Bull Burford: How a 16th-century coaching inn became the Cotswolds' hottest hotel

Independent

6 days ago

The warning is in plain sight on a sign outside Bull: 'a curious coaching inn'. And indeed, this is no everyday pub quietly hidden in the heart of the Cotswolds. As Alice might have noted of this new hospitality wonderland, it does actually get curiouser and curiouser the moment you step over the threshold.
Don't for a minute think 'quaint', in spite of the ancient heritage, when you pull up at this pub in Burford, quite possibly the most beautiful town in the Cotswolds; this 18-room hotel turns the concept of an English pub on its head. Matthew Freud, the PR tycoon and commercial strategist turned pub landlord, adds much zen, zip and zaniness to his modern reinvention of the country pub hotel.
The result is 50 shades of cosmopolitan luxury. But be warned: it's distinctly anti-loner, the kind of place where you're encouraged to integrate, not isolate; to break bread with other guests over dinner and share in new experiences. Along with the communal dining, where guests are instructed to sit together and (shock horror!) talk to one another, there's also a holistic programme offering activities including yoga, meditation, photography workshops, chess, flower picking and a book club. Mixers are not just drinks to accompany spirits, but are how Freud defines his guests. He wants them to embrace the community spirit and throw themselves into making connections over dinner.
Bull also has more of a modern art gallery vibe than that of a traditional boozer, partly because Damien Hirst and Harland Miller works adorn the walls. Housed in such an old building but with such modern, on-trend interiors, it's the hotel version of a Warhol portrait in an old gilt frame. And there's no dinging brass bell or indifferent receptionist either; here you'll find Californian sunshine service with zippy friendliness.
The wobbly stairs and corridors lead through a labyrinth of newly carpeted landings and corridors to the 24/7 pantry, full to bursting with gourmet goodies. This is midnight feast territory (or perfect for greedy elevenses). A tap on the state of the art fridge illuminates a light behind the glass door to show chocolate cakes and cans of drink so shiny they could be sculptures rather than thirst-quenchers.
This pub may have 16th-century vernacular, with oak beams and wattled plaster, but its rooms are more Dr. No, a 21st-century Bond boozer. When Bull opened in 1536, it was a basic coaching inn, a place for tired horses to recover and prepare themselves for the next long ride. The mantra of the new Bull aspires 'to offer the same service to anyone on a journey who might need a moment to catch their breath'.
This is more private home in feel than public bar. Marble mosaic tiles in the bathroom have been individually selected. Photographs in black and white of Mick Jagger and Vivienne Westwood stare out from the corridors, and equally famous living guests are not unusual either (Bob Geldoff and a slew of star actors among them). This is a deceptively spacious rural retreat; oddly Tardis-like, it makes you feel as if you're sneaking into someone's private, tycoonish home.
The food, meanwhile, is simple and delicious – think Soho House chic twisted with modern Brit cuisine. Breakfast ham and eggs straight from a nearby farm sit alongside avocado mash, while staff seem more like they've been plucked from a Netflix series than catering central casting. But then again, it is all spun together by Freud, a master image maker. The laird has his own lord-of-the-manor mansion down the road.
As you slope up to bed, there are dozens of slim volumes of single short stories to choose from; Sonos for your music; lemon, a sharp knife, ice and gin for that final nightcap... The only downer? You may never want to move out.