Bank House - Luxury Stay in the Cotswolds

Summary:

A Grade II listed former bank, and now one of the most beautiful houses in the Cotswolds.



Four floors of beautiful design, unfolding as you climb them, from the snug by the front door to the living room and kitchen above the market square, and up to two bedrooms tucked beneath the eaves. Below it all, the original bank vault.



Out back, a courtyard that holds the afternoon sun. Out front, a bustling high street you can walk everywhere from.



The Space:

Bank House unfolds across four floors, each one with its own character. Through the front door, there is a porch and a snug, a lovely little spot to drop your bags and put the kettle on. Downstairs in the basement, you will find the original bank vault, now a cinema room with a velvet sofa, TV and Xbox, and no daylight at all, which makes it perfect for rainy afternoons and late films.



The first floor is where everyone ends up. Handmade sofas gather in the living room around a window seat overlooking the market square, and the kitchen and dining room flow straight from it, so whoever is cooking is never left out. There is a boiling water tap, a proper coffee machine for slow mornings, and a teak table that seats six comfortably.



Both bedrooms are on the second floor, tucked beneath the eaves, with super king beds that can be split into twins on request, and a beautiful marble and wood bathroom with a walk in rainfall shower.



Outside, a sheltered courtyard with lavender and a table under flowering clematis.



Guest Access:

The whole house is yours, all four floors of it, along with the courtyard garden.



Check-in is flexible via a key safe by the front door, so you can arrive when it suits you and come and go as you please. There is no shared space and no host on site, though our team is only ever a message away.



Parking is on the street rather than allocated. There is free all-day parking at the top of the high street and a free car park at the other end, both a short stroll from the door, with limited short-stay spaces in the Market Square for unloading.



The Neighborhood:

Fairford is a proper working Cotswold town rather than a film set, which is precisely what makes it lovely. Honey coloured stone, a market square, and a high street where people actually shop.



Step out of the front door and there is coffee and pastries a few doors down, a Co-op and a Budgens for supplies, a chemist next door, and a handful of independent shops to lose an hour in. Colosseo does properly good Italian in the evenings, and there are a couple of pubs within a two minute walk for a pint by the fire or pizza in a beer garden.



A moment further on is St Mary's Church, which holds the only complete set of medieval stained glass windows in England. Twenty eight of them, made in the 1490s, survivors of both the Reformation and the Civil War. It is free to visit and genuinely remarkable.



The River Coln runs along the edge of town, with level paths beside the water and good walking in every direction.



Beyond Fairford, the rest of the Cotswolds is easily reached. Bibury and Arlington Row are fifteen minutes away, Lechlade and the Thames a little less, Cirencester and its Roman amphitheatre twenty, and Burford half an hour. Some of the best pubs in the country are scattered between them.



Getting Around:

Fairford itself is entirely walkable. Shops, pubs, the church and the river are all within a few minutes of the front door, so once the car is parked you may find it stays put for the week.



A car is the easiest way to reach the wider Cotswolds. Bibury is fifteen minutes away, Lechlade a little less, Cirencester twenty and Burford around half an hour, with the best pubs scattered in between.



Buses run to Cirencester in one direction and Lechlade and Highworth in the other, Monday to Saturday, stopping in the Market Place a moment from the door. There is also a service to Bourton on the Water. Country timetables are sparse and change with the school terms, so it is worth checking current times before setting off rather than standing hopefully at a stop.



Taxis are available but need booking ahead, particularly in the evening and on Sundays. There is a mix of local firms and independent drivers, and we can point you to the ones we use.



Swindon and Kemble are the nearest stations, both around half an hour by car or taxi, with direct trains to London Paddington in a little over an hour.



For walking, the paths along the River Coln are level and easy, and there is good countryside walking towards Quenington and Kempsford for anyone with a morning to spare.



Other Things to Note:

Bank House sleeps four in two bedrooms, with one family bathroom shared between them. Worth knowing if you are two couples travelling together.



The house runs across four floors and the stairs are original, so it may not suit anyone who would rather avoid a lot of them.



We welcome guests aged 6 and over.



One small, well behaved dog is very welcome, for an additional charge. We leave out a bed, bowls, towels and a few treats, and ask only that they stay off the beds and furniture.



Parking is on the street rather than allocated, though there is free all day parking a short walk away at the top of the high street and a free car park at the other end.



The house sits on a residential high street with neighbours either side, so we ask that things stay quiet after 10pm. Non smoking throughout, and no parties or events.



Interaction with Guests:

Our guest experience team is available from 9am to 9pm, and often beyond, and will reply quickly to anything you need during your stay.



Whether that is a restaurant recommendation, help with the coffee machine, or something that needs fixing, just send us a message, and we will sort it.



For anything urgent, a leak, no heating or hot water, or a lockout, there is an out of hours contact available at any time, day or night. Full details are shared with you before you arrive.



You will also find a guidebook in the house covering how everything works, plus the places nearby we genuinely love.