Wiltshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/2-3.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37909" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/2-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/2-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/2-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/2-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Perched just outside the Saxon town of Cricklade, this relaxed hotel-with-views is a charming mix of old and new. A historic building with handsome mullion windows meets modern single-storey wings, and it’s all wrapped in big skies and sweeping Wiltshire scenery. Although Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa is part of the Best Western group, it’s still privately owned – and you’ll find a warm, easy-going welcome (no stuffiness here).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe"><strong>THE VIBE</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-Spa-terrace-view-Sophie-Barton.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37907" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-Spa-terrace-view-Sophie-Barton.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-Spa-terrace-view-Sophie-Barton-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-Spa-terrace-view-Sophie-Barton-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-Spa-terrace-view-Sophie-Barton-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><br>Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa draws a laid-back, mixed crowd: think couples exploring the Cotswolds, wedding guests, business travellers and families looking for an adventure at nearby Cotswold Water Park.</p>



<p>The Terrace bar is very much the star of the show, with far-reaching views, pastel-coloured parasols, a woodfired pizza oven and wide steps leading down to a grassy expanse with weeping willows. It’s a dreamy spot for a glass of rosé on a summer evening, as cows graze peacefully in the distance.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-and-Spa-conservatory.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel and Spa conservatory" class="wp-image-37926" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-and-Spa-conservatory.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-and-Spa-conservatory-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-and-Spa-conservatory-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/Cricklade-Hotel-and-Spa-conservatory-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>There’s tons of space, both inside and out the hotel, and multiple pockets to perch with a drink, dinner or pizza. The outdoor dining area spills onto picnic tables below, and the glass conservatory runs the entire length of the original building, perfectly poised between the terrace and bar.</p>



<p>What was once a nine-hole golf course has been reinvented as an 18-hole foot and disc golf course, and it’s proving incredibly popular. We spotted 20 players the day we arrived and the local disc golf pros play here – who knew? You’ll also find one of the best pétanque courts in the south west (you can hire boules for a tenner), a tennis court and the Fritillary Spa.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillow-talk"><strong>PILLOW TALK</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/10-2.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37917" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/10-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/10-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/10-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/10-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Bedrooms are spread across the main house, which gives direct access to the bar and dining area, plus you&#8217;ll find family suites in the single storey courtyard. All rooms come with mod cons, like a coffee machine and flat screen TV. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/5-3.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37913" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/5-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/5-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/5-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/5-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><br>We stayed in ‘Fox’, a vast room with a king-size bed (the bed looked almost small, given the palatial scale of the space) and corner bath. Stone mullion windows look out onto rolling fields and the terrace below, and it was whisper-quiet at night. Waffle robes, a giant TV and a rainfall shower added comfort and the only niggle was a lack of bedside tables. Easily solved by a footstool move! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fritillary-spa"><strong>THE FRITILLARY SPA</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/11-2.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37918" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/11-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/11-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/11-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/11-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><br>The hotel has a peaceful 11m pool, sauna, steam room and a chill-out zone, plus a fitness suite. The spa facilities may not be all-singing all-dancing, but it’s a great space to take a breather and the treatments are outstanding. If you&#8217;re local, it&#8217;s well worth knowing that you can join the spa as a member, or pay a tenner for a dip. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/7-2.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37914" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/7-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/7-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/7-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/7-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I sunk into a Drift Away full body massage, and it was absolute heaven. My therapist Jade had some serious credentials, with stints at Thermae Bath Spa and The Gainsborough under her belt, and it left me seriously relaxed. I usually plump for deep tissue, but this gentle, restorative treatment had me gliding out like a new woman &#8211; no knot-grinding needed. Therapists use Templespa, and I was so wowed by the products that I came away with Repose Night Cream, a dreamy patchouli and geranium scented skin treat.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/1-3.jpg" alt="Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa" class="wp-image-37908" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/1-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/1-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/1-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/08/1-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><br>My evening meal began with torched mackerel, a beauty of a starter served with dainty dollops of honey, lemon and ginger dressing. Zingy and refreshing, it perfectly cut through the richness of the fish and made the ideal dish for a hot summer’s evening. I chose steak to follow, which came dished up with a deliciously garlicky portobella mushroom, beef tomato and crispy fries. The ribeye itself was cooked to perfection, and came with a tiny jug of peppercorn sauce. Dessert was a rhubarb panna cotta, prettily scattered with dried rose petals.</p>



