Vine Cottage Charlbury
Vine Cottage is the perfect bolthole. It is charming and welcoming and jam-packed with character. Lying on pretty Sheep Street, amongst a tangle of higgledy-piggledy Cotswold stone houses, this is the quintessential Cotswold escape. It’s perfectly suited for solo travellers, a couple, or two friends looking for a countryside break with wonderful walks and great places to eat on the doorstep. Charlbury has a direct rail service to London and Oxford so you can even leave the car behind. There’s a cosy living room, a stylish galley kitchen and two bedrooms. Tucked in behind is a peaceful patio, perfect for peaceful evening drinks and alfresco dining.
Overview
Tucked into the pretty Evenlode Valley, Charlbury is a thriving market town surrounded by beautiful countryside. Vine Cottage sits on Sheep Street, and as the name suggests this is where sheep were once herded through the town on their way to market. Today it’s lined with traditional townhouses and pretty cottages, giving a real sense of place.
Step inside and you’ll find a warm and inviting living room with a wood-burner effect gas fire set in the original fireplace. This leads to the inner hall and a beautifully fitted bathroom with a shower, and a stylish galley kitchen which is equipped with everything you need for a self-catering stay. The breakfast bar is a welcome space for meals, reading the morning papers or even catching up with work if it really can’t be left behind. Upstairs there is a spacious king-size bedroom with views over the street beyond and a delightful single.
Step through the backdoor and there is a peaceful patio with a bistro table and chairs. Relax here with your morning coffee or enjoy drinks on balmy evenings before dinner. There is off road parking for one car, or why not hop on the train and leave the car behind?
Ground Floor
Living Room:
The front door opens into a charming living room, the large fireplace houses a wood burner-effect gas fire which is perfect for cosy nights in. There’s a comfy two-seater sofa and an armchair, which is set by the sash window. Pale ochre yellow walls feature classic paintings and occasional tables with side lamps add a gentle and soft light. To one side of the fireplace, there’s a Smart TV and on the other side, alcove shelves hold a selection of classic books and a pack of cards.
Shower Room:
Set off the inner hall, the beautifully appointed shower room is fully tiled with soft grey stone tiles and features an enclosed shower cubicle with a rainfall shower and a handheld shower head, there is also a toilet and a handbasin, with a well-lit mirror above it.
Kitchen:
Under the stairs is a useful storage cupboard where you’ll find pots and pans and space to store supplies you may bring with you. This is also where the kettle and toaster live. Continue into the stylish kitchen with dark blue cupboards offering a lovely contrast to the pale wooden floor and white surfaces and pretty blue and white plates hanging above the decorative tiling. With a full oven, gas hob, fridge with a freezer box, washer-dryer and even a slimline dishwasher, there is everything practical needed for a self-catering stay. You’ll find glassware on a wooden shelf (please do not put anything else on this shelf). A breakfast bar runs along one wall with two high-backed stools. Perch here for your morning coffee and easy meals or relax with the papers as the day begins.
First Floor
Stairs lead to the first floor, there are handrails on the wall, however, the other side is open, and care is needed.
Bedroom One:
This spacious room is decorated in a pretty country style with a king-size bed, and woven wicker bedside tables with reading lamps, an occasional chair, and an antique pine chest of drawers. The original fireplace remains in situ, although is no longer in use. The large, low sash window looks out to the street beyond.
Bedroom Two:
This charming room features a single bed, making it ideal for friends who are travelling together but do not want to share. The roof eaves create interesting shapes and head heights and there are views out over the rear courtyard. There are hooks with wooden hangers for storage.
Outside
Through the back door, there’s a peaceful patio with a bistro table and chairs. It’s a lovely spot for simply relaxing and surrounded by a backdrop of trees there is a real sense of being in the countryside. There is a gate from the courtyard to the owner’s garden, which is private. There is an iron gate and five shallow steps to the front door.
