Thyme, situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, oozes a quiet, cosy, luxury. It’s somewhere that provides the opportunity to truly ground yourself, disconnect from city life, and enjoy the peace of the countryside – Thyme itself is recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the water meadows being a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Amenities

Thyme is not just a hotel – founder, Caryn Hibbert, refers to it as ‘a village within a village’. Of course there are 31 bedrooms and a self-catered cottage situated across the grounds and gardens, but there is also the Ox Barn restaurant; the Baa bar; the Meadow spa featuring a spring water swimming pool and tennis court; balcony room and piggery boutiques selling homewares and clothing; the school where you can take cooking classes or floristry lessons; the farm, kitchen gardens, orchards, and water meadows; the Tithe Barn for private events and exhibitions; and last but not least the Swan pub.

Founded and creatively directed by Caryn Hibbert, Thyme is one of the most aesthetically pleasing hotels I have ever seen; it balances modern colours, patterns and textures whilst paying homage to the natural environment that it sits within, and which Caryn and her family clearly love so dearly. Caryn’s children are heavily involved with Thyme, making it a true family affair. Daughter, Milly is the General Manager, and she also curates the boutique and son, Charlie is the Chef Director.

What really transpires throughout all aspects at Thyme is attention to detail and passion. Opened in 2014, the ambition was to create something that is more than ‘a place’, and I truly believe that has been achieved. I was lucky enough to spend a short but sweet 24 hours at Thyme. It started off with checking in with the help of warm and friendly front of house staff who offered a welcome drink – apple and ginger, zesty and refreshing – and arranged for our bags to be brought to our room.

As we were guided to our room, we were given a quick tour – most importantly pointed to where the restaurant and bar were for later. It’s worth noting that Thyme isn’t just one building, it features a web of barns, cottages, and buildings, and as our room was in a separate barn, we were pointed to a bucket of umbrellas that stand by each door as it was absolutely pouring outside – another clear example of how important small touches and details are here.

The Room

Our room, the Cedar of Lebanon, was utterly breath-taking. This is one of Thyme’s exquisite rooms and honestly it is more of a suite – featuring a walk-in wardrobe, huge bathroom with a stand-alone bath and walk in shower, sofa and coffee table area, and a giant four poster bed. The prints, wallpapers, and fabrics in each of the rooms are unique to that room and were designed by Caryn and then digitised by her film director/animator husband, Jerry.

More beautiful small touches in the room included Bertioli products in the bathroom to try – and fall in love with – and a basket of drinks and snacks including DIY negronis, cheese sticks, and freshly baked cookies, in addition to the usual teas and coffees. However, the most personable, thoughtful touch was coming back to the room after our meal to discover hot water bottles had been placed in the bed on each side – does it get any better than that?

Food and drink

Luckily, we had some time to explore and have a pre-dinner drink in the Baa bar. The bar has perfect soft, cosy lighting and lax music which allows conversation to flow as the background noise provides a level of privacy. The quirkiest feature of the bar must be the sheep stools. Again, designed by Caryn, these stools take inspiration from the famous sheep industry and wool trade in the Cotswolds with the bar itself situated in the old lambing sheds.

Dinner in the Ox Barn was truly an occasion, with the décor providing a warmth and intentionality, reflective of the food. Charlie Hibbert, formerly at London’s Quo Vadis, heads up the restaurant and leads the gardeners at Thyme to grow the produce that is then enjoyed by guests.

My only surprise was that for a brand that champions sustainability so strongly, the vegetarian and vegan options on offer were slightly limited. However, what I did eat, I adored. Again, a small, yet poignant touch was the beautiful hand painted illustrations on the menus featuring a seasonal flower, vegetable, or fruit.

Breakfast was likewise a delight, also in the Ox Barn, with a fresh morning juice on offer and a range of flaky pastries, yogurts, fruits, and of course full English breakfasts and a variety of eggs too. The restaurant itself was transformed depending on the time of day; the morning showed off the space in all its glory with the huge windows allowing sunlight to pour through, but as the light dimmed outside, the cosy low lighting created a sophisticated atmosphere inside.

Events

There is currently an exhibition on at the Tithe Barn, showing the works of Kate Friend which you should make sure to check out. I previously saw the beautiful Golden Thread show by Jemma Powell during my stay, who we also interviewed which you can read here. Other activities and events on at Thyme can be found on their website.

#FLODown: I must comment on Bertioli, sibling brand of Thyme, which features the most divine collection of lifestyle and beauty products that are available to browse and/or buy at the boutiques at Thyme or in Liberty. My favourite product is the breathing balm, which I have been religiously applying before bed on my wrists and behind my ears – almost takes me back to Thyme.

Price: Rooms from £400.

Location: Southrop, Lechlade, GL7 3NX. Website: thyme.co.uk.

Words by Mollie Cohen