Broadway Drive 3

You know what? I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to Broadway Drive 3 – I mean, South Cerney isn’t exactly on everyone’s radar, tucked away in the Cotswolds like it is. But honestly, this place completely caught me off guard in the best possible way. It’s one of those boutique spots that doesn’t bother with official star ratings because, well, it doesn’t really fit into those neat little boxes anyway. The building itself has this understated elegance that feels more like stumbling into someone’s incredibly well-designed home than checking into a typical hotel.

What really gets me about this place is how they’ve managed to nail that sweet spot between character and comfort. The rooms have these gorgeous period details – think original beams and quirky architectural touches – but everything actually works properly (you’d be surprised how rare that is in old buildings around here). The beds are properly comfortable, not just Instagram-pretty, and there’s decent water pressure in the showers, which I always appreciate after a day exploring the area. Speaking of exploring, you’re literally a stone’s throw from the Cotswold Water Park if you’re into that sort of thing, and Cirencester’s only about ten minutes down the road when you need proper shops or a decent meal. The staff seem to genuinely know the area too – they pointed me toward this fantastic pub in nearby Ashton Keynes that I never would’ve found otherwise.

Here’s the thing though – and this might be why it scores so well with people who stay here – it feels authentic in a way that a lot of boutique places try for but miss. There’s no pretentious nonsense, no trying too hard to be quirky or themed. It’s just genuinely thoughtful hospitality in a building that has real character. The common areas invite you to actually sit and relax rather than just pose for photos, and breakfast (when I was there in early spring, anyway) featured proper local ingredients without making a huge song and dance about it. I did notice it can get a bit lively on weekend evenings – not rowdy, just animated – so if you’re after complete silence, maybe worth mentioning when you book. But honestly, that felt more like a feature than a bug to me. The whole experience just felt… right, I suppose. Like they’ve figured out what makes a place memorable without overthinking it.