The Cotswolds Part II - The Fox at Oddington - STACIE FLINNER

Stacie Flinner Daylesford Stays The Fox at Oddington Best Cotswold pubs-29.jpg

We often plan our trips around places we want to stay and The Fox at Oddington has been on my list ever since it opened a little over a year ago. The Fox is a 19th century inn and village pub, and a part of Carole Bamford's "Daylesford Stays", a collection of fabulous cottage rentals and pubs with rooms in the heart of the Cotswolds, whose restaurants source ingredients from Daylesford Organic Farm. We prioritize eating organic at home to keep our food free from pesticides, and it's often difficult to maintain our diet while traveling. But staying at Daylesford properties is such a treat because the food is healthier and exceptionally delicious -- some of the best we've had in England.

Each guestroom at The Fox is beautifully decorated, inspired by the English countryside and featuring natural materials, equestrian touches and lots of natural linens -- it's worth peeking at all of them before you book. We stayed in the Huntsman, which has a charming sitting room on the main floor, and a lofted bedroom up a small flight of stairs. The main inn has lots of little public rooms and nooks for lingering throughout your stay, whether you want to post up next to a fireplace for breakfast or tuck yourself away to get some work done in quiet. We ate in a different room for each meal and especially loved our dinner in the Stable Room and morning breakfast by the fire in the bar.

On top of sourcing ingredients from Daylesford, The Fox is also located within walking distance of the farm. Daylesford has a variety of specialty grocery items and farm-raised products, home goods, and sit-down restaurants. We enjoyed spending a leisurely couple of hours wandering through farmland and cow pastures to visit the farmshop for some snacks as well as pick up some treats for my parents back home who were watching our dog Darcy. We ended up ordering coffees and selecting items for a picnic, including one of our favorite cheeses called "The Stinking Bishop". We found a bench on the lawn outside the farmshop for our picnic next to two women who brought their (beautiful) spaniels with them and it made us eager to bring Darcy back with us next year.

While Lower Oddington may not be the most well known village in the Cotswolds, it's perfectly positioned next to Stow-on-the-Wold, a favorite destination for antiquing. I always try to stop through when I'm in the area, visiting Sean of Christopher Clarke Antiques, who specialize in British campaign furniture, and Cutter Brooks, a small boutique founded by Amanda Brooks with a gorgeous edit of home decor and fashion. There are a handful of other antique shops around town worth popping into, and if you want a bite to eat, The Old Butcher is the best spot in town.

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Chloe tie neck sweater dress

J.crew camel lady jacket

Monica Rich Kosann Viv Locket c/o (silver version here)

Mark Cross grace box bag in acorn

Sarah Flint espresso suede perfect pumps 85mm c/o

9mm Pearl Earrings