The Cotswolds
VARIOUS UK AIRPORTS Russell's of Broadway may sound like a 50s diner in Manhattan, favoured by lovers of musical theatre, but, in fact, it's a chic restaurant-with-rooms that's the perfect base for exploring the beautiful British countryside. On the Worcestershire-Gloucestershire, border, the town of Broadway was a stagecoach pitstop back in the 17th century, but is now popular with hikers, who ramble up to the Broadway Tower along the Cotswold Way (www.nationaltrail.co.uk), before taking cream teas in picture-postcard Chipping Campden. The stately manor houses of Hidcote and Snowshill (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) are a short drive away, as are the dreamy spires of Oxford, the splendour of Warwick Castle and the home of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon. Not only does Russell's serve delicious seasonal fare, including asparagus, picked locally from April to June, its modern-country interiors reflect a strong design heritage. The building was the headquarters of local furniture designer Gordon Russell, and the suite (room 7) was once a showroom for his art-deco and modernist creations. A new museum (www.gordonrussellmuseum.org), opened by fan and fellow interiors guru Sir Terence Conran, is round the corner, and design fans can also pay homage at William Morris's country pile Kelmscott Manor (www.kelmscott.manor.org.uk) in Lechlade, 30 miles away. JB Book a room at Russell's of Broadway at hotels.easyJet. com, in association with www.laterooms.com A room costs from £95
Published in City breaks