Words by Harriet Mallinson
You know you’re getting away from it all when the drive from the gate to the hotel is like commuting to a different village – but that’s the perk of visiting an estate set among 500 acres of rolling Cotswold countryside.
The Fish Hotel is just one of three hotels in the wider Farncombe Estate above Broadway, Worcestershire – and it’s the most family-focused. “It’s like being at summer camp”, we marvel while weaving between charming woodland shepherd’s huts uphill to breakfast, where children are frolicking on the lawn by al fresco tables.
Indeed, like at camp, activities are aplenty – archery, falconry, axe throwing and electric quad biking plus woodland trails plus a playground – and you can kip in a treehouse. No wonder those post-brekkie kids are grinning from ear to ear. Parents have lots to smile about too; the food is excellent, the terrace is perfect for a lazy glass of wine and the delights of honey-hued Broadway are a hearty – but easy – cross-country stomp away.
Family Traveller visited The Fish Hotel to see just how well-suited it is for a family Cotswolds break.
Accommodation even includes treehouses
Family-friendliness at a glance
- Kids’ club: No traditional kids’ club
- Family pool/splash park: No
- Family rooms: Interconnecting rooms, Small and Bigger Suites and Treehouses
- Children’s dining: Dedicated Tiddlers menus
- Playground: Woodland playground
- Activities: Archery, falconry, axe throwing, electric quad biking, rifle range, yoga and nature trails
- Stand-out family perk: Kids stay free during October half term
- Dogs: Welcome in selected rooms and suites with plenty of washing amenities and treats to hand.
The Fish Hotel location: Broadway and the Cotswolds
The Fish sits high above Broadway on the vast Farncombe Estate (also home to spa-centric, 17th-century Dormy House and ultra-luxe Foxhill Manor), surrounded by the Hollywood-coveted countryside that makes this part of the Cotswolds such a draw.
Rather than being contained within one country house like its siblings, The Fish accommodation is scattered across different buildings and woodland hideaways. Our take? Oodles of opportunities to explore and carve out your own adventures. Contained quarters also equal privacy – no hearing the neighbours next door snoring here!
There’s plenty to explore beyond the estate too. There’s Broadway, of course (and its famous hilltop tower if you’ve got the puff to head upwards), while family days out nearby include Cotswold Wildlife Park, Birdland Park & Gardens and the Model Village at Bourton-on-the-Water.
The Treehouses are the showstoppers
Family rooms and accommodation at The Fish Hotel
The Fish has 66 individually styled rooms and accommodation options, including interconnecting Veranda rooms, suites, shepherd’s huts and three Treehouses.
Small Suites work well for a family of four, with a super-king bed in the bedroom and a double sofa bed in the separate lounge. Bigger Suites have an open-plan living area and a wood-burning stove and can accommodate two adults and up to three children, with space for a cot.
The Treehouses are the showstoppers. Each sleeps two adults and two children under 12, with an open-plan lounge and adult bedroom plus a separate bunk room for children. No need to shimmy up a silver birch or shiver at sundown, though – these are fancy Treehouses. Outside, two heated baths sit on the deck and come with an intercom for ordering room service. Two of the three Treehouses are even reached by rope bridge; crying “Permission to come aboard!” each time you return optional.
Families do need to choose carefully when booking: some of The Fish’s quirkiest accommodation is designed exclusively for adults. The Hilly Huts, Hideaway Huts (named after A Midsummer Night’s Dream, no less) and impeccably named Boaty McBoatface (with its own private lake and paddle boat!) aren’t suitable for children. We heartily recommend booking in for a romantic retreat or friendcation though!
The Fish instead makes full use of its countryside setting
Family activities at The Fish Hotel
There’s no traditional kids club but the estate’s summer programme runs seven days a week from May to August, with activities available as scheduled group sessions as well as private bookings.
Archery kicks off each morning, followed by electric quad bike tours across Farncombe’s undulating parkland, woodland tracks and quieter corners of the 500-acre estate. Families can also try axe throwing and test their concentration at the outdoor rifle range. Competitiveness encouraged!
On one of my rambles around the estate I stumble across a barn owl in a woody clearing and briefly wonder if Pooh and Piglet aren’t far behind. It turns out I’ve caught the end of a weekend Birds of Prey session; these offer the chance to get closer to the estate’s owls, kestrels and falcons. Those after something less adrenaline-fuelled (well, mums, let’s be honest) can book into daily yoga at Cameo Studio. Beyond the organised programme, there are woodland trails and plenty of countryside to explore independently, providing lung-clearing wellness of another variety.
Note: Most experiences cost extra so it’s worth factoring activities into the price of your break and booking ahead if there’s something the family particularly wants to try.
The boot room equips guests for countryside stomping
Family dining at The Fish Hotel
Hook by Martin Burge is The Fish’s main restaurant and, unsurprisingly given the name, seafood takes pride of, ahem, plaice. The current menu includes such tasty fish dishes as Hook’s fish pie, Cod Kiev with curry butter, bouillabaisse and half Cornish lobster alongside steak and vegetarian choices. We’re also served by the nicest, most helpful waitress I’ve had in a long time, which proves a real caviar pearl on top of a garlicky-lemon-finger-licking meal.
If tentacles and bulbous eyes aren’t your kids’ thing, the Tiddlers menu has £9 mains including fish fingers and fries, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, mini cod and pizza, with desserts priced at £4 – the card even doubles as entertainment with puzzles including a word search and dot-to-dot.
Breakfast follows the same approach, with a Mini-Full Fish, vegetarian breakfast, dippy eggs and soldiers and pancakes with Nutella among the children’s options.
For an easier meal, the Bar & Lounges serve pizzas, salads, snacks and lighter dishes in a more casual setting.
Seafood takes centre stage at Hook
How much does The Fish Hotel cost?
Rooms at The Fish start from £275 per night for a Medium Room on a bed and breakfast basis.
For families, a Suite for four starts from £500 per night, while a Treehouse for a family of four starts from £815 per night.
The October half-term offer is particularly attractive: children stay free, which can save a family of four up to £240 on a two-night break.
Make It Happen
How to get there
The Fish Hotel is on Farncombe Estate above Broadway in the Cotswolds, at Farncombe, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7LH.
Where to stay
Rooms at The Fish start from £275 per night for a Medium Room on a bed and breakfast basis. For a family of four, a Suite starts from £500 per night and a Treehouse starts from £815 per night.
Hotel offers
During October half term, kids stay free, meaning a family of four can save up to £240 on a two-night stay.
FAQs
Is The Fish Hotel good for families?
Yes. Family accommodation includes interconnecting rooms, suites and Treehouses, while the 500-acre estate has a woodland playground, nature trails and bookable outdoor activities.
Does The Fish Hotel have a kids’ club?
No. There isn’t a conventional kids’ club. Instead, Farncombe Adventures offers organised activities including archery, falconry, axe throwing and electric quad biking.
Does The Fish Hotel have family rooms?
Yes. Small Suites sleep two adults and two children, while Bigger Suites can accommodate two adults and up to three children. The Treehouses sleep two adults and two children under 12.
Does The Fish Hotel have a children’s menu?
Yes. The dedicated Tiddlers menu includes child-friendly dishes such as fish fingers, mini cod, chicken tenders, pizza and mac and cheese.
Does The Fish Hotel have a swimming pool?
No. The Fish doesn’t have its own swimming pool. Its family offering is focused much more heavily on outdoor activities and exploring the Farncombe Estate.
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