Hotel Review: The Fleece Cirencester, UK

A historical coaching inn in a picture-perfect location filled with English charm is as much an attraction as the surrounding countryside.

If you are planning on exploring the Cotswolds, that most English of areas made up of achingly gorgeous towns and villages constructed from honey-hued stone and festooned during the spring and summer months with hanging baskets groaning under the weight of pretty blooms, staying at a chain hotel presents the ultimate buzz kill. When surrounded by so much loveliness the place you retire to at the end of the day should be equally delightful. It should be somewhere like The Fleece.

Details

The Fleece Cirencester
Market Place, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK

First Impressions

Situated in the heart of historic Cirencester, the traditional coaching inn dates back to 1651 (it’s said King Charles II used the building as a hiding place when fleeing Oliver Cromwell’s army after the Battle of Worcester) and now features 28 boutique rooms, as well as a convivial pub.

The small reception desk is reached via said pub, a fact that isn’t quite clear and required a lot of hand signalling through the window that you can glimpse it through. Once in possession of our room key we head up the original winding staircase (helpful hint: pack light), passing landings that branch off down higgledy-piggledy corridors lined with lovely vintage botanical and bird prints.

Pretty floral wallpaper adorns the suites

The room

Our Signature Room is on the top floor and is well proportioned and decorated with English whimsy: pretty wallpaper, leather club chairs, mounted hunting skulls, a tufted bedhead, a generous bathroom with brass fittings, and a bust of a ram dressed in its best suit. There are cute inclusions like English-made oaty biscuits on the tea and coffee tray and a little jar of rhubarb and custard boiled lollies to dip into.

When added to the original beamed ceilings and leadlight windows, it’s all impossibly cute.

A roll-top bath is essential after long country walks

The food

We can’t get a table in the pub for dinner as it is so popular with locals and visitors, but breakfast the next morning in the pretty, country-chic breakfast room is delicious, with a menu that includes a full English with optional black pudding or a bacon butty; there are also gluten-free options.

We leave feeling like our stay at The Fleece was as much a part of the experience of exploring this lovely corner of the English countryside as visiting Blenheim Palace (an easy drive away) or Stowe-on-the-Wold, both of which are equally delightful if a little less whimsical.

Lots of greenery in the chic breakfast room

The verdict

Brimming with design whimsy, steeped in history and delightfully situated, this is the kind of place that the term ‘chocolate box pretty’ was coined for.

Location: 8/10

Situated right in the heart of the historic town centre with the Cotswolds on the doorstep.

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Style/character: 9/10

The whole property is decorated in a warm, charming English style that presents as quirky and funky rather than twee.

Service: 6/10

Low-key, friendly and efficient; the staff serving breakfast could be a little friendlier though.

Rooms: 9/10

The Signature rooms are individually decorated with statement wallpapers, plush furnishings, generous bathrooms and lovely little touches.

Food and drink: 7/10

The breakfast menu includes a full English breakfast, with optional black pudding. A request for gluten-free bread was accommodated without fuss.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.