Bull

South East England Oxfordshire Burford

  • From £385 a night
  • 18 Guest Rooms
  • Boutique Hotel
  • Coaching Inn

Chic country retreat with a trio of world-class restaurants in a former Cotswolds coaching inn

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Sleek, luxurious guest rooms, secret bars and communal dining spaces are all part of what sets Bull apart from other renovated 16th-century coaching inns. This is the Cotswolds, where there are quite a few of those – and plenty offer rooms for overnight stays – but none that are quite like this. Renovation doesn’t quite cover what’s happened here. This historic pub has been totally reimagined. Oak beams, stone walls and carved timbers may remain in place, but there's a distinctly contemporary feel to the new-look Bull.

It’s all the work of PR legend Matthew Freud. Some of his illustrious art collection hangs in the corridors, and that means originals by Francis Bacon, Salvador Dali and Damien Hirst, as well as some great iconic photographs. Upstairs, your idea of what to expect from a room above a pub may also be challenged. In each of the 18 bedrooms and suites a single dusky terracotta or blue covers walls and ceilings, beds are draped in long covers, and curtains hang longer than the floor. There’s a slight Renaissance painting feel to it all – sophisticated but relaxed, eclectic yet coherent. The rooms might have a stylish modern light here and a rustic milking stool there, but somehow none of it is at odds with the other. Similarly, exposed honey stone walls and beams are a good complement to the white marble of the bathrooms.

Downstairs, there are three separate restaurants. Two of them are communal in feel –  Wild, in the courtyard garden, where food is grilled in front of you on open flames, and  Hiro, a 10-seater Japanese omakase (translation: 'I leave it up to you'), where you're at the artisanal mercy of former Nobu head chef Hiromi who'll choose your 10-course menu. Behind the rustic bar, the third restaurant is a more traditional affair, where you can enjoy both snacks and full meals in a more conventional set-up – you can also eat outside in the sheltered garden, where they set up an outdoor bar in summer. There’s also a help-yourself pantry upstairs for all-day snacking.

Another thing that sets Bull is its dizzying array of activities on offer – you can have a poker lesson at a basement table (donated by Idris Elba, no less!), watch a film in their private cinema, play paddle or do a Japanese pottery class, among many other things. They even offer classes in old-fashioned photography, including use of their own dark room. It’s a veritable cultural retreat with a pleasing collegiate air fostered between guests, and is as much a place to restore as it is a place to stay.

Finally, if you're looking for the chocolate-box, picture-postcard heart of the Cotswolds, Burford is a prime candidate. Considered one of the prettiest villages in England, it's a charming setting for this cool contemporary boutique hotel, boasting historic buildings, oodles of antique shops, and plenty of eateries to try – though you'll undoubtedly find the best ones right here at Bull.

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Details

Open

Open all year.

Pricing

Double rooms from £385 a night, including breakfast.

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Location

Contact Website  01993 822 220  Bull, 105 High St, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4RG

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Getting There

From the A40 follow signs into Burford using the A361/The Hill. This turns into the High Street where you will find Bull on the right hand side.

Features

  • Bar
  • Coffee/Tea Facilities
  • Hairdryer
  • Minibar
  • Parking
  • Restaurant
  • Wifi

Looking For...

  • Activities
  • Cycling
  • Dog-Friendly
  • Five-Star Luxury
  • Foodies
  • Historic
  • Rural Retreat
  • Walking

As featured in

200 Hotels: Britain's Coolest Hotels and B&Bs

From sumptuous country houses and five-star hotels to boutique city boltholes and funky guesthouses to classic coaching inns, trust the latest Cool Places guide to find your perfect UK place to stay.

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What Customers say about Cool Places

Everything I needed for a stay

I'm already looking forward to going again and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting the area. It definitely deserves a five star rating!

Nathan, Verified Customer

6 out of 5!!!!

This place was amazing… I could not recommend this place enough, I’ll be singing their praise for many years to come and we are going to book again soon.

Barbara, Verified Customer

Easy to navigate

Great site that offers a really broad range of places to stay across the UK. Easy to navigate and book holidays.

Patrick, Verified Customer

Such a great variety of properties

Found this website when looking to book a staycation for later in the year. Such a great variety of properties and the website is really easy to use. Already shared with my family and friends.

CT, Verified Customer

Great, simple, straightforward

Great, simple and straightforward. I will definitely be using Cool Places again.

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