If you’re looking to spend Christmas in the Cotswolds, the Daylesford Christmas experience will have you feeling like you’ve been dropped directly into the Nancy Meyers film, The Holiday.
Although I’ve visited the Cotswolds a few times, a Cotswolds winter stay was high on my bucket list for years. In December 2025, my husband Matt and I enjoyed a week of food, mulled wine, and holiday coziness at one of the Daylesford cottages, with their Christmas stay package.
This trip was easily one of the top five vacations we’ve ever taken. Everything from the scenery and thoughtful details to the staff made it super memorable. I’m already dreaming of another Christmas at Daylesford.
Here’s everything you need to know about our festive season stay in the Cotswolds.
Daylesford Christmas Stays Review
About Daylesford
In case you’re not already familiar with the Daylesford story, it begins in the 1970s with founder Carole Bamford. Located in the heart of the Cotswolds, Daylesford began as a working organic farm. It’s since evolved into a curated destination that blends farming, food, wellness, and hospitality, while seeking to promote a slower, more intentional approach to living.
Today, Daylesford Organic Farm is known for its farm shop, decorated pubs, quality food, and hands-on experiences celebrating local ingredients. Unwind at Bamford Wellness spa, try a cooking class at Daylesford Cookery School, or enroll in a seasonal craft workshop. All of these are conveniently located on the farm.
As the Daylesford brand has continued to grow, so has its offerings. Guests can immerse themselves in the Daylesford way of life beyond the farm through Daylesford Stays, a collection of beautifully restored cottages and pub rooms designed to reflect the charm of the Cotswolds. Stay in Daylesford Village, the nearby village of Kingham, or in one of Daylesford’s traditional countryside pubs. Regardless of where you chose, each offers a unique and warm, lived-in feel.
During the holiday season, Daylesford Stays offers curated Christmas experiences, each designed to feel like a true home-away-from-home. We experienced this first-hand when we booked the Christmas stay at The Wild Rabbit’s Bantam Cottage in Kingham.
From the moment we arrived, I was in awe. It felt like stepping into a perfectly appointed English country home for the holidays. This set the tone for the unforgettable days that followed.
Our Daylesford Festive Stay Experience
Booking
Around mid-July, Daylesford releases information about their stays at Christmas, including the different packages you can purchase. These range from shorter, 2-day travel packages to longer, 5-day stays. You can sign up on the Daylesford Stays website ahead of July to be notified once holiday booking is available.
Christmas stays at Daylesford are offered as mini vacation packages. These include special festive accommodations, with a schedule of activities including carol singing, visits from Father Christmas, and nature walks. Cottage bookings also come complete with a wreath on the door and a lit, real Christmas tree.
These are special, pre-determined vacation packages that include special activities.
Let’s start with the few things that could have been done a little better, but ended up being totally fine.
Pre-Arrival Communication
As a first time visitor who was excited to plan my dream trip, I do feel that booking communication could have been a little better. This was one of the only areas where I’d say the experience fell a little short.
Daylesford advertises festive happenings like carol singing, guided nature walks, and cooking classes, but after booking, there wasn’t any further information or “welcome email to clarify the rest of the journey leading up to Christmas. I spent the second half of the year emailing about special holiday activities to avoid missing anything, but was met with a lack of clarity around offerings and release dates. This left me feeling a little stressed about the luxury Christmas package I had paid for.
Having now experienced this trip, I can say you do not need to panic. The concierge team will email you about a month in advance to help you sort out Christmas Eve dinner reservations, grocery orders, and other things. After arriving at our cottage, it was clear to me I didn’t need to be so worried about missing out on holiday activities. You’re welcomed with a brochure of festive happenings between all Daylesford properties, many that you can simply just show up for without reservations.
However, if you want to book a cooking class at Daylesford Cookery School, plan ahead and book this on your own. Other than one cooking class on Christmas Eve morning, there were no other holiday workshops during the duration of our package. We were lucky enough to snag the last two spots for this class in October, but had I not been chronically checking, we would have missed this since the class sold out, and sold out fast. I wish there was more of a selection, but the lack of classes could have been due to availability of instructors and staff during the holiday season.
For a luxury vacation stay, I’lll say that the communication after booking could have been a little better. Even a short email explaining the process and next steps would have made me feel a little less anxious about planning our vacation.
Despite this, every other part of our trip really was literally perfect.
Pre-Arrival
If you stay in one of the cottages, you receive a digital order form with a selection of holiday snacks, cocktails, and freshly prepared items. You can order these items in advance, and they’ll deliver them directly to your cottage upon arrival.
A few weeks before our reservation, the concierge called to confirm delivery times. She also finalized bookings for nature walks, and any last minute needs such as shoe sizes for complimentary wellies.
Check-In
At check in, the concierge team provided us with a WhatsApp number that we could message whenever we needed assistance. We found this amenity super helpful and used it several times. We ordered a complimentary ride (in a Range Rover Defender!) to dinner in a nearby town, to asking for more firewood for our cottage.
Our Cottage
We stayed at Bantam Cottage in Kingham Village for our Daylesford Cotswolds Christmas stay, and it was absolutely darling. So cute and cozy! This cottage is the perfect size for two people, but if you need more space, larger cottages are available.
Upon arrival, our home away from home welcomed us with a giant hamper filled with yummy provisions and small gifts including nuts, hot chocolate, mulled wine, an ornament, and a candle. The kitchen also came stocked with basic essentials including freshly baked bread, juice, milk, and eggs.
In addition to the lit Christmas tree and wreath on our door, our fully set table featured Daylesford linens and Christmas crackers.
We also had plenty of firewood and matches for our real woodburning fireplace. If you run out during your stay, the concierge team will replenish this for you.
Christmas Activities
Another major draw for booking a Daylesford Christmas stay was to have curated activities at our fingertips.
The week contained a variety of festive things to do . Personal favorites include caroling, a Christmas day at the local pub with mince pies and champagne, and a boxing day Pub Quiz. We also signed up for a cooking class at Daylesford Cookery school.
I highly recommend signing up for the nature walk if you visit. There is a fee, however, they provided snacks, mulled wine, and other drinks along the way. It’s very beautiful and extremely informative. We learned so much about the area and the organic farming at Daylesford. The walk is muddy, so if you don’t have a pair, you can borrow a complimentary pair.
Is a Daylesford Christmas Stay Worth It?
Who It’s Perfect For
A Daylesford Christmas stay is ideal if you’re looking for a slow, cozy, and elevated holiday experience. If your dream Christmas includes long English countryside walks, delicious farm-to-table meals, and quiet moments by the fire rather than packed itineraries, this is exactly that.
It’s especially perfect for couples, small families, or anyone craving a more intimate and intentional way to celebrate the holidays.
Who It Might Not Be For
Anyone expecting a highly structured, resort-style holiday or a fully planned itinerary months in advance. It’s also not for anyone wanting a budget holiday vacation.
Final Verdict
For us, this was one of the most magical and memorable Christmas experiences we’ve ever had! The charm of our cottage, attention to detail, and overall atmosphere Daylesford provided far outweighed any minor communication hiccups during initial booking.
I can’t wait to go back again.
