Hilt Mead

It's positioned handily between several larger towns, which makes it useful if you're planning to explore the region without staying in the busier spots.

The settlement itself is made up of traditional stone cottages surrounded by open countryside. This gives you a real flavour of what rural Cotswold life actually looks like rather than what's been polished up for visitors. You won't stumble on many shops or restaurants nearby, but that's largely the point—it's genuinely quiet, which tends to appeal to walkers and anyone wanting to slow down a bit.

The main reason to base yourself here is the access it gives you to everything around it. Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold are both within easy driving distance, and the countryside is excellent for walking, with footpaths that connect into the wider Cotswold network. If you want authentic rural character rather than packaged attractions, this area has it naturally.

It's the kind of place locals know well and visitors occasionally find by accident. If you're spending several days in the region, it's worth including in your plans—you'll get a genuine sense of the landscape and convenient access to everything else worth visiting.