Review of Cowley Manor, by Caroline Major

Cowley Manor's driveway is much like that of a friend's fabulous villa, winding along the ridge of a hill in the Cotswolds, looking over a lake surrounded by fine tree specimens. This is just the beginning of the manor's 55 acres of beautifully kept grounds in the heart of Gloucestershire. We visited on an autumnal day when the afternoon light was milky and just a little bit warming, reflecting the golden hues of the still crisp fallen leaves.

The facilities

Across the grounds, nestled into the base of another hillock, is the Cowley Manor's piece de la resistance - not one but two swimming pools: one indoor, the second outdoor. Built into the hill on one side, a glass and concrete bunker forms a hothouse canopy over the indoor pool. Sunlight streams in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, catching the warmth of the autumn rays and making a cosy place to stretch cat-like on the lounges with a good book and a pot of tea.

Between dips and chapters, you can swim up to the sauna and steam-room to pass a luxurious morning or afternoon. There's a full list of both beauty and wellness treatments to take in, too, and if you're up for more exercise than a walk and a swim, a well-kitted-out gym.

In summer, outdoor pool has a garden feel. This epitomizes the atmosphere of Cowley Manor, its air of being the home of a sophisticated family who like nothing better than to entertain friends. It's easy to imagine a poolside picnic in summer or nights by the fire playing cards or pool.

Gloucestershire residents often use the country house's private dining rooms to host dinners and book out-of-town friends into the rooms for a fun-filled weekend. The food is solid, and the bar is well stocked. It seems a perfect continuation of the original theme of the manor - the pursuit of pleasures.

The rooms

Cowley Manor's 30 rooms range from Good, Great, Better, Exceptional and Best Rooms. Those in the house itself are all single floors, but many of those in the stable block span two or even three. Some are stacked like towers while others have mezzanine levels overlooking a central white gravel courtyard. Most have spacious bathrooms with a bath, and all come equipped with wall-mounted CD players and quality TVs. The mini-bar is stacked with full-sized bottles.

Boldly coloured feature walls and vibrant soft furnishings against a background of white make the modern Scandinavian style interiors cosy. The toast-and-honey feeling continues into Cowley Manor's stable block rooms with similarly coloured carpets. Big rain shower heads are powerful and well enough enclosed to have a very enjoyable shower.

It's really worth the time to talk about the kind of room you'd like at Cowley Manor, as they are substantially different. By specifying that a large bathroom, a split level room, an open plan lounge or something more cosy, or that access to the garden is a priority, you can make sure you get what you're comfortable with.