Tucked away in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, Calcot & Spa is the kind of place that seems almost too good to be true for frazzled families in need of a proper break. With its thoughtful blend of countryside charm, luxurious touches, and genuinely family-friendly facilities, it promises a rare balance: a relaxing escape for grown-ups and a fun-filled adventure for little ones.
Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert recently visited with her husband and 12-month-old son to see if this boutique UK staycation really lives up to its reputation as one of the UK’s top destinations for parents who need a breather, without compromising on quality time with the kids.
Calcot Manor Hotel & Spa review
While I love taking my son to the likes of holiday parks, the idea of bringing him along to a hotel always felt a bit daunting. After all, toddlers aren’t exactly known for being quiet. Calcot seemed too good to be true, so I was intrigued how we’d get on spending two nights there.
Location
Calcot & Spa is set just outside the market town of Tetbury in the heart of the Cotswolds, one of the UK’s most picturesque and peaceful regions. Surrounded by 220 acres of beautiful countryside, the hotel offers a true rural escape while still being easily accessible, it's less than two hours from London and close to Bath and Bristol. With charming Cotswold stone buildings, scenic walking and cycling routes on the doorstep, and plenty of family-friendly attractions nearby, it’s perfectly placed for a countryside getaway.
Rooms
After arriving bang on 3pm, we headed straight to reception to check in. While our bags were whisked away to our room, we were given a quick tour of the immediate facilities. I appreciated that this was kept short as we were eager to explore and our son was restless after our three-hour drive.
We were shown personally to our room and given a run-down of the features before being left to take it all in. We were staying in the Generous Family Suites, ideal for families seeking space, comfort, and thoughtful amenities in one elegant package. The roomy suite consists of two separate bedrooms - complete with a king-size bed in the parents’ room and two single beds in the children’s - alongside a welcoming lounge area with plush seating to unwind together.
The highlight of the suite was definitely the luxurious family bathroom. It's absolutely huge with a large walk-in shower and roll top bath.
Every room at Calcot comes fully equipped for families, which makes packing so much easier. This includes a cot, highchair, in-room listening monitor, a baby video monitor on request, and Bramley “Little B” toiletries and bath toys.
Because of the age of our son, we found a baby box in our suite which contained parenting essentials like as a bottle warmer, steriliser, changing mat, and nappy bin. It was such a relief not having to think about how we were going to warm our baby's milk before bed or where we would change his nappies. I loved the thoughtful touches aimed at Theodore, like the hot chocolate spoon and homemade gingerbread, Toniebox (you could pick up the tonies figures at reception) and a book of fairytales. They'd even spelt out his name on a board on the door of 'his' room.
Adults aren't forgotten either, there's complimentary snacks and soft drinks, a Nespresso machine with plenty of coffee pods, fluffy bathrobes, a DAB radio, books and homemade shortbread to ensure your stay gets off to the best start.
The suite really feels like a home-from-home - stylish, spacious, and totally prepared for family life in the countryside.
Family facilities
One thing Calcot & Spa is especially known for is that each family gets four hours of complimentary childcare per day, giving parents time to enjoy the spa, gym, or a peaceful meal.
For younger children (newborn to 8 years), the Ofsted-registered Playbarn offers arts, games, and supervised play sessions, while older kids can enjoy The Mez - a chill-out space with PlayStations, Xbox, and a mini-cinema.
Honestly, this concept feels revolutionary. It truly meant we as a family could have the best of both worlds. We got to spend time together as a family but also as a couple. Naturally, I was nervous the first time we dropped him off, but our son goes to nursery and The Playbarn did not faze him whatsoever. We filled out a form telling the staff more about him and they also had our phone numbers so they could call if there were any issues, which there weren't. The ladies at The Playbarn were so warm and friendly and it felt just like a nursery day - just shorter!
Thanks to its fantastic location, Calcot has 220 acres of countryside with adventure playgrounds (we loved the mud kitchen!), nature trails and wildflower meadows. The heated outdoor pool (open May to September) and dedicated family swim times in the indoor pool (complete with shallow children's pool) offer plenty of splash time. We took advantage of the free bike and trailer hire and had a wonderful time taking Theodore on his first-ever bike ride, stopping frequently to admire the spectacular views.
During school holidays, the hotel puts on themed activities such as bear hunts, treasure trails, and den-building.
For parents wanting an evening off, babysitting can be arranged or in-room video and listening monitors make it easy to enjoy an intimate dinner while still keeping a close eye on little ones as they snooze.
Adults facilities
So what can you do with your child-free time at Calcot? Well, the choice is endless.
At the heart of the spa lies a 16‑metre heated indoor pool, a sauna and steam room, and an outdoor hot tub nestled in a lavender‑lined courtyard complete with a feature fire - our favourite part of the spa.
