rural bolthole
With crackling open fires and grand four-poster beds, the Fox at Oddington is the ultimate Cotswolds hideaway
No matter how much time I spend fantasy-scrolling through The Modern House’s beautiful listings, no home will ever spark as much visceral envy as Kate Winslet’s. It’s the kind of place you want to hole yourself up in for the entirety of winter. This probably explains why, when I pulled up outside the The Fox after a short drive from Kingham station (1hr 20mins from Paddington), I felt an instant pull inside. Re-opened this summer after being acquired, and overhauled, by Daylesford founder Carole Bamford, the 16th century inn feels simultaneously traditional and updated, nestled in a corner of Lower Oddington – a Cotswolds village full of pretty cottages and grand restored barns. Six rooms, each with its own living area and The Fox’s smart-but-rustic aesthetic, range from The Den, my base for the night, complete with a bedside bath and private terrace, to Wild Meadow with views over a rooftop garden. Pleasingly, the nature theme is continued with an eco ethos: powered by 100% renewable energy, everything from the wool insulation to the upcycled leather chairs is environment-first.
