Specialities
You know those picture-postcard, golden-stoned manor houses in the Cotswolds that you occasionally dream about living in? Well, here’s another one for your fantasy bank. Thyme is an unusual country-house boutique hotel with its own cookery school. The luxury of being tucked away in a Cotswold village is that of space (class sizes range from 8–16). Under the exposed beams and painted brick of a medieval tithe barn, you’ll find a huge dining room and sitting area, attached to a contemporary teaching kitchen, gleaming with Bulthaup stainless steel, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Italianate herb gardens. It’s here that the Thyme team of tutors and visiting guest chefs deliver fun, friendly day classes in a broad range of culinary topics, from curries to cocktails, all founded upon skills, seasonality and sustainability. There are hotel rooms, cottages, a guest drawing room and cocktail bar ‘The Baa’, in addition to Thyme’s award-winning restaurant, The Swan at Southrop, so you can make a stay of it – and you most definitely should. Take the time to wander around 150 acres of manicured grounds, impressive kitchen gardens and productive farm to truly appreciate the sustainable nature of Thyme.
