Chopping along the cobbled streets of Broadway village at the foot of the rolling hills of the English Cotswolds, welcoming both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell, glide down narrow winding lanes past twee tea rooms, horse chestnut trees, and honey-colored cottages as you hear the puffing of the Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Train chugging along the tracks.
Nestled in 400 acres of private grounds on the Farncombe Estate, discover the village’s 17th-century countryside spa hotel, Dormy House.
Dark oak paneling and historic beams mark its hallway with candle-chevalier chandeliers, stone fireplaces, and exposed Cotswold stone brickwork peeping out of every corner, utter farmhouse chic.
Flagstone floors flow into snug maroon-walled lounges with marble ceramics, rattan stools, and open log fires guarded by leather benches and mustard sofa chairs.
Whilst wooden partridges and mice, wild greens, and backlit walls fill the open-plan lobby with marble tables, wicker armchairs, shiny handmade pottery, and a vast collection of Penguin books.
Suede leather doors lead you to Dormy’s cozy nook, The Shed, as you smell the burning of candlelit alcoves with low hanging beams above, little herringbone tables, faux deer skin stools, classic Chesterfield sofas, an Oak wine cellar, camel leather chairs with warm woolen throws and aged steel stage lights suspended over a bar.
Tilt your head, and you’ll see a traditional farming plow hanging from the wall at the entrance to a cozy dining area with a roaring Scandinavian open fire and walls dotted with rustic foxed mirrors, Victorian-style lampshades, shelves stacked with wooden ducks, and photographs telling the tales of Dormy’s 17th-century history.
Long taper candles sit on its dining tables enshrouded by wraparound flower chairs with crocheted cushions of farmyard animals where you can nibble light bites like hickory smoked chicken wings cooked in chili, honey, and whiskey glaze or Baked Somerset Camembert with pickled grapes and crusty bread to crunch into.
Step onto the honeycomb tiles of a small lounge tucked in the corner of The Shed with dried ivy, comfy leather sofas, ornamental mirrors bordered by steel bracken leaves, and an Orbital ceiling pendant at the center of the room with an Octagonal glass atrium above head that offers the perfect sunlight to lose yourself in a Tolkien novel.
Sprawling iron wild flower lights drape from the ceiling of The Back Garden, Dormy’s fine dining bolthole, coated in dark teal woods with granite tables, Japanese-style partitions, feather displays, houndstooth stitched sofas, and mustard velvet chairs with burnt orange pillows.
Floor-to-ceiling windows lead you to a wide-open terrace with a greenhouse and rows of flower beds that grow fresh produce from beetroot to courgettes, nasturtium flowers, and green runner beans.
Graze on small plates of beetroot tart, comté soufflé, crispy prawns, and deep-fried hen’s eggs with crunchy salty sourdough and creamy butter, and savor bites of braised veal cheek cooked in a rich red wine sauce with Merlot pickled onions.
Breakfast served is a sumptuous spread of fruits, muesli, cold meats, cheeses, pastries, and croissants, with cooked options from creamy eggs royale to smashed avocado on toast.
Tucked away in the corner of The Back Garden, you’ll spot Mo, a private dining experience for 12 guests, with pineapple lampshades and a sweeping open-kitchen chef’s table serving sizzling caramelized scallop with smoked eel and apple, and heritage beef fillet with pickled turnips and wild garlic.
Through a bright Utopian-style reception with pendant cluster lights, bone china, and oyster velvet sofas, swan down the tunneling staircase of The House Spa, which was awarded ‘Best UK Spa 2023/2024’ by the AA.
Passing marble fitting rooms with smart showers, electric lockers, vanity mirrors, and dressing robes and fluffy towels in plentiful, you’ll find a long mosaic-tiled 16-metre infinity pool at The Bathing Room surrounded by stone pebbles, loungers, and fig trees.
Wander through The Thermal Suite, blending hot and cold rooms to improve skin tone and appearance, with an icy snow shower, a Eucalyptus steam room, a salt sauna with Himalayan crystals, and an experience shower where you can surrender to tropical rain, forest mist, or an arctic blast.
Outside, you can sink into an elevated Romanesque stone hot tub with warm jets, leaning against a blooming garden wall.
Wicker chairs and long-legged vines mark The House Spa’s goose-grey treatment rooms with soft throws draped on retracting massage beds.
Indulge in a low-light head massage, a Mediterranean facial using a blend of 40 essential oils, or try an intensive, high-performance Proverb natural facelift combining cardio HIIT with targeted massage techniques to lift, contour, and tone the skin for increased elasticity.
Afterward, retire to The Greenhouse and snuggle up by the axial chimney on lilac sofa chairs as you gaze out at English yew trees from 360-panoramic windows and sip sweet citrus juice with tangerine, grapefruit, and turmeric before strolling out to the patio and drifting off to sleep in a swinging cocooned egg chair.
Tiptoe down a narrow passage and follow a staircase leading you to The Loft suite, one of 38 rooms at Dormy House.
Rich, bright, and cream, it boasts a stretching tapestry, lavish royal curtains, a tin roll-top bath, a floral writing desk, a king-sized bed, a lounge area with a long velvet sofa, and a tapered-ceiling marble bathroom with twin basins, a walk-in shower and wide swivel mirrors.
As night falls, gaze out from your terrace over the rolling fields of Broadway with nothing but the gentle Cotswolds breeze brushing through your hair.
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