The Rectory Hotel

Overview

The Rectory is a small country-house hotel in Crudwell, near Malmesbury, with the restaurant at the heart of the visit. The early eighteenth-century house has been given an informal, contemporary interior, making it an appealing option for a weekend that revolves around dinner without feeling like a formal grand-hotel occasion. Gardens and a heated outdoor pool add reasons to arrive before the evening meal.

There are eighteen bedrooms across the main house and a separate cottage. This modest scale gives the stay a more personal feel, but the cottage also allows friends or families to have their own base. Choose The Rectory for seasonal British cooking, a relaxed country-house atmosphere and time in the grounds. Its sister pub, The Potting Shed, is across the road and offers another nearby place to eat.

Eat

The restaurant is led by Damian Clisby and serves British dishes shaped by the season. Dinner takes place between the candlelit dining room and the bright glasshouse, with garden-terrace dining adding another setting when conditions allow. The menu is ingredient-led, with familiar forms of cooking given a contemporary approach rather than an elaborate tasting-menu structure.

Lunch provides a lighter way to try the kitchen, and breakfast combines a continental selection with cooked dishes such as eggs and locally sourced sausages. Book the restaurant when arranging a room, particularly for a weekend dinner. The current menu is the best guide to the style and budget; the hotel’s chef has changed since older reviews, so historical dishes should not be treated as promises for the present visit.

Sleep

Fifteen bedrooms are in the house, with three further rooms in the cottage. The interiors mix period character with a less formal design language, so it is worth selecting a room for its layout and features rather than assuming all accommodation follows the same template. A room in the main house puts you close to the bar and restaurant, while the cottage offers more separation.

The cottage has three bedrooms and sits near the outdoor pool, making it useful for a small group that wants private space with the hotel close at hand. Check the available bathroom arrangements and whether a particular room includes the bath or view you want. Breakfast should be confirmed as part of the room rate before using a dinner, bed and breakfast comparison, as different booking channels can offer different inclusions.

Retreat

The grounds and heated outdoor pool give The Rectory a useful leisure element, particularly for a stay in warmer months. It is a place for a garden afternoon and a swim rather than a full indoor spa resort. Confirm the pool’s seasonal opening and access arrangements if swimming is central to the break.

Inside, the bar and sitting spaces encourage a slower evening before or after dinner. Crudwell also places you within reach of Malmesbury and the surrounding Cotswolds countryside, so the hotel works as a base for short outings as well as a weekend centred on the property. Keep the restaurant reservation as the anchor of the visit, with the rest of the day left open for the gardens, villages and pool.