There must be many a case of mistaken identity in the hunt for smart lodgings in the tiny, picturesque pair of Cotswold villages known as the Slaughters.
For the upper and lower villages, separated by a bridge, have three manor houses between them. And despite having the only Michelin-starred restaurant, the Lords is not the huge pile at the top of the hill - that's a private house - nor the Relais & Chateaux property two minutes down the street in Lower Slaughter.
Given its grand name, Lords of the Manor turns out to be the least assuming of all of them - an understated country house hotel with a 17th-century pedigree and enduring reputation for fine food. The intimate dining-room, with its low ceilings, Louis chairs and huge floral arrangement, feels old-school French, but chef Matt Weedon serves up resolutely modern, top-quality British cuisine, but the kosher-observant should call ahead to discuss dinner options.
Rooms are traditionally furnished but with all mod cons including flat-screen TV's, in-room DVD and i-Pod docks, though wi-fi works only in the bar area. The comfort of our bed, down a step from a cosy living area, and the luxury of the bathroom was marred only by a faulty sensor which kept the light on in the vestibule of our suite all night.
