The Beckford Inn

It manages to feel genuinely traditional while serving proper modern cooking, which isn't always an easy balance to strike. The menu shifts with the seasons but always features well-executed pub fare alongside a respectable range of local ales and wines. Whether you want to drop in for lunch or settle down for dinner, there's no pretence about the place.

If you're planning to stay longer, they have comfortable bedrooms upstairs. From here you're well-positioned to wander into the surrounding hills towards villages like Broadway, visit Tewkesbury Abbey just a short distance away, or explore Cheltenham's elegant regency architecture. The inn has roots in the local community that run deep, and you notice it in how they treat both passing visitors and people who've been coming for years.

Inside there's a proper fire for winter visits, and outdoor seating appears when the weather allows. It's the kind of straightforward, dependable place that works equally well as a convenient overnight stop or a comfortable headquarters for spending several days discovering what the region has to offer.