Oxfordshire’s newest holiday hideaway is the latest in the series of Artist Residence Hotels, created by the dynamic design duo, Justin and Charlotte Salisbury.

Cosiness and quality are the hallmarks of the Artist Residence experience and the new country outpost in South Leigh, Oxfordshire proves to be no exception. The fourth hotel launched by the husband and wife pair, is testament to their eclectic and elegant design aesthetic and their understanding of good old fashioned R&R.

In a 400 year-old stone building, under a thatched roof and in front of dreamy inglenook fireplaces, we couldn’t help but think that this is as close to hygge as the English come!

Food

The food is the focus of the hotel and for good reason! Fresh from farms within a 25-mile radius of the boutique hotel, high quality produce is just the start of what makes eating at the Artist Residence so delightful.

Mr Hanbury’s restaurant offers a hearty feast to compete with your Grandma’s best roast dinner as Head Chef Leon Smith brings his vast experience in modern British dining to the kitchen with meats and fish cured and smoked in house and cooked over a clay oven.

Rooms

Quintessentially English, the five rooms (soon to be more) are old-school English bohemian. Just as the hotel’s interiors constantly blend the old with the new, the punk with the antique and neon lights with blazing fireplaces, the bedrooms are havens of creativity and no two rooms are the same. Antique furnishings here are handpicked by Justin and Charlotte and with plush linens and super king sized beds, the bedrooms help you push the ‘relax’ button.

The best room in the house has got to be the Farmhouse Suite where you can soak away your stresses in the copper bath tub, complete with Bramley bath products whose beautiful botanical blends are yet another ode to the English countryside for the ultimate weekend unwind.

Activities

Countryside culture is all about nestling into a good book or a walk in the fields with your loved ones and this is the perfect place to lap it up! Total relaxation here is the result of cosy armchairs you don’t sit on but rather, sink into with fireplaces to warm the soul and fresh air which is magic for the mind.

If you do need a dose of city energy, the hotel is only moments away from the historic architecture and sharp minds of Oxford. Or, stop off at the H&H team’s favourite Cotswolds farmshop, Daylesford in nearby Kingham for fresh juices and organic produce to fuel your car journey home.

Reap the rewards of investing in your downtime with a stay at the Artist Residence.

Written by Annabel Armitage