Facilities
Indoor
Bedroom One - King-size
Bedroom Two - Single
1 Bathroom - Ground Floor Shower Room
Hairdryer - 1
Fire
Oven
Hob
Toaster
Fridge
Freezer - Compartment In Fridge
Dishwasher
Washing Machine
Tumble Dryer
WiFi *Please Note That Speeds Are For Guidance Only And Are Not Guaranteed - 25-49 Mbps
TV - Smart
Outdoor
Garden
Outdoor Dining Area
No BBQ Available
Parking - Off-road Parking For One Car, On Street Parking Available Nearby And Free Car Park In Town Centre
On your Doorstep
Charlbury has a very well-stocked Co-Operative shop (300m), selling a wide range of food and drinks. There is also Charlbury Deli (100m) on Market Street, a one-minute walk away. For larger supermarkets head to Witney where there is a Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and a Marks & Spencer Food Hall. There is also a farmer’s market held quarterly on the 2nd Saturday in March, June, September, and December from 9am to 1pm.
Eating Out:
- The Three Horseshoes, Charlbury – a friendly local pub with regular jazz nights (opposite)
- The Bull, Charlbury – a charming local pub dating back to 1500 serving local ingredients and championing open fire cooking (100m)
- The Rose and Crown, Charlbury – a CAMRA Pub of the Year with a great range of real ales (0.3 miles)
- The Bell, Charlbury – a modern British menu with produce from Daylesford Organic, orchard garden and warming log fires (0.4 miles)
- Chloe, Charlbury – simple and fresh meals with a changing weekly menu based on local ingredients (0.4 miles)
Charlbury is in the beautiful Evenlode Valley, surrounded by glorious Cotswold countryside, with walks in every direction, including along the River Evenlode to Ditchley Park mansion. Walkers can also join the meandering Oxfordshire Way, which passes through Charlbury town, the Salt Way (an old drove road) or follow the Finstock and Evenlode Walk - a lovely 5-mile loop that starts from the centre of Charlbury and passes the Cornbury Park Estate (a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest) with a pub about halfway around in Finstock.
Places to Visit:
- Diddly Squat Farm Shop, Chadlington (4 miles)
- Woodstock, Blenheim Palace, and Bladon (7 miles)
- Longborough Festival Opera (16 miles)
- Train - Charlbury has direct services to Oxford, Reading and London Paddington, and to Worcester, Great Malvern, and Hereford.
- Taxis – Woody’s Taxi
Points of Note
This property has a check-in time of 16:00 and a check-out time of 10:00
- Book with us to get exclusive discounts to top attractions and experiences.
- The stairs are quite open and narrow, care must be taken.
- Due to the open-plan nature of the stairs, Vine Cottage is an adult-only retreat.
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Handpicked by us
Why we love this
- A charming, character-filled bolthole nestled among Cotswold stone houses with a peaceful courtyard garden
- Historic streets, independent shops, and excellent pubs right on your doorstep.
- Ideally located in vibrant Charlbury, just 20 minutes from Oxford or an hour from London by train, and close to events like the Riverside Festival, Wilderness, and Longborough Festival Opera.
Discover more
The Location
Charlbury is a small but vibrant and thriving Oxfordshire market town, that has escaped the hordes of Cotswold tourists, making it a delightful place to discover. It benefits from a direct train line to London, which takes an hour whilst Oxford is twenty minutes. The town is filled with historic buildings, independent shops, great pubs, and there are walks in all directions including the Charlbury Circular Route, the Oxfordshire Way, and the Cotswold Way. There’s also an active cricket club and a recreation ground with tennis courts and football pitches, and the town is home to the Riverside Festival and famous Wilderness music festival in the grounds of Cornbury Park. The renowned Longborough Festival Opera is only a 30-minute drive.
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Read our reviews
We loved staying at Vine cottage. It’s beautifully decorated and very cosy with the fire. It’s in the heart of Charlbury so you don’t need a car - 10 minute walk from the station and then it’s within two minutes of four excellent pubs.
Diana
Wonderful cottage & town, cannot wait to return!
We had a lovely 5 day stay at Vine Cottage! Juliet was so helpful via text and popping in to meet us - couldnt recommend her enough.
