Nestled away in our nearest Cotswold town, Stow-on-the-Wold, is a new look Inn, The Old Stocks. It's a far and very welcomed cry from the many Cotswold pubs we all know and love. Instead of Cotswold green Farrow & Ball, The Old Stocks has had a Scandinavian face lift. It's a fresh and exciting style, different to the boutique hotels we know, yet The Old Stocks still has the same cosy Cotswold cuddle we all need sometimes.
A summer soirée was our latest excuse to visit Stow and what a gorgeous Summers evening for a Soiree it was! Welcomed by the friendly staff, we headed straight outside to soak up the last of the evening sun. Luckily, the beautiful new courtyard is it's very own sun trap. Pick from lots of cool and comfy seating, either tucked away in the shade, or next to the huge pizza oven (we'll get to the pizza's in a bit). The Old Stock's 'beer garden' reflects the same beautiful Scandinavian decor found indoors and you can enjoy it until late when the festoon lights luminate the courtyard. We hope heaters might be a new addition for the chillier winter months so this fabulous space doesn't go to waste.
Back to the party where we sipped on refreshing Chase Vodka cocktails, chatted to local suppliers and the lovely new Stocks team and enjoyed brilliant entertainment from house band The Skinny Genes. We also caught up with our local pal, Richard The Gloucestershire Magician, who did an amazing job of tricking our chaps into believing in magic! How he turned a little ball into a lemon AND a lime, we will never know. The chilled vibes of The Old Stocks Summer Soiree made for the perfect Cotswold evening.
Now for the fare! All the food being handed around was delicious, the mini sliders in particularly went down well (and in one) with our chaps. The pizza and pizza oven however, stole the show. Millie who has recently opted for a gluten free diet and has convinced me to try and follow in her healthy footsteps, asked for a gluten free pizza base. No problem at all! In fact, when it arrived, we all digged in because it was just as scrummy. Apparently a recipe, head chef has been tweaking to get just right. A chef who by the way, grew up in Evesham, won a competition which took him cooking around the world and is now back in The Cotswolds doing what he does best. Such a cool story (and one I'm sure he tells a lot better!) Pizza's were our main feast of the night but we can't wait to dine in The Old Stocks fabulous restaurant. We loved the idea of the large sharing table where couples can choose to sit with other couples and hopefully make new friendships over love of good food. A popular choice for tourists visiting The Cotswolds.
Then onto the grand tour of the Inn's 16 boutique rooms. All the rooms followed in the The Old Stocks new Scandinavian style but each with their own personality, some with beautiful roll top baths, all with mini bars, delicious Joe's Co tea and Extract Coffee but our favourite had to be the Family Room, complete with 3 bunk beds all overlapping each other, flat screen TV and an Xbox. A kids paradise!
We could keep going with The Old Stocks, there are so many clever quirks which you'll spot when you visit yourself, all of which make this new Inn in Stow totally unique. The attention to detail here is amazing. We loved the hand drawn Cotswold map in the reception, which pin points other local pubs, attractions and hidden gems, a true celebration if our beloved Cotswolds. If you're staying you will also find one of these maps in your room to explore with. All in all, we were seriously impressed and really excited we can now enjoy The Old Stocks on our door step. The perfect spot for a Summer Soiree. We can't wait to revisit in Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter.
Millie and Meg x
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