Laura & Frank

If you're traveling from abroad, we recommend flying into Heathrow Airport (LHR).

If you plan on stopping in London before heading to the countryside, you can take the Heathrow Express from all Heathrow terminals into Paddington Station in central London, which is a 15-minute direct train. From Paddington, you can hail a taxi from the taxi stand, order an Uber or hop on the tube to begin your London adventure!

*Tip: You can tap a credit card or use Apple Pay to travel on the Heathrow Express and London tube and buses. No need to purchase tickets or an Oyster card.

VIA TRAIN

Traveling via train to the Cotswolds is very common and is typically a smooth and seamless way to travel!

There are direct trains from London Paddington station to Kemble Station near Cirencester. If you're staying at a hotel or cottage, the host should be able to recommend the best train station for travel from London.

It's best to purchase train tickets a few days before your journey; you can pre-book tickets here and get the tickets sent to your phone.

Once you get to the station, you can either get a short taxi to your accommodation, or, if you want more flexibility to explore over the weekend, you can rent a car. Turo is a useful car rental app if renting from either of these locations; you can usually request the car to be left at the train station for you.

It may be wise to pre-book a taxi to take you from the train station to wherever you are staying in the area. Your hotel should be able to advise, but scroll down for various local taxi companies.

VIA CAR
If you want to have more flexibility during your journey to the Cotswolds, you can rent a car and drive straight from Heathrow airport or from central London. Heathrow airport has many different rental car companies or if renting from within London, we recommend these apps:

- Virtuo
- Turo

Just remember to drive on the "right" side of the road!

England has excellent public transit and we will be providing transportation for all wedding activities, so please don't feel pressure to rent a car in the countryside unless you want to do extra exploring or want maximum flexibility. 

In case you need them, here are local taxi companies:

Pink Cab Taxi Tetbury: +44 7960 036003
Smiley Taxi Cirencester: +44 7575 753975
Abbey Taxis: +44 1666 823366
Radio Cars Cirencester: +44 1285 650850
Home James Cirencester: +44 1285 641339
Kemble Taxis: +44 7795 159974
Reliance Taxis: +44 7787 790644

Here's a selection of lovely places to stay in the area surrounding The Rectory Hotel (where the wedding festivities are taking place). All are within 20 minutes of The Rectory and we'll have transportation available to get you from point A to point B safely.

**We have holds on some of these hotels, but May is the beginning of the high season in the Cotswolds, so try to make arrangements as soon as you can!

We are also so happy to answer questions or provide more info about any options you're considering — please don't hesitate to reach out!

Some of our favorite places to stay in the countryside are pubs and casual inns! With cozy rooms, big fireplaces and a relaxed atmosphere, this is a great way to experience authentic rural England at very reasonable rates.

We’ve listed some of the most charming spots near The Rectory here:

Stay here if you love history; it's touted as England’s oldest hotel, welcoming guests since 1220!

Situated next to Malmsbury’s 12th-century abbey, the Old Bell features cozy English interiors with lots of fireplaces and antiques. A 10-minute drive to The Rectory. 

To book:

The website will say sold out for out dates, but we've held a big block of rooms here. Call or email and mention ‘Yungmeyer’: +44(0) 1666 822344; 
emily@oldbellhotel.com

Stay here to enjoy the ancient market town of Tetbury and a variety of pubs and boutiques. Tetbury is known for excellent antique shopping.

A “country hotel” in town, The Close sits right on the bustling high street but features a lovely garden in the back for relaxing. A 13-minute drive to The Rectory.

To book: 

Stay here if you plan to explore the Cotswolds a bit; Cirencester is a great base if you want to venture further north and see some of the best-known Cotswolds villages such as Bibury and Upper and Lower Slaughters.

The Fleece is a traditional coaching inn on Cirencester's bustling market square, with a popular pub and quaint courtyard garden. A 16-minute drive to The Rectory.

To book: Reserve online at www.thefleececirencester.co.uk

Stay here if you want to be immersed in the most picturesque Cotswolds village of them all.

This hotel is a little farther away from The Rectory than other options, but if you don’t mind a commute, Castle Combe is arguably the loveliest (and definitely the most photographed) village in the Cotswolds. 30-minute drive to The Rectory.

To book: 

Stay here if you like a well-styled, but relaxed, rural retreat with a locals’ pub on property.

The boutique inn is newly transformed from a 16th-century pub in the tiny village of Ampney Crucis near Cirencester. A 20-minute drive to The Rectory, near Barnsley House listed below.

To book: 

Stay here if you want to enjoy the darling village of Barnsley but don't need the bells and whistles of Barnsley House.

The Boot is a comfy, cozy village pub with six rooms just across the road from the lovely Barnsley House.

To book:

Stay here if you want to treat yourself! Barnsley House is the epitome of a luxury rural retreat.

Set in a 17th-century house surrounded by acclaimed landscaped gardens, this luxurious hotel is located in the quaint village of Barnsley with a great pub just down the street. 20 minutes from The Rectory.

To book: 

If you'd like your own space or have a big group, we've listed some cottages close to The Rectory or near other recommended hotels (to make coordinating shuttles a little easier).

Please feel free to search for more cottage options, but let us know what you're considering so we can help with transportation to and from wedding festivities.

Sleeps 2; just outside of Tetbury (13 minutes from The Rectory). Can be booked with another 2-person cottage on the same property.

Sleeps 8-9 people in Eastcourt; five minutes from The Rectory by car; 20 minutes by footpath (through the fields!).

Sleeps 4 people in the heart of quaint Malmesbury; 10 minutes from the The Rectory.

Sleeps 4-5 people, outside Kemble; 5 minutes from The Rectory.

Sleeps 4 people in quaint Malmesbury; 10 minutes from The Rectory.

Sleeps 2 people outside Kemble; 5 minutes from The Rectory.

Sleeps 4 people in Malmesbury; 10 minutes from The Rectory.

Sleeps 4 people in quaint Tetbury; 13 minutes from The Rectory.

Sleeps 6 (2 bedrooms, 1 bath) in Tetbury; 13 minutes from The Rectory.