The cottage was perfect. It had a lovely cozy atmosphere in the lounge, with the gas fire making it lovely in the evening. The bathroom was very well lit with a light up mirror and a beautiful rainfall shower. The kitchen was well equipped with all the equipment you could need to make breakfasts and evening meals. The bedroom was spacious and the king sized bed was very comfortable! We really enjoyed spending time here.
During our visit to Charlbury, we very much enjoyed visiting Missing Bean for a coffee and croissant in the morning. The Deli had lots of tasty food (especially the sandwiches) and also such a cute book shop upstairs. We also had some delicious evening meals at The Bell and The Bull which we would definitely recommend.
Outside of Charlbury, we also spent time in Great Tew - we would definitely recommend a lunch at the Quince and Clover. The coffee, salads/stews and homemade ice cream were amazing! We visited the Diddly Squat Farm Shop and Daylesford Organics which we great in their own ways. We would recommend walking from the door to Finstock and stopping at The Plough Inn for lunch. The food was delicious (and very reasonable too!) and the landlords were very welcoming! As well as there, we visited Bourton-on-the-Water (great for gifts, the Cotswold Motoring Museum and The Model Village) and Stow-on-the-Wold (beautiful shops and great snacks at Otis and Belle).
We cant thank Juliet enough for a lovely stay in the Cotswolds. We will definitely be returning!
Matt
Excellent
Vine Cottage was lovely and everything we needed it to be! Juliet was an excellent host. We were there over Christmas and the heating and gas log effect wood burner were very effective in keeping the cottage snug. The parking space is very valuable in Charlbury as there are now parking restrictions for "on road" parking in the area of the cottage. It is very convenient for walking easily to pubs and restaurants. Although nice and snug, it is small and would not suit folk who had mobility problems (do look at the floor plans - it does show why very well) and dining could be a problem - but not in summer when the Courtyard Garden would come into its own. However, these points pale into insignificance when put into the context of the very positive other benefits of Vine Cottage. My daughter and I enjoyed our stay immensely.
Robert
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us on your recent stay at Vine Cottage. We’re very glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay. Regarding your comments about the size of the cottage and its suitability for guests with mobility considerations, we do provide a 3D tour on our website so guests can explore the property in advance. We also note in the points of note section "The stairs are quite open and narrow, care must be taken". We hope to see you in the Cotswolds again soon.
- Bolthole Retreats, 31st December 2025
A lovely little cottage in a great location to see the Cotswolds.
David
Wonderful cottage in a pretty Cotswold village with outdoor terrace and wood burning stove. The owner was lovely and very helpful - available for anything we needed.
Lucinda
Sweet September Stay
The Vine Cottage was a charming, clean, well appointed stay for us. It was a perfect destination, centrally located in Charlbury, that gave us access to all that the Cotswolds have to offer.
The home was everything that was presented on the Bolthouse Retreats website. It had easy access upon arrival, utilizing an easy to use key box. A driveway car parking spot was provided for our car rental. And, there was a sweet back yard patio, with a nice table and chairs, for sipping coffee in the morning, or having afternoon tea.
The bedrooms were well appointed and roomy, with very comfortable beds, clean linens, and the all important side tables, with nearby electric outlets.
The living room offered a toasty, easy to use, gas fireplace, for our mid September stay.
The information book detailed all of the pertinent home information, along with recommended local eating and tourist information.
The house manager, Juliet was responsive, accessible, informative, in addition to being a friendly and charming "local."
We had an excellent stay at the Vine Cottage, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a highly satisfying stay in lovely town of Charlbury.
Jean
Lovely property
Vine Cottage was very clean and comfortable. We had everything we needed and Juliet was really helpful both in giving local advice and in making sure we had everything we needed e.g. providing a fan during the hot weather.
Rachel
Great stay in Charlbury
Enjoyed our stay - cottage is well located, cozy, clean and has everything you'd need! Woul dhighly recommend staying here if you're planning a trip to the Cotswolds.
