The Swan

Rooms

Eleven cosy bedrooms and suites are split between the main inn, a small cottage across the patio, and a new building next door. All have super-comfy double beds (one can be set up as a twin), ensuite bathrooms (most with tubs), and small windows over patio or lane. The two attic rooms - one double, the other a family suite - boast 16th-century beams and sloping eaves: very atmospheric, but not ideal for six-footers.

Decor is chic and distinctive, with boudoirish Farrow & Ball hues or striking Lewis & Wood wallpapers, exotic touches like salvaged Burmese dressers and statement bedside lamps. Thread- and pillow count is suitably high; our only minor quibble was that the duck down duvets were too hot for midsummer.

Compact but spoiling bathrooms come with all the prerequisites: drench showers or in-room tubs, fluffy robes and an array of toiletries.

Our favourite rooms for a couple are #4 and #5 on the first floor, the former with leafy green wallpaper and a window bench-seat, the latter with high eaves and twin sash windows; both have in-room tubs. For families there's a split-level suite in the cottage, with a sitting room on the ground floor and, upstairs under the eaves, a double, a twin and a shared bathroom. This and the adjacent double are dog-friendly.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• WiFi

Eating

The buzzy low-beamed bar and restaurant attracts a growing following of locals and well-heeled Londoners; on a Tuesday shortly after opening, the dining room was full. We loved the vintage look (bistro chairs and banquettes, wooden cruets and linen napkins), and the laid-back vibe created by super-friendly young staff (some on their uni holidays).

In warm weather, you can eat outside in the flowery courtyard garden, at marble tables with Med-green cafe chairs, or under the wooden porticoes for a bit of extra snuggle factor (also a great spot for a post-prandial vape or cigar; blankets supplied).

In the kitchen, Sam has consciously steered away from the ubiquitous Cotswold menu of lamb shoulder or gourmet fish-n-chips. So expect unusual combinations of local meats and bang-on-trend veg, with a dash of flair and a (sometimes bafflingly) exotic magic ingredient. We relished the juicy Chermoula chicken and the barbecued prawns with Chipping Norton 'nduja (I did warn you); side bowls offered raw grains, sweet potatoes or roasted beetroot with candied walnuts, miso mayonnaise and ginger. There are big sharing platters, including a mouth-watering (and wallet-busting) carnivores' bonanza of lamb, rump steak, kidney and sausage - all of it locally sourced. But do leave room for desserts: maybe spiced coconut cake with chilli sorbet and barbecued pineapple, or the warmly recommended (but as yet untested) jaffa cake choc pudding for two.

Breakfast combines a small but delicious buffet of pastries, granolas, jams and yoghurt, supplemented by paid-for extras such as eggs any way (even rancheros), or almond pancakes with lemon curd and mint. A 'prospector' sharing spread will suit indecisive morning types.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant

Activities

• Ascott itself is quiet - one shop, one church, two daily trains from London - but it's a great base for visiting the Oxfordshire Cotswolds: Burford, Stow, Bourton and the Slaughters (all within 20 mins' drive) are the headliners in quaint village stakes, but pootle westwards along country lanes and you'll find dozens more
  
  
• Heading east, it's a similar distance to Blenheim Palace - the Marlboroughs' monumental country house (and Churchill's birthplace), with its 2000 acres of park and lakes, including a butterfly house
  
  
• Bring boots or bikes to explore some of Oxfordshire's prettiest, rollingest countryside, including ancient Wychwood Forest on your doorstep. Other top spots for a picnic (and possible wild swim) include the river Evenlode near Stonesfield (map here) and the river Windrush near Minster Lovell's half-ruined abbey (here)
  
  
• Horse-riding and golf are available nearby; fishing and seasonal deer-stalking can be arranged at Cornbury; or there's Birdland (20 mins' drive), Cotswold Wildlife Park (15 mins) and Cotswold Water Park (45 mins)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding

Kids

The Swan welcomes children of all ages. The relaxed, pubby ambiance means it is probably best for older kids.

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The garden cottage makes a good family option, with a cosy attic double and adjacent twin bedroom sharing a bath; plus an optional add-on double room for larger families. Some double rooms can fit a cot or Z-bed.

Distances:

• Small shop: Two mins' walk
• Supermarkets: 10 mins' drive (Milton / Charlbury)
• Health centre: 25 mins' drive (Bourton)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Swan is in the small Cotswolds village of Ascott-under-Wychwood, in Oxfordshire. You're close to Bourton, Burford, Stow and Chipping Norton.

By Air:
London Heathrow is your best bet if arriving from overseas; Bristol and Birmingham also receive international flights. There is a small airfield in Kidlington, just outside Oxford, which receives private flights if you're feeling flush.

By Car:
It's easiest to arrive by car, and there's parking on-site. It's within 1.5 hours' drive from Southampton, Birmingham or Bristol; around two hours from London. If you need to hire a car see our recommendations.

By Train:
The tiny station in Ascott has two or three daily direct trains to London Paddington, but times are unlikely to suit overnights away. Neighbouring Charlbury has faster and more regular services (1h15min).

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.