Review: The Fish, Farncombe, Broadway, Worcestershire

The Fish Hotel is an inviting take on Scandi-cool-comfort and contemporary country living. 

Delivering hygge for the Cotswolds, The Fish is an innovative country retreat, a rural playground of some 500 acres on the Gloucestershire and Worcestershire borders. Home to buzzards, deer and foxes, as well as weary urbanites and salivating foodies. 

More rural community than hotel, The Fish’s collection of shepherds’ huts and treehouses is scattered amongst hillside banks of snowdrops and swathes of daffodils. Ponds glint in the spring sunshine, probably created centuries ago by monks to secure a regular supply of fish. 

Blending adventure retreat, relaxed rural hideaway and gourmet experience, The Fish features Martin Burge’s restaurant, Hook. His fishy menus bring Cornwall to the Cotswolds. 

The welcome

The winding road through the estate’s acres, through beech and oaks, is long. Signs encourage doubting drivers, “You’re nearly there”, “Close” until they finally arrive at the timbered Lodge. 

Check-in is relaxed and informal. The receptionist stands and chats with us as she enters a few last details on her lap top. No desks, no barriers. Then she guides us to our Shepherd’s Hut. 

The Hideaway Hut

A signpost to Titania, Fairy, Bottom, Snout et al signals that these Hideaway Huts recall Shakespeare’s enchanted forest in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Fairy lights frame the archway entrance to Snug.

This intimate charmer, with a separate lounge area, is cosy but delivers space where it matters: a wide bed looks onto a free-standing bath. In addition, a separate bathroom houses a shower. Nothing is forgotten: retro radio, wall-mounted television, white fluffy dressing gowns, Temple Spa hand cream, a heating thermostat. A shuttered door leads out to a secluded garden with hot tub for two and seating. 

One hut, Boaty McBoatface, slips away from the Shakespearean theme. This hut, overlooking a pond, has its own boat for a romantic two-minute row across to a tiny island. 

Facilities

The Lodge is the heart of The Fish, a lengthy, light-filled, wooden-floored hub of bar, 360° fireplaces, restaurants and sofas. Its cosy corners, faux-fur furnishings and plethora of cushions are the very epitome of Scandi hygge living. 

For breakfast, mix-and-match from the continental buffet with cooked to order items: porridge, full breakfast, eggs, pancake and toast. Waiters keep tea and coffee cups topped-up. 

Martin Burge, a former two-Michelin-star chef at Whatley Manor, brought serious culinary credentials to the open kitchen of Hook. 

Seaweed butter, with maritime aromas and tastes, served with warm bread, serves notice of a menu that leans towards fish. 

Cornish day boats supply the freshest of crab, fish, lobster, mussels and oysters: for us the fish dish of the day is chilli prawn tagliatelle. 

Burge creatively merges cultures. Replacing batter with a crisp golden crumb, inspired by Vienna, on a haddock schnitzel encourages the fish’s flavour to star. Flecks of seaweed on the fries add a subtle savoury smack of the sea. 

Similarly, Grand Marnier custard and lemon flavours brings continental panache to the classic British comfort food dessert of Treacle Sponge. Many of these dishes are simple, indulgent and memorable. 

Next to The Lodge is the Feasting Deck, bookable for private parties, where a dedicated chef and waiter focus on BBQ themed meals. 

Beyond The Lodge, guests look down on acres where they can try their hand at axe-throwing, duck-herding, falconry or tractor-driving. A full induction into rural life. Canine visitors stretch their legs on an eight-obstacle agility course. 

Location

It is a half-hour walk into picture postcard Broadway, quintessential honey-stoned Cotswolds. It has numerous cafes and pubs for coffee, lunch or afternoon tea. Including the Lygon Arms on the High Street, where chef James Martin continues over six centuries of tradition.  

Set aside time to call into the Broadway Museum and Art Gallery housed in a 17th building or the Gordon Russell Design Museum hosting furniture from Arts and Crafts style through to Modernism. 

Another walk heads to Broadway Tower, an 18th century Gothic folly designed by Capability Brown, with views of 16 counties – on a clear day.

Other nice touches

Even though there are radiators and underfloor heating, there is a wood-burning stove, with chopped wood to hand, for chilly mortals.

All items from the Shepherd Hut’s mini-bar including lagers, vodka cocktails and chocolate are complimentary.  It also houses fresh milk for tea and coffee. 

Within the hut a QR code gives access to a menu for hut service, food and drinks delivered to the door. 

The cost

Rooms at The Fish start from £275 bed and breakfast for a double per night. Hilly Huts B & B begin at £375 whilst Hideaway Huts, again for B & B start at £475. A treehouse, which sleeps four, starts from £695.

The best bit

The boot-room sets up walkers, and their dogs, for exploration. Borrow some boots. Pick a map for your route. Help yourself to a bag of treats to boost sugar-levels. Grab a water bottle. Take a ball for your dog. 

Then on your return dunk your dog in the bath, apply the pet shampoo supplied, and rub dry with a towel from the boot room. The Fish makes outdoor living trouble-free. 

The final verdict

Danish family-owned, The Fish brings cool Scandi-chic, far from the madding crowd to The Cotswolds. Forget your car, pull on some walking boots and explore The Fish’s 500 rural acres and beyond. 

The Lodge is a relaxed venue where tea frequently slips into sundowner cocktails, often with the aptly named Six O’Clock gin. As a haven for a romantic retreat or a weekend escape The Fish is simply magical. 

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by The Fish Hotel.

Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, UK. Although Michael had his first travel pieces published nearly four decades ago, he is still finding new luxury destinations to visit and write on.