I recently stayed at the Kings Head Inn in Bledington, nestled in the heart of the picturesque Cotswolds. The inn is set on a charming village green with trickling streams and small wooden bridges, creating a quintessentially English scene, complete with a Union Jack flag flying above.

I had read about the Kings Head Inn in several Sunday paper reviews, which described it as a typical country pub and hotel. The story usually goes like this: a stylish young couple takes over a country pub, renovates and upgrades the rooms with charming décor, overhauls the menu with locally sourced and seasonal produce, and establishes their gastro pub credentials. It sounded like the perfect place for a short break with invigorating country walks and fresh air to balance out the pints of real ale, delicious local food, and cooked English breakfast.

When booking, I had a choice between a smaller bedroom immediately over the bar in the main inn or a larger bedroom in the Courtyard annex. I opted for the latter, thinking it might be quieter, even though it was more expensive. The annex, a modern building constructed in traditional style, is accessed through a pretty gravelled courtyard at the back of the inn and up the stairs. Our room had a characterful panelled and studded door, with windows overlooking both the courtyard and the village green.

The room was decorated in cream with traditional furnishings, managing to stay just the right side of twee with red and cream floral curtains and matching bed head, and a muslin drapery over the bed. The walls featured pretty watercolours of Cotswold village scenes and floral prints. The wooden sideboard had a more junk shop chic look than a covet-able antique, with a missing drawer handle adding to the distressed look. On top were bottles of water, a kettle, sachets of tea and coffee, and a bowl of Murray Mints. The bed and pillows were ultra-comfortable, and we lounged around reading the provided magazines with a good view of the flat-screen TV on the wall.

The bathroom was in neutral shades of cream and stone, with limestone-style floor tiles and little mosaic floor-to-ceiling tiles, and classical chrome sink and shower fittings. We gave it full marks for fast-flowing and piping hot water for the bath, cozy heating, and gorgeous smelling handmade soap. However, the room showed some signs of wear and tear and could have used a bit more attention to detail on the housekeeping front. There were stains on the cream carpet and rug, and the curtain sagged where a couple of hooks were broken. Overall, it felt stylishly British and more like staying in a friend’s rather nice spare room than in a hotel.

Upon arrival, as our room was not quite ready, we borrowed some maps and leaflets about local walks and sat in the bar to decide on a route. We chose to head towards Stow on the Wold, with the weather alternating between bright and sunny one minute, overcast the next. The walk over muddy fields wasn’t especially pretty but it certainly blew the cobwebs away. After an hour and a half (and a few wrong turns), we reached the typical Cotswold market town of Stow on the Wold. The town is a magnet for tourists, who appeared to be driven in by the coach load to admire the mellow old stone buildings and stop off for a traditional English cream tea. Even early in the season, the place felt teeming with visitors wandering around and cars circling looking for parking. I concluded that it was a place I’d avoid in the summer months due to the crowds. We had some tea, cakes, and scones in lieu of a late lunch but concluded that after a quick walk around, there wasn’t too much to detain us. On the way back to the inn, we stuck to the small roads and lanes with easier walking, passing fields of cute spring lambs enjoying the sunshine.

We had already booked a table for dinner in the bar that evening. As we had sat by the large open fireplace at lunchtime looking at maps, we asked to be seated there again for dinner. Unfortunately, the settle we were given was a little narrower than the first, and I felt I couldn’t get comfortable to eat my meal. The waitress was solicitous but had nowhere else to put us as all other tables were booked. When the couple sitting opposite left, we bagged their place to finish the meal.

The bar had perfected the Old Country Pub look with low ceilings, uneven flagstones, and a mixture of old and new sturdy country furniture. Those with a discerning designer’s eye would approve of the battered old Persian rugs and leather, tweeds, and checked velvets furnishings over the high-backed settles. Although we were seated in the main bar, there was a second side bar and also a dining room at the back, similarly furnished in the country-chic style of rugs, terra cotta walls, and woven tweed furnishings, as well as country modern pictures of pheasants and hunting hounds.

After our afternoon’s walk, we were really looking forward to our meal, savoring every mouthful and finding no fault. We started with a bowl of mixed olives and an antipasto salad with slices of prosciutto, mini mozzarella balls, and sun-dried tomatoes mixed with a deliciously herby pile of salad leaves. Next, my partner had a pile of excellent devilled kidneys, although not especially devilish, and I enjoyed a thick piece of baked cod on top of a seafood risotto. If a restaurant can be judged by the skill with which it does the simple things, such as a mixed bowl of vegetables, this one came out tops, and we cooed over a bowl of buttery carrots and greens. For dessert, my partner chose the local cheeses, beautifully presented on a wooden platter with sophisticated trimmings such as walnuts and a slice of quince jelly. I had a very seasonal rhubarb crème brûlée, with a melting shortbread biscuit and a shot of rhubarb schnapps.

Despite being a mecca for food lovers, the inn also attracted local drinkers and the country set, with dogs and wellies very much at home here. At the next table, we eavesdropped on a group of well-heeled students, back home for Easter and catching up on news and gap year experiences.

We slept extremely well in our courtyard room, which was very peaceful as expected, and we awoke to sunshine and lovely country views from the bedroom. Breakfast was taken in the dining room and offered a good range of everything you’d expect, with cooked options of smoked salmon or kippers as well as the more typical cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs, and all the trimmings. We got a chance to size up the other guests staying at the inn, mainly couples of various ages and a multi-generational group from grandparents to young children who were having a lovely time together.

I’d recommend the Kings Head Inn at Bledington for a great weekend getaway or short break. It’s tucked away from the tourist hustle and bustle but is within easy reach of many different stately homes and pretty market towns of the Cotswolds. Couples will find it charming, and it would also be fun for families, as the village green had a swing and was ideal for a run-around, with the chickens and ducks for added interest. And if you’re staying elsewhere in the area, I’d go out of my way to have dinner here again, but you’ll want to book a table as it was obviously popular.