Guest
Lovely stay in Charlbury. Two train stops from Oxford so easy to get into the town. Wonderful host and accommodation!
Patrice
Lovely place.
Tara
We had marvelous days at vine cottage 2.
We have enjoyed our stay in Charlbury and Vine Cottage very much. A nice host, Juliet, who provided us with information and soap for the dishwasher. Everything was clean and nice to see. An English cottage for a real holiday.
During our stay M&S was hacked, which caused a distribution problem for groceries . Nevertheless there was enough food available in the Deli and Café and the pubs in Charlbury.
Johanna
We have enjoyed our stay in Charlbury and Vine Cottage very much. A nice host, Juliet, who provided us with information and soap for the dishwasher. Everything was clean and nice to see. An English cottage for a real holiday.
Johanna
Great little cottage.
Timothy
An excellent weekend in the most cosy home
We booked Juliets cottage already vaguely knowing Charlbury but couldn't have expected how much it would exceed our expectations. The location is perfect, a very short walk to everything you need including the pubs, deli and a little further on, the Co-Op. The house was perfect and cosy with storm Darragh blowing away. We will definitely be booking again and can't wait to return.
Henry
Back again!
Always lovely to stay in this super little cottage in the midst of a perfect village with great facilities for eating, walking and wandering. Juliet is a good host and we will be back.
Guest
Vine Cottage
Well maintained and nicely presented the cottage covers the basics very well. The stools in the kitchen are too high for the counter and hence you cannot eat there. Meaning there is no place to sit down to eat comfortably, even if its just breakfast.. Supplies in the kitchen are good but 4 tall glasses would be nice to have instead of just the short juice glasses.
The shrub on the left side of the front door needs to be trimmed since the thrones on the brush kept snagging our clothes.
it would be handy if the rubbish and recycling bins were labeled on the outside of the wooden storage structure. I had to open all 4 doors, (a total of 8 locks) in order to figure out what goes in which bin. Not every country recycles the same way Britain does. We separate our recycling more in Canada. At the very least, the note in the kitchen should indicate which bins are to be used for the rubbish and that plastics and paper get recycled in the same bin.
Guest
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Vine Cottage. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay however disappointed to read the points that you have raised. Your valuable feedback has been shared with the owner who has taken these points on board and these will be looked into. We hope to see you again in the Cotswolds soon.
- Bolthole Retreats, 26th November 2024
Okay if you dont mind creaking floors & unannounced guests
I recently stayed here on a mini moon with my wife & while the area the cottage is in is lovely, plenty to do the cottage itself left a sour taste in our mouths.
1. The stairs leading into the cottage are not flat & are quite frankly a trip hazard especially in the cold and dark. The gate to the cottage is also hanging on for dear life and needs to be seen to.
2. That are a number of notes left around the cottage on top of the already in depth manual left by Bolthole Retreats - these have been left by the host and are quite frankly bossy and unwelcoming. While I have no issues with instruction and being asked to do things the tone of these notes are well as above bossy and controlling.
3. The floor in the kitchen needs professional assistance, it is so loud to walk on and has quite frankly been installed to a terrible standard.
4. You have to prop open the bathroom door after a shower with a small paper bin that has been left in the hallway to stop condensation (there is an extractor fan but it obviously doesnt work and this can be seen with the evidence of crumbling plaster around the top of the shower head) - again not what you expect when paying to stay somewhere.
5. Parking in the area is described as good & while yes it may be if youre driving a Smart Car those of you with a large SUV like us will want to give this a miss unless you enjoy driving in circles looking for somewhere big enough to leave it.
6. The internet doesnt work or it does for 5 minutes and not again for the rest of the evening.
7. Cutlery old and dirty (not by us my wife refused to use it)
8. While there is a washing machine and this is great, it is the loudest washing machine you will ever hear. Again badly installed and needs attention.
9. The lights flicker constantly & the placement of switches has been badly done you will spend half your stay working out which is which - enjoy!
