The Double Red Duke

The latest addition to Georgie and Sam Pearman’s Country Creatures portfolio, this 17th-century Cotswold stone inn is ‘one of the best pubs-with-rooms I’ve ever seen’, says our inspector. The bedrooms are ‘all special, one with a red bathtub in a red-and-white-tiled nook, others opening on to the garden’. A family room had ‘a country-chic feel, old wooden furniture, luxurious fabrics, sisal carpet’. The bathroom was ‘enormous, with stand-alone tub and another room with twin walk-in showers’. Many rooms have an emperor bed, hand-blocked wallpaper; all have a cafetière, 100 Acres toiletries. You can have tea by the fire in one of the snugs, dine in the bar, restaurant, garden room, alfresco under a striped parasol, or at the counter of the open kitchen. ‘There’s the usual pub grub, but meat and fish grilled over charcoal, cherry and apple wood are stars of the show. My son devoured a porterhouse for two and declared it the best steak ever.’ Side dishes such as BBQ hispi cabbage and miso butter rack up the bill. A buffet breakfast is included; cooked dishes such as devilled kidneys and smoked haddock omelette are charged extra.