Philli is delighted by her generous starter of roast beetroot, onion and goat’s curd, while my choice – poached chicken, tarragon and mayo, served cold in a clear jelly – is quite unusual, but creative. Thyme’s Ox Barn restaurant is cavernous, without being overwhelmingly so – it’s smartly designed to cluster diners in one half, resulting in a cheery atmosphere on the night we visit.

Finally dessert was very nice, with good portions of cheese. Brunches of fluffy eggs, salt cod cakes and berry-topped pancakes are served at the Ox Barn too. Thyme has two flocks and these are the Welsh Black Mountain sheep. The Cotswolds may be a notorious honeytrap for A-listers – or at least for those who find the idea of having Jeremy Clarkson over for dinner attractive – but after 15 minutes of driving in circles trying to find our bed for the night at luxury hotel Thyme at Southrop, I decide the celebrity I’m most expecting to spot is Mr Tumnus. The Ox Barn is open Thursday to Sunday for lunch (noon to 3pm) and Wednesday to Saturday for dinner (6pm to 9.30pm). International hub Heathrow, around 90 miles east, is a 90-minute drive; London Gatwick is around two hours by car. When Thyme’s on-site restaurant opens in early 2018, it’ll be heartily welcomed by those looking to go full hermit for the weekend. The Ox Barn is open Thursday to Sunday for lunch (noon to 3pm) and Wednesday to Saturday for dinner (6pm to 9.30pm). For meals in the Swan, we like a table near the French doors – which open onto the courtyard – in the garden room; for afternoon drinks, make a beeline for the sofas. There’s a spread of breads, preserves, yogurts, juices, poached orchard fruits, granola and muesli on offer, and four hot options too: Philli is very satisfied with buck rarebit (cheese and egg on toast, basically) and I devour airy buttermilk pancakes with yogurt, hazelnut and – its tartness welcome – rhubarb.

But somehow it’s already apéritif time again, and – we sleepily agree – if we relax any further we might never make it back to the Swan for that second helping of fondant…, © 2020 Smith Global Ltd – Boutique and luxury hotels and villas. Cookery School, spa, farm and kitchen gardens, the Baa for botanical cocktails and afternoon teas, tennis courts, petanque pitch, free WiFi throughout.

The hotel can arrange transfers from London airports from £150 for a one-way trip. Book the Ox Barn; Buy a Gift Voucher ... Sign up to our newsletter. Breakfast is served 8am–10am.

Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment. The food was delicious and the location is beautiful. experience), but the chauffeur desires something stronger than a Nespresso; so, rather reluctantly, I allow my shoes to be jammed back on for the short trip across the yard to the Baa.

Beautiful dining space within beautiful estate surroundings.Well spaced out tables taking into account current best practice.

The service was great from start to finish. Thyme The Swan Discover more. Twenty, including two stand-alone cottages.

Would recommend it to everyone!!!

I wish we had all walked out at this point. Thyme’s cottages repose amid trim and tidy grounds in classic Cotswolds’ countryside, on Southrop Manor’s estate. This place feels distinctly like Narnia for grown-ups, except the back of the wardrobe is bloody hard to find.

The Ox Barn is rated 4.5 stars by 212 OpenTable diners. Sorry, thought the food was bland and disappointing and rather over priced as a result. Located at Thyme on the Southrop Manor Estate. Thyme has a two-acre kitchen garden for herbs and vegetables; eggs come from the resident hens, quail and geese, and rare-breed sheep are reared in the grounds. Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant. The vegetarian option, which both myself and my friend ordered were really awful and tasted horrible, so we didn't eat much of these at all.

Lunches and dinners … We invited friends to a Sunday lunch bc we heard so much about ox barn and we were embarrassed by their dishes. Indeed, the countryside around Thyme is ridiculously beautiful, and we earmark some idyllic-looking swimming spots for a repeat visit in warmer weather, before heading for the warmth of the Victoria Inn in neighbouring Eastleach – I can confirm it does a fine line in local ales and cheese-and-chutney sandwiches. Kids can join for lunch in the Ox Barn restaurant and the Swan has a children’s menu (staff will warm baby food too).

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A heavy and creamy chocolate ganache needs an acidic/citrus component to cut through it, not a dollop of cream on the side. Thyme makes dining decisions easy – head chef Charlie Hibbert has concocted clever menus that feature what’s in season, and available close by. Hibbert’s 29-year-old son, Charlie, who grew up right here in the village, opened the Ox Barn restaurant last year in a converted 19th-century livestock shelter. Our new restaurant, tables available from Friday 16th November. Very restricted menu not available on line! It offers half a dozen or so classes a month, in areas as diverse Seasonal Dinner Parties, Bread Making and Flavours of the World: Middle East.

Great place to be. When we stumble back to our room, reunited by a close shave with a speeding tractor, we find a nightcap of vodka infused with apple and mint next to a single, delicate glass. We were looking forward to our first time at The Ox Barn at Thyme with our good friends, but what a disappointment it was. Pleasingly, the breakfast table’s load is almost decimated by the time service is over –a nice change from wondering what will happen to the mounds of leftovers.