10. Pillows are cheap and obviously overused, being your own if you respect your neck.
11. Sofa uncomfortable and far too low down.
12. There are no blinds to the back of the property where the bathroom is in view from the garden, therefore if the neighbour is in the garden they are going to be able to see you!
13. We had an unannounced visit from the host Juliet - this made my wife very uncomfortable as she stood at the door waiting for her to unlock the door, while I have no problem a host checking in, the text she had sent was ample and we knew how to contact her should we have needed anything, what if I had been coming out of the shower? This is simply inappropriate. My wife begged me to drive home after this as she was so uncomfortable.
14. The house lacks love and is dusty and there are visible cobwebs in every room. The outdoor areas need weeding and maintaining also.
15. You pay a £100.00 cleaning fee for the privilege of staying at Vine Cottage - no problem but could someone explain why the bossy notes demanded - beds be stripped, dishwasher loaded, towels hung on kitchen chairs to air? (Gross), back door left open to grab washing, why there is dust and cobwebs? So I just wonder if someone could tell me exactly what the £100 is for? There were probably other things demanded but those have escaped my memory.
I did leave all these points and a phone number for the host as I would have preferred not to leave such an awful review but alas no comment or contact was made.
Needless to say we will not return.
Piers
Dear Piers, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're sorry to hear your stay at Vine Cottage didn't meet your expectations. We've discussed your feedback with the property owner, who is grateful for your comments regarding maintenance, and were pleased to confirm that the issues have now been addressed. While the owner is disappointed to hear about your experience, she has taken your feedback on board in an effort to create the relaxed atmosphere we strive to provide for all our guests. Please note that there is parking usually available on street, however you are also informed prior to your arrival that there is is a private driveway you are welcome to use.
- Bolthole Retreats, 29th November 2024
Perfect for a short break.
Very comfortable cottage, beautifully decorated, and great location for getting to Oxford and London via train.
Kathy
Lovely cottage
Had a very enjoyable stay at the charming Vine cottage .
Charlbury is a lovely town and a great base for the cotswolds .
Frances
Lovely stay
A lovely cottage, beautifully presented. Charlbury is a quiet delightful village, Would stay again..
Nicholas
Cute cottage
Very cute cottage in beautiful village, extremely helpful host - we had a lovely couple of days. Beds comfortable. Small single room has slanting ceiling so quite difficult for adult to stand up in parts of it. Double room large and characterful. Shower powerful and plenty hot water. Ideal for a short stay though might need more comfortable seating in lounge for afternoons reading a book in poor weather. Lovely deli/cafe in the village, lots of cafes and pubs near and far to choose from.
Lucy
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Vine Cottage. We are very glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay and that the host was helpful, however disappointed to read the points that you have raised. On our website we have a 3D property tour which shows the ceiling in the single room. We have shared your feedback with the owner regarding the seating in the lounge who has taken this onboard and it will be looked into.
- Bolthole Retreats, 13th July 2024
Plus !! OR minus !!
Ideally situated. Could have taken one step forward & included complimentary tea/coffee etc. just incase people arrive late . No wardrobes or coat hangers is a big minus. Also no iron.... another minus. Or mention these things on the website so that potential clients are aware. We still enjoyed our stay though. Thank you.
Guest
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Vine Cottage. We are very glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay however disappointed to read your feedback. We have shared your points with the owner who has taken these on board and will look into them.
- Bolthole Retreats, 3rd April 2024
vine cottage
quite disappointed.. on arrival the cottage was smelly and needed fresh air, not enough towels/face cloths, the most important thing was that there was NO WELCOME PACK NOT EVEN A BOTTLE OF MILK, if you want your guests to be welcomed then there's a lot of work to be done, also there was never a space for car parking outside the cottage so all in all not good
Patricia
Thank you for taking the time to write a review of your stay at Vine Cottage, we have passed your feedback onto the owners. We do not advertise the property to come with a welcome pack or milk. As the property is self-catering, we recommend if you need specific items for your stay that you bring these along with you. The parking for the property is on street as advertised, and is on a first come first basis so is not guaranteed to be right outside of the cottage.
- Bolthole Retreats, 19th