This is a small cottage but, as part of a larger, rambling estate, it’s big on features. So dive in – literally. The shared pool’s heated to 30 degrees all year round. Jump in, splash around, watch hours disappear, towel off and recover on the sun terrace with a Nespresso.
Stay out there in the Gloucestershire sunshine to explore the grounds, take a blanket and picnic by the pond, and discover the all-weather tennis court. Bash the cover off the ball, then refuel with steak and sausages on the coal-fired barbie under the Malvern skies.
Rose Cottage is quaint, quirky and quiet as a church mouse. Load up on logs and get the fire going in the living room, home to artefacts from the ages, including a suitcase coffee table, old-style phone and clock, and plaster bust. Pick a DVD from the pile or just sit and chat with cheese, biscuits and local wine from the Three Choirs Vineyard.
The Aga’s keeping the place toasty but it’s also making tea for two. Eat around the table by the fire and finish off with cakes from Melissa Jade and a Nespresso. Summer evenings suggest a walk around the grounds and a night on the terrace beneath the stars.
Head out to eat at the 15th-century Lower Lode Inn, for carveries, buffets and a side order of rolling river views. Try The Yew Tree Inn on the west bank of the River Severn for beef, mushroom and Guinness or chilli melt beneath the 16th-century beams. Or The Nottingham Arms for steak-and-ale pie or crispy fried jackfruit.
Sleep deeply in the rural hush in the only bedroom. A kingsize bed nestles among the ancient beams and original fireplace. Wake to views of the extensive grounds and the Malvern Hills, then pull on your cossie and get down to the pool for a few bracing lengths followed by organic bacon and eggs from the Aga.