<p>Breakfast kicked off with a buffet: think trays laden with flaky pastries, and yoghurt topped with mango, melon, berry compote and granola. Being a breakfast fiend, I also plumped for eggs royale from the a la carte menu. With two dainty squares of toast, slices of smoked salmon and perfectly oozy poached eggs, it was delicious.&nbsp;I was also impressed at how many of the ingredients were locally sourced, including Cricklade sausages from Cotswold butcher Jesse Smith, free range eggs from Purton and coffee from Cirencester’s Fire &amp; Flow.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<p>You’re just a mile from the <a href="https://cotswoldlakes.com/">Cotswold Lakes</a>, which offer adventure by the bucketload. This stunning wetland includes a whopping 180 lakes, where you can do everything from wild swimming to birdwatching, cycling and water sports. If you’re after an adrenalin fix, try water skiing, wakeboarding, paddle boarding and kayaking at 4 Lakes Waterski School, just a mile from the hotel. Or nip to Cotswold Country Park and Beach, for Aquaventure. This giant inflatable obstacle course sits next to a lakeside beach, which is perfect for anyone who doesn’t fancy whizzing down slides or plunging into water from a height. There are paddle boards and small boats shaped like swans for hire too.</p>



<p>If you’re up for a stomp, you’re in the right place. Take a walk along the infant Thames (Cricklade is the only Wiltshire town on the Thames), or explore the nearby water meadows at Upper Waterhay. Look out for the pretty, bell-shaped fritillary flowers, as well as butterflies and roe deer. Prefer to unleash your inner shopping beast? Head to Swindon Designer Outlet, where you can snap up bargains from brands including Jigsaw, Jo Malone and Russell and Bromley. The pretty town of Cirencester (15 minutes away) is well worth a visit – once the second largest Roman town outside London, it has a fascinating museum, the Corinium, and amphitheatre. &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly">KID FRIENDLY?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/07/Disc-golf.jpg" alt="disc golf" class="wp-image-37735" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/07/Disc-golf.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/07/Disc-golf-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/07/Disc-golf-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/07/Disc-golf-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Yes, definitely. With disc golf, tennis, a pool and pétanque, this is a haven for kids. You’ll also find tons of outdoor space for them to explore, not to mention child-friendly local attractions. Kids will also love the option to build their own pizza on a Friday and Saturday (while you chill with a glass of vino on the terrace), plus two children up to 12 stay free with a paying adult. That’s a win!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-friendly"><strong>DOG-FRIENDLY</strong>?</h2>



<p>Yes! Fido is welcome to join in the fun and frolics, just request a dog-friendly room when you book and expect to pay an extra £15.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accessibility">ACCESSIBILITY</h2>



<p>You’ll find lots of options, including fully accessible bedrooms, bath tub with seat, showers with safety bars and wheelchair ramps.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong>&nbsp;A family adventure in the Cotswolds, couples wanting to get away from it all, or groups after accommodation for a party or wedding. Our room, Fox, is gigantic and would be a great spot to get glammed-up with your besties.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> Spa seekers looking for luxe, all-singing all-dancing facilities. Treatments are excellent though, and the spa is a great bonus for the price.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong>&nbsp;Starters from £9, mains from £16 and puds from £10. Double rooms start at £108 and family rooms from £144,&nbsp;including breakfast and Free Wi-Fi.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.crickladehotel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cricklade Hotel &amp; Spa</a>, Cricklade House, Common Hill, Cricklade, Wiltshire SN6 6HA &nbsp;</p>


Review: Cricklade Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire

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