The southern Cotswolds does this particular kind of weekend very well. You know the shape of it: a proper morning out somewhere beautiful, a walk that actually goes somewhere rather than looping pointlessly around a car park, then lunch at a pub where nobody’s rushing you and you end up staying for another round. Back to the hotel in the late afternoon with muddy boots and a decent appetite for the evening.
Pettifers Hotel in Crudwell is built for exactly that kind of trip. The hotel sits on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, close enough to Westonbirt Arboretum, the Wiltshire countryside and Malmesbury to make all three a natural part of a weekend without turning any of them into a project.
Westonbirt in summer and beyond
Westonbirt Arboretum is the draw that brings many people to this corner of the Cotswolds, and for good reason. The collection spans thousands of trees across the Old Arboretum and Silk Wood, and while autumn is the season most people associate with it, summer has its own appeal — the tree canopy at full stretch, the light through the woodland in the long evenings, the sense of space that the arboretum offers even on a busy weekend.
It’s the kind of place that benefits from having a comfortable base nearby rather than trying to do it as a day trip. Leave early, take your time, and return to Pettifers without the pressure of a long drive home at the end of it.
Explore Pettifers’ location and rooms
Walks that fit the day
The countryside around Crudwell and Malmesbury is well-suited to the kind of walking that’s pleasurable rather than punishing. You’re in the vale between the Cotswold escarpment and the Wiltshire downland, with public footpaths and bridleways crossing farmland, river meadows and small villages. Malmesbury itself, about ten minutes from Pettifers, sits above the River Avon with a medieval abbey and a network of paths running out from the town.
These aren’t mountain walks; they’re the kind that work before or after a visit to Westonbirt, or as a half-day in their own right on a morning when you want to be outside before it gets too warm. The team at Pettifers can point you towards local routes that suit how far you want to go and whether you’re bringing a dog.
Dogs are welcome
If you’re travelling with a dog, at Pettifers we are set up for it. Selected rooms are dog-friendly; the Classic Family rooms and Large Family Room both welcome dogs, as does Mayfield Cottage. Plus the surrounding area offers the kind of countryside that dogs actually enjoy. Plenty of open ground, quiet lanes and accessible walks.
The walled gardens and terrace at Pettifers give dogs (and their owners) somewhere to settle at the end of the day. It’s worth checking our dog-friendly hotel page before booking for the current supplement and guidance.
Where to eat and drink
Evenings at Pettifers revolve around Asha Indian Kitchen, led by Chef Parvez. It’s an unusual find in a Cotswold village hotel; a menu built on personal cooking with dishes like Achari Masala, Shashlik Masala and the house Plazza alongside more familiar curries. Guest reviews mention it repeatedly as a highlight rather than an afterthought, and it’s open daily from 5pm. The bar, with draught lagers, cider and stout, a full spirits and wine list, and a proper Italian espresso machine is there for the evening wind-down in the lounge or snug.
Breakfast is a “Local Hero” award-winning full-cooked affair, served every morning and a solid start to a day that involves walking or a full trip to the arboretum.
For lunch, the southern Cotswolds has no shortage of village pubs with proper food and tables outside in decent weather. The area around Malmesbury and the Cotswold Water Park is well-stocked with the kind of places where a long Sunday lunch is encouraged rather than tolerated. The Pettifers team knows the area well and we can suggest what’s worth the detour.
See food and drink at Pettifers
Rooms and the cottage
The hotel has a range of rooms across the main building and courtyard: Classic Doubles for a simple overnight, Large Double or Twin rooms for a bit more space, family rooms that sleep three or four with dog-friendly options, and ground-floor courtyard rooms for guests who’d prefer to stay on one level. All rooms include free WiFi, flat-screen TV, Faith in Nature toiletries and Rington’s tea and coffee.
For guests who’d rather have their own front door, Mayfield Cottage is a two-bedroom self-catering option right next to the hotel, with a private courtyard garden, its own parking and a washing machine, practical for longer stays or families with children who like to spread out.
Book direct for the best price
The weekend trip described at the top of this piece, Westonbirt, a good walk, a long lunch, a proper dinner, and a comfortable room to come back to, doesn’t require any particular planning beyond where you’re sleeping. At Pettifers, that part is straightforward. The rest takes care of itself.
