My Favorite Airbnb: A Dreamy Thatched Cottage Tucked Away in the Cotswolds

Choosing the perfect place to hole up for a weekend getaway is not always straightforward. But this spring, the decisions seemed to make themselves. After a relentlessly busy start to the year, I was looking for a place to escape. And the place needed to fit certain criteria: Somewhere my partner and I wouldn't have to speak to anyone but each other; somewhere we could sleep for 12 hours a night and take the days slow and easy without guilt; somewhere within a couple of hours’ drive from our home in northwest London; somewhere rural, where I wouldn’t be woken up by the neighbors’ bathroom light or the sound of the tube; and somewhere we could have the place to ourselves, but still be close to some nice pubs or restaurants, so we wouldn't have to hunt and gather our own dinners, God forbid.An Airbnb in the Cotswolds was the obvious choice. Luckily, I remembered I’d saved a cozy-looking cottage on Instagram a few months prior to feeling the sudden urge to get away. I revisited my staycation wishlist and found Strawtop Cottages: two 16th-century thatched-roof cottages that sit side by side on a quiet street in the quaint little village of Adderbury. I booked one of them, Strawtop Two, for a long weekend in April.We checked into Strawtop Two after a speedy drive from London on a Friday night. As we unlocked the front door, we found switched-on lamps casting a cozy glow across the beamed living room; kindling ready to be lit in the wood-burning fire. In the egg-yolk yellow kitchen, a fresh loaf of sourdough was sitting pretty on the chopping board for us; organic eggs and marmalade on the counter; Daylesford butter, bacon, and rosé in the fridge. My partner prepared a simple supper while I nosed around the rest of the cottage, discovering a sweet dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and an enormous bunch of fresh flowers around the back, as well as a boot room with Barbour jackets, Wellies for stomps across the fields, and umbrellas (likely a requirement, considering we were visiting in April).I learned that the sister properties are owned by local content creator Josie Irons (@Josieldn on Instagram) and her husband Charlie Irons (who manages the properties), who have been custodians here for just a small part of the cottages’ centuries-long history. Their meticulous renovations have restored the spaces beautifully, preserving all the Grade II-listed original features that make staying here feel like a journey back to a simpler, more peaceful time, while adding plush finishing touches that feel every bit as cosseting as those of the area’s top-of-class hotels.Sarah JamesSarah JamesI originally saved this cottage because of the kitchen, drawn in by sunshiny pictures and clips of its buttery-hued walls, vintage copper pans, and an old-school kettle whistling on the Aga stove. But as I nipped between the two bedrooms—one on the first floor with minty green walls, one folded into the eaves on the top floor with tongue-and-groove woodwork—I found there’s a lot more to love here, like the Bamford pillow mist left next to the beds, and the blackout blinds creating one of the darkest and quietest bedrooms I’ve ever drifted off in. Wrapped up in the bed linens, I snoozed more peacefully than I’d managed to in months.After homemade coffee sipped while listening to the Roberts Radio on Saturday morning, we headed a few minutes up the road to The Yurt at Nicholsons restaurant. This was one of a handful of recommendations that Charlie had sent us ahead of time. Normally, I’m a stickler for doing my own research (read: a snob and a control freak), but in the name of keeping things as relaxed as possible, I decided to put my faith in his suggestions. I shouldn’t have hesitated: a gooey camembert croissant, cut through with umami bacon, and a full English breakfast with melty pork belly chop and smoky baked beans hit the spot.Our supper, also recommended (and booked for us) by Charlie, at The Norman Knight was every bit as impressive. I ordered perfectly blushing steak frites and felt smugly like I’d uncovered a hidden gem. Our Sunday lunch at The Duke of Cumberland’s Head, where we shared bowls of cauliflower cheese and crispy potatoes, was one of the tastiest roasts I’ve had in a while. Trust me, having Charlie as a de facto concierge is one of the biggest unsung perks of booking a stay here.Sarah JamesSarah JamesBack at the house, we hibernated on the sofa, reading the paper and watching Netflix in the dinky living room. I took mental notes of my favorite design details: the antique coffee table laden with magazines, the books plopped into recesses in the stone chimney, the deep-green rainfall shower stocked with Bamford products, the Steamery steamer and Dyson hairdryer in the bedroom vanity, and the Soho Home robes. If I could make my London flat one-tenth as comfortable as this little countryside cottage, I’d be thrilled. For now, I’ll bookmark the cottage next door for my next escape.This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.