The Cotswolds Guide

Hi everyone! I’m logging in for something fun today aside from my usual Sunday 7. This year, we want to expand our content to include more about the parts of our lives you don’t see on Instagram. Last week, we shared Studio McGee’s first big announcement of the year: our book, Make Life Beautiful!

Like everything we’ve been working on that will come to fruition in 2020 (more exciting news coming soon!), this book will show a different side of our work, our brand, and our lives that you’ve never seen before.

In the meantime, we’re sharing more of what makes life beautiful outside of design right here on the blog! Last week at our event with Kohler, I talked about how much travel inspires our work, and our latest trip was no exception!

A few months ago, Syd and I traveled to The Cotswolds to celebrate our 11th anniversary. It’s taken a while to find time to squeeze in a recap, but we wanted to share some of our experience for those of you who have been asking about what to do, what to see, and where to eat.

We had a small window of time to get away, so we took a really quick trip. It was exactly as I imagined it – bucolic, peaceful, and the perfect place to slow down and recharge.

Here are some of our recommendations:

Here are some of our recommendations:  

THE COTSWOLDS GUIDE

Where to stay 

So many wonderful options! We stayed at Thyme, and it was absolutely wonderful. If we had stayed in the Cotswolds longer, I would have also liked to stay a night or two at Soho Farmhouse.

Thyme was idyllic and peaceful – the grounds are breathtaking with renovated cottages, English gardens, and grazing sheep in wide-open pastures. Their restaurant, the Ox barn, was an incredible experience.

What to do

We rented a car and drove to different towns and did a lot of walking and wandering. Here is a list of the most recommended places to visit and things to do from our amazing Instagram community!

• Blenheim Palace – Incredible!

• Walk from Upper and Lower Slaughter

• Stow on the Wold

• Burford Garden

• Bibury – A quick stop for us to see Arlington Row, but very touristy, so we moved on quickly!

• Castle Combe

• Chipping Norton

• Bourton on the Water

• Painswick

• Walk the Cotswold Way

Where to eat

• The Ox Barn

• The Wild Rabbit

• Daylesford 

• St. Michaels Bistro

What to pack 

• Wellies

• Rain Jacket

• Umbrella

Psst.. watch out for a new arrival drop next week on McGee & Co. with pieces inspired by this trip!

What’s on your travel wish list in 2020?

xo- Shea McGee