The spa also has seven treatment rooms where you can enjoy everything from deeply restorative massages and facials to manicures and pedicures. We personally didn't try any treatments on our visit this time but I'd love to in the future.
My husband is a big gym goer and squeezed in a visit to the Grain Store: a repurposed barn transformed into a state‑of‑the‑art gym offering Technogym equipment - cardio machines, free weights, resistance zones, an Exigo rig and a sled track. He was really impressed with the facilities and liked being able to get his gym fix with so much choice of equipment.
There's also a spin shed, multi‑purpose fitness studio for yoga, Pilates, HIIT and barre classes, plus an on‑site café where you can refuel post‑session.
Of course, if you prefer being outside, there are plenty of options through the 220 acres like an outdoor gym, disc golf and tennis courts.
Food and drink
There are a couple of different food and drink options at Calcot. The Brasserie is the heart of their full-service dining. Bathed in natural light with views across the grounds, it's open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, Sunday lunch, and dinner.
For breakfast, there is a selection of help yourself options including juice, cereal, pastries, fruit and deli meats. You then order your hot drinks and 'main' breakfast off a menu which includes everything from a full English to smashed avocado and poached eggs, pancakes and omelette. There's a separate children's menu too, with similar options, albeit smaller.
Whatever meal we had at Calcot, there was always a highchair waiting for us with a bib, plate, sippy cup and Doddl cutlery. This made mealtimes so much easier and meant that Theodore was always catered for.
We had dinner at The Brasserie for two nights. The menu draws on seasonal, locally sourced produce to deliver thoughtful and imaginative dishes, from flavoursome starters like cheddar soufflé and Cornish crab to crowd-pleasing steaks and other meat options like lamb rump plus plenty of veggie offerings. If you had room for dessert, you could choose between options like chocolate crèmeux, apple and honeycomb tart or a plethora of cheeses.
Everything we ate in The Brasserie was well presented and absolutely delicious - you could taste how fresh and high-quality the ingredients were. The portion sizes were also spot on; we were never left wanting more. It perhaps would have been nice to have a few different menus on rotation for guests who are staying more than one night to mix up the options.
Your other option at Calcot, The Hive takes a more informal, all-day café-lounge approach. Open from breakfast through to evening, it offers brunch, grazing bowls, sharing platters, lighter bites, and afternoon tea, along with a tempting cocktail menu once the sun dips. The atmosphere is cosy and sociable, with snug seating areas grouped around fireplaces, and family friendly, welcoming both children and dogs during the day.
At the end of the day, Kids’ Tea is served from 5–6pm in The Hive, offering child-friendly meals in a relaxed setting. Children are more than welcome to eat in The Brasserie, but it simply gave us the choice whether we wanted to eat together or as a couple.
The Kids' Tea had a lovely menu with child-friendly options like cod, penne pasta, sausage, sandwiches and more, with a choice of sides like seasonal greens, fries and mash. The portions were huge for our one-year-old, but we happily helped him out and the staff offered to make purees too, ideal for young babies. There was a table of starters (fresh bread, crudites and hummus) and dessert (fruit, brownies and flapjacks or ice cream/sorbet to order) plus a jug of squash to help yourself to.
Wherever we ate and for whatever the meal, the staff were polite, friendly and attentive. If your glass of wine was starting to get empty, someone was there immediately to top it up. When our son threw his corn on the cob as soon as the plate was put in front of him, we were offered another.
Final thoughts
Before arriving at Calcot & Spa, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from a luxury hotel break with a toddler in tow. I’d always assumed that places this polished might not be able to fully accommodate the unpredictability of small children. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Calcot doesn’t just tolerate families - it wholeheartedly welcomes them, with warmth, attention to detail, and genuinely thoughtful touches that make you feel seen and supported as a parent.
From the family rooms and suites that feel like a stylish home-from-home to the incredible Playbarn, spacious grounds, and delicious, child-friendly dining options, everything is designed to help families relax and reconnect. What really sets Calcot apart, though, is the balance it strikes between time together and time apart. Having space for both made this stay feel like a true holiday, not just for our son, but for us as parents too.
We left feeling refreshed, grateful, and already planning our return. If you're looking for a hotel that truly understands the needs of modern families while still offering grown-up luxury, Calcot & Spa is every bit as special as it sounds.
Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby. With a background in both print and digital journalism, she has written extensively on pregnancy, fertility, perinatal mental health, and the best in baby and parenting products. A first-time mum to Theodore, Emily combines her professional expertise with personal experience, offering readers trusted advice and relatable insight. Specialising in product and travel reviews, she stays ahead of the curve on the latest parenting trends and is passionate about showing that life with a little one can still be full of adventure.