menu. The Mouseman details make it worth noticing the room around you as well as the plate.