Situated in the picturesque village of Ampney Crucis named after the bubbling trout brook, you will find Wild Thyme & Honey. Just a couple of miles away from the market town of Cirencester. This hotel offers a relaxing atmosphere so much, so you won’t want to leave.
Dating back to the 16th century this former pub has been restored to a high standard with exposed honey coloured Cotswold stone, natural timbers, muted grey toned walls and beautifully designed furnishings. Their philosophy is to bring the countryside in providing the feeling of being immersed in nature both inside and out.
There are 24 bedrooms some of which have free standing bathtubs and also a honeymoon suite, 3 events spaces and their own cosy Pub, The Crown serving food, afternoon teas and events throughout the year.
We booked a one night stay which included dinner and breakfast. We took our furry friend with us for free. You enter via a snug “living room” which is part of the Crown. Beautifully decorated with cosy armchairs, daily newspapers, open fires, doggy bowls, treats and even an enomatic wine dispenser. Hunter wellies and branded umbrellas are available to wonder the surrounding areas or watch a game of cricket on the pitch just across the bridge behind the hotel. They also have electric bikes to hire.
The rooms are across the outside courtyard, which is so pretty with twinkle lights, a roaring outdoor fireplace and thick blankets for those chilly nights.
Our room had the feel of a New York Loft with the added benefit of exposed Cotswold stone, natural wood floors and tastefully decorated. Bees were the theme in the rooms because of the “Wild Honey” I guess from the pictures to the dressing table handles. I really like the cement lights hanging either side of the bed. The bed was so comfortable with lots of pillows to snuggle on. They even added a dog bed, bowl and treats with a little welcome note for “Rupert”.
For the humans there was a decanter of homemade Sloe Gin (which was topped up the next day), homemade chocolates, chilled bottle of English sparkling wine, coffee maker and large bottles of water. All the usual amenities including Verden toiletries. We were shown a guest pantry so if you need any extra tea, coffee, hair straighteners, ironing boards or some other goodies you can help yourself.
A nice touch was the bottle of fresh milk left outside our door early the next morning.
There is a large car park and garden area with outside bar serving food and drinks together with a couple of igloos. Plenty of tables and chairs beside the babbling brook, fairy lights, candles and fire pits add to the ambiance.
Food and drinks are served in The Crown which is your home from home with the snug living room, cocktail bar, breakfast room and dinner table. The menu is amazing serving farm to table, locally sourced produce and frequently changed to guarantee seasonality. We had a lovely stay, dinner, and breakfast. Rupert really enjoyed himself and was allowed in all parts of the hotel and the Crown.
The staff were very smart in their matching outfits, attentive and very helpful if I have a criticism, they just needed a little direction and speed, but this did not detract from a wonderful stay which I would highly recommend. With Christmas around the corner, I can only imagine the decoration inside and out would be picture perfect.