What’s Jewish about the Cotswolds? You may think very little. And you may be right. The bucolic rolling hills and ancient hedges are home to farmers and craftsmen and nine per cent cider, none of which are particularly associated with Jewish life in this country.
But, I offer a counter point. The crowds that flock to the Cotswolds every autumn to see leaves and take photos of hot chocolates are all wearing Canada Goose jackets - very Beck-y, and the deals are available just 35 minutes from Oxford at Bicester Village. You can find a goodly chunk of North West London going in and out of various shops at the designer outlet centre. In short, there are Jews everywhere for those with eyes to see them.
And if you, a Jew, are planning to visit this most enviable of beauty spots, you’ll probably need somewhere to stay. And with more and more Jewish weddings happening outside of London, you may find yourself in need of a convenient place to stay.
Mollie's motel in Oxfordshire
Enter Mollie’s. The brainchild of the Soho House Group, the company responsible for the preeminent chain of global members’ clubs, Mollie’s is a collection of relatively posh, American-inspired hotels-cum-diners, dotted on the side of A-roads across the UK. The decor is chic and art-deco inspired, with more than a hint of the sort of old-New York charm that you find in eateries across the pond. They’re basically like premier inns, if the people who made premier inns gave a shit. From what I can work out, the thinking is this. What if the roadside hotels you had to stay in didn’t suck? What if instead of dried out scrambled eggs and watered down orange juice, you had something to eat that actually gave you a bit of joy? It’s a bold idea, but one that the UK’s roads have been crying out for. Think of how many unhappy and mediocre nights’ sleep you’ve had in rooms with windows so thing that you can never shut out the roar of the A1, this is not that.
The rooms are full of thoughtful touches like a wall mounted Dyson airwrap and a boiling water tap for tea and coffee. The restaurant meanwhile is a long list of delectable American classics including the Jewishly named Lower East Side bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers and delicious fried pickles.
There’s an enduring sense of thoughtfulness in the design, which will be familiar to anyone who has been in a Soho House, and has experience their ubiquitous chicness. Mollie’s offers a taste of this world at a fraction of the price - one night will set you back less than half of a typical monthly Soho House membership, so on that basis alone it’s a bargain. The food is hearty and reasonably priced and the ambience is warm and inviting, ideally the perfect choice after a long day looking at leaves.
