Just a short walk from the centre of Cirencester, Ingleside House is anything but your typical Cotswold hotel. This 18th-century townhouse is full of colour and character, embracing theatrical flair, rich colour and Art Deco glamour for a luxury Cotswold stay with personality.
With an award-winning restaurant and a professional theatre right on its doorstep, you can have a boutique weekend break without ever leaving the hotel. But Ingleside House is also in a great location for exploring Cirencester and The Cotswolds. Find out more about the hotel’s location, rooms, food and drink and facilities with this Ingleside House Cirencester review.
AD: My stay was hosted by Ingleside House but all opinions are my own.
First impressions
From the outside, Ingleside House looks like a classic Georgian townhouse. But step through its stone gabled entrance and you’re transported somewhere far more dramatic. The hotel was designed to be the opposite of the usual neutral-toned Cotswold hotels, and it definitely succeeds.
Interiors are bold and playful, with traditional features like a grand wooden staircase combined with colourful statement wallpaper and an ornate brass chandelier. Downstairs there’s a reception desk, guest lounge and the hotel’s bar and restaurant, Téatro, with 11 bedrooms upstairs.
The hotel is attached to the Barn Theatre, which is under the same ownership, and the theatrical influence runs throughout. Mirrors, rich fabrics and vibrant colours add a touch of Hollywood glamour, and it would make a great spot for a girls’ weekend as well as a romantic escape.
Rooms at Ingleside House
With just 11 bedrooms, Ingleside House has a intimate feel. As it’s an old building, no room is the same and they’ve all been individually designed to fit the space. Rather than numbers, each room is named after someone with a connection to the hotel or theatre, which is a nice touch.
There’s a mix of king and super-king rooms, as well as the Carling Suite (named after one of the owners) which comes with a four-poster bed and a separate seating area. Each is decorated in a palette of vivid colours with velvet headboards, eye-catching artworks and luxury linens.
Our ‘Wright’ room was one of the Deluxe Super-King rooms, a spacious space with blue and sunset orange walls, a sofa bed and a fabulous freestanding bath. Both the bath and en-suite bathroom come stocked with Rituals toiletries and there are cosy dressing gowns to relax in.
Rooms also have a Nespresso machine (though this tea drinker would’ve liked a kettle too), freshly baked biscuits, a mini fridge and a retro Roberts radio. It was good to see sustainable touches like refillable bottles of filtered water and LED lighting. And beds were super-comfy, though we did get a small amount of road noise filtering through the sash windows in the morning.
Food and drink at Ingleside House
The hotel’s restaurant and bar Téatro shares its bold and colourful theme, and is divided into several smaller dining areas. It’s open to non-residents too and is a popular spot for pre-threatre dinners, as well as having a lovely garden with fire pits and fairly lights for summer evenings.
We started off in the piano bar area, where there’s live music on Friday and Saturday evenings from 9pm to 11pm. There’s a tempting cocktail menu, with some creative concoctions like my Cotswold Hedgerow which was made with Cotswold Gin, blueberries, bergamot and lime.
The restaurant serves Modern British cuisine which uses as much local produce as possible. Think Gloucester Old Spot chops, Crown Prince squash and Martins Meats’ sirloin.
There’s both an à la carte menu and seasonal small plates for grazing or sharing. I opted for truffled artichokes with garlic aioli followed by a tasty house cheeseburger. Staff are friendly and helpful, and were happy to mark up the menu for me to show what could be made gluten-free.
Breakfast is also served in the restaurant, with a choice of hot dishes cooked to order, from a Full English or the fantastic Dirty Breakfast Butty to Shakshuka and Sourdough French Toast. There are also lighter options like Danish pastries, fruit salad, porridge and homemade granola.
Facilities at Ingleside House
As well as the restaurant and bar, there’s a light and spacious residents-only lounge decorated in pale pink and green, with Art Deco-style mirrors and velvet Chesterfield sofas. It’s a good place for a pre-dinner drink or to relax in with a morning cup of tea while you read the paper.
Not many hotels have their own theatre, but the Barn Theatre is right next door, making Ingleside House ideal for a theatre break. The 200-seat theatre was originally a WWII Nissen hut and has been transformed into a professional theatre, showing dramas, musicals and family shows.
What to do nearby
It’s a five-minute walk into Cirencester where you can visit the Church of St John the Baptist, learn about Cirencester’s Roman history at the Corinium Museum or explore the Abbey Grounds and the 3000-acre Cirencester Park. Cirencester also has a popular Charter Market on Mondays and Fridays which sells food, drink, crafts and plants, and indoor markets in the Corn Hall.
Also within easy reach of Cirencester are the Cotswold Lakes (5 miles) for watersports, cycling and beach days, the pretty village of Bibury (7 miles), Cerney House Gardens (4.5 miles) and National Trust sites Rodmarton Manor (7 miles) and Chedworth Roman Villa (10 miles).
The details
Parking and transport: The hotel doesn’t have its own car park but the long-stay pay and display Beeches Car Park (GL7 1BW) is right opposite, which allows overnight parking.
Cirencester’s nearest train station is in Kemble, a 12-minute taxi ride away or you can catch the Pulhams 882 bus to The Forum in the town centre. Stagecoach 51 buses from Cheltenham and National Express coaches from London and Heathrow Airport also stop just outside the hotel.
Dogs: Dogs aren’t permitted at Ingleside House.
Kids: Cots are available at no extra charge and the hotel has several rooms with sofa beds which can accommodate up to four people. Children are also welcome in Téatro restaurant.
Prices: King rooms at Ingleside House start from £150 a night room only or £180 with breakfast.
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