Oxford News
Cotswolds’ 5 best film set locations to visit this summer
With the return of Rivals landing on Disney+ May 15, the Cotswolds is in the spotlight as the ultimate TV-inspired destination, where the series was filmed.
The second season, starring David Tennant as ruthless Tony Baddingham, Aidan Turner as journalist Declan O’Hara and Alex Hassell as rakish Rupert Campbell-Black, continues the adaptation of the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s beloved novel, “Rivals”, introducing the glamorous world of polo, high-society and scandal.
The Eighties-set comedy-drama taps into a growing travel trend: set-jetting. Following the success of drama The White Lotus, which saw bookings surge in Sicily and Thailand, travellers are increasingly choosing destinations based on what they see on screen.
And few places deliver that same cinematic charm quite like the Cotswolds.
“Right across the Cotswolds, there is a real plethora of stays to choose from depending on budget, family size and ambience,” says Richard Young, co-founder of Selfcatering.co.uk.
From grand hotels to tucked-away cottages, here are five of the best stays to channel your own Rivals-inspired countryside escape.
1. The Lygon Arms, Broadway, Worcestershire
For classic Cotswolds luxury, The Lygon Arms captures the timeless and historic charm that defines the region.
Located in Broadway in the very north of the region, Cotswolds Hideaways’ head of portfolio Ali Haynes describes it as “a chocolate-box Cotswold favourite, brimming with independent shops, tearooms, art galleries, eateries and pubs.”
It’s the perfect base for a refined countryside break. “Laid-back luxury is evident from the moment you arrive,” says Young.
This is particularly good for foodies, as Haynes notes Broadway is one of the best spots for eateries, from afternoon tea at The Lygon Arms, to local favourites like Russell’s and Broadway Deli.
Prices: From around £266 per night. Book via The Lygon Arms hotel website.
2. The Bull at Burford
For a livelier romp on countryside living à la Rivals, The Bull at Burford offers a great stay in one of the region’s most picturesque towns, only a 40-minute drive away from Oxford.
“Visitors will find a quintessential but buzzing English high street and a warm, welcoming feel wherever you go,” says Young.
It’s ideal for those who want the charm of the Cotswolds without feeling too remote – with shops, cafés and traditional pubs all within walking distance.
The Bull itself is a 16th-century coaching inn that has been reimagined as a boutique hideaway. Now owned by media executive Matthew Freud, the 1536-built property retains its characterful, slightly wonky exterior, staying true to its heritage on Burford’s sloping high street.
Inside, however, Freud has filled the space with an extensive personal art collection, with works displayed throughout giving it the feel of a relaxed, lived-in gallery.
The 18 bedrooms are designed for comfort, with generous proportions, soft furnishings and thoughtful details. Dining is also a highlight. The hotel’s open-fire restaurant, Wild, sits under canvas in the courtyard and has become a destination in its own right, making it a must even if you’re not staying.
Prices: From appox. £200 per night. Book via The Bull website.
3. Cowley Manor, near Cheltenham
For a stay that feels straight out of a modern drama, Cowley Manor Experimental offers a more contemporary take on the Cotswolds escape.
Set within a historic Italianate manor house just outside Cheltenham, the hotel blends heritage architecture with bold, design-led interiors from the Experimental Group.
There are subtle nods to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (the book’s author Lewis Carroll was said to have been a regular visitor), which was partly inspired by the estate, from rabbit motifs to playful detailing, but the overall feel remains smart and sophisticated.
Cowley Manor is recommended if you’re looking for a couples’ retreat, where days can be spent between the spa, indoor-outdoor pool and expansive gardens, or simply relaxing in the glass-walled pool area overlooking the grounds.
Evenings centre around the restaurant, where rich interiors and seasonal menus create a the ultimate romantic setting.
Prices: From around £399 per night. Book via the Cowley Manor Experimental website.
4. Lavender Cottage in Stow-on-the-Wold
If you’re planning to explore multiple villages, Stow-on-the-Wold is one of the best bases in the region.
“I’d say Stow-on-the-Wold is hard to beat,” says Young, “[as] it offers convenience, character and a great all-round base.”
Haynes agrees, noting that towns like Stow and nearby Chipping Norton – famous for being the location of former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm – offer “boutique shops, historic pubs and scenic walks”, while surrounding villages such as Lower Oddington and Kingham provide a quieter, more authentic feel – often with some of the best pubs in the area.
This centrally located townhouse, sleeping six, puts all of that within easy reach.
For a classic Cotswolds day out, Young suggests visiting The Fox at Oddington for a pub lunch, or trying countryside pursuits such as Cotswold Valley Clay Shooting at Luckley Farm House for a truly luxurious, Rivals-inspired stay.
Price: From £805 for seven nights. Book via Selfcatering.co.uk.
5. Culls Cottage, Southrop
If you’re anything like Danny Dyer’s Rivals character, Freddie Jones, you may be wanting something more modern and contemporary.
If so, Culls Cottage is a stylish retreat that perfectly combines the cosy, countryside of the Cotswolds with an up-to-date touch.
Haynes highlights Southrop as a destination in its own right: “famous for its Grade I listed 12th-century church, beautiful stone buildings, village green and The Swan – a 17th-century pub – all within walking distance.”
The cottage itself pairs minimalist interiors with a large garden and has won Gold for Self Catering Accommodation of the Year 2024/25.
For something a little different, Haynes suggests trying a flamingo pedalo along the nearby River Thames.
Price: From £973 (short breaks)/£1,997 (seven nights, low season). Book via Cotswolds Hideaways.
Other things to do
Part of what makes the Cotswolds so appealing on screen and in real life is its ability to offer both escapism and substance.
As Haynes puts it, it’s about more than just where you stay. From the Longborough Festival Opera in Moreton-in-Marsh during the summer to historic gardens like Hidcote Manor, and from steam train journeys to afternoons spent in village pubs, the region offers a depth of experience that keeps visitors coming back.
While the drama of Rivals 2 may be fictional, the setting – thankfully – is entirely real.
Zac Sanger-Reynolds, of North Hinksey Lane in Oxford, previously plead guilty to stalking at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Friday, April 28.
He will appear at the Buckinghamshire court on Thursday, June 4 for an application to vary a restraining order.
READ MORE: Documents show Oxfordshire footbridge has been sub-standard for over decade
Sanger-Reynolds was handed the order in April after a mother-of-two spoke to the Oxford Mail about his ‘obsession’ after she became uninterested in him after two dates.
He was told to complete 100 hours of un-paid, supervised work within 12 months and undertake 26 days of rehabilitation.
He was also ordered to pay £199, including £114 for the victim surcharge and £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Construction company Taylor Wimpey was granted the development on appeal in 2017 for up to 95 homes at Thames Farm, off Reading Road in Lower Shiplake.
It has since reduced this to 84 to provide adequate drainage because “the land is unstable and vulnerable to sinkholes”.
Taylor Wimpey said the new drainage plans will ensure there are no off-site impacts relating to surface water and this will include a basin on the western part of the site.
Members of the Thames Farm Action Group, which represents Shiplake residents, have concerns about the environmental impact of the scheme, which they say has no precedent in the UK.
The ground would have to be injected with grout and concrete to keep stable despite it sitting on top of an aquifer that supplies water to nearby towns.
READ MORE: Police action continues over dual carriageway after dangerous races
In July 2025, the planning committee of South Oxfordshire District Council voted to refuse the ground-stabilisation application despite a recommendation for approval.
Councillors cited concerns about possible impacts on the aquifer and public water supply.
The formal refusal notice stated the application “failed to demonstrate that the proposed engineering operations would not pose an unacceptable risk to the aquifer and nearby public water abstraction points”.
But now the plans have been given the go ahead by a separate planning inspector.
Despite objections from the district council the project appears to have been given the go ahead.
Freddie Van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, said: “I will be working with The Thames Farm Action Group, Henley Town Council, Shiplake Parish Council and Harpsden Councils to ensure their voices are heard.”
The new report states there is a risk, but it’s “an acceptable level of risk” for the area.
The TV cook, now best known for his seafood restaurants and BBC travel series, grew up on a farm in Churchill, a small village just outside the market town of Chipping Norton.
Mr Stein later went on to study English at Oxford, further strengthening his ties to Oxfordshire alongside his upbringing in the Cotswolds.
During his time as a student, he maintained a long‑term relationship with Jill Stein, who would go on to co‑found and run the business side of his restaurant empire.
READ MORE: Mary Berry talks turning 91 after finding ‘joy’ at retirement home
The couple later married, remained together for many years while building their businesses, and eventually divorced after their relationship broke down.
In a recent interview with The Times, the 76-year-old revisited a near‑fatal incident in Oxford which she says has left her with permanent hearing loss.
She had moved to London while Mr Stein was at Oxford, and had arranged to meet him in Oxford for a weekend.
Ms Stein discovered that he was instead drinking at a student club and confronted him when he eventually arrived at the pub where she was waiting.
READ MORE: ‘It broke me’- Emma Watson opens up in emotional admission
He recalled in the book that he reacted “angrily but also very lustfully”, but remembering that night, Ms Stein told The Times: “He did nearly kill me.”
Driving fast on the Oxford bypass, Mr Stein crashed into roadworks and hit a 44‑gallon drum, sending an oil lamp through the windscreen and into her head.
Ms Stein said: “He could see that I was bleeding quite a lot and I said, ‘oh, just put me to bed. I’ll be fine.’ And he thought, even though he was drunk, ‘no, I’m not sure about this’.
“‘I think I’ll ring the ambulance’. So he rang the ambulance and, because it was a 999 call, the police came along as well, and they breathalysed him.”
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson ‘parties in pub until 4.30am’ celebrating win
At the John Radcliffe Hospital, a brain surgeon operated on her, and during her interview with The Times, Ms Stein pointed to her left side and added: “And that’s why I can’t hear in this ear.”
Asked how long it took her to forgive him, she reflected: “I never blamed him really. I don’t know why, but I didn’t.”
Mr Stein later began a relationship with Sarah Burns, a publicist who had worked with his company, while he was still married to Jill Stein.
The affair eventually led to the end of his first marriage, and he went on to marry his second wife in 2011, with the couple now living between Australia and the UK.
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoWaitrose supermarkets across UK shut due to ‘critical error’
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoMan arrested in connection with rape in Oxfordshire town
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoHow to spend a day in Harpsden among UK’s poshest villages
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoBanbury woman jailed after lying to police about kidnapped children
-
Oxford Events3 weeks agoStage Watch: Somerset House enters the comedy arena with major new festival Laughterama
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoStrictly Come Dancing new hosts reportedly Emma Willis
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoCBI posts 14% revenue rise as payment services grow
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoUK Hantavirus update as 22 ship passengers moved to hospital