Noel Arms Hotel

If you are of a mind to visit Stratford and watch one of the bard's plays, and if a night or two in a luxury hotel suits your style, then look no further than the Noel Arms. Perhaps gardens are your passion - there are several in the area, including Hidcote Manor Gardens, Kiftsgate Court Gardens and Mill Dene Garden. Whatever your excuse, the Noel Arms is one of the oldest hotels in the Cotswolds. Here traditional appeal has been successfully preserved and interwoven seamlessly with contemporary comforts. Charles II reputedly stayed in this golden Cotswold stone 16th-century coaching inn. It was through the carriage arch that packhorse trains used to carry bales of wool, the source of Chipping Campden's prosperity, to Bristol and Southampton. Absorb these details of the hotel's history while sipping a pint of Hook Norton in front of the log fire in Dover's Bar; read the papers over a coffee and pastry in the coffee shop; and enjoy brasserie-style food in the restaurant, prepared with local ingredients - some unique to the surrounding area. Start with a pressed terrine of smoked ham hock or a Caesar salad. A half-pound beefburger embracing gently spiced beef, smoked Wensleydale cheese and bacon is served with triple-cooked chips and onion confit. Lighter main courses can be found in fish from the market; or pot-roasted Madgett's Farm chicken breast with thyme potato gratin. To conclude, a strawberry Eton Mess is among the classic puddings. An alternative to these modern English dishes is brought by Indunil, the hotel's award-winning chef. He creates his trademark curries daily, and loyal enthusiasts arrive for his celebrated Curry Club on the last Thursday evening of every month. Replete, you can retire to bed in a four-poster made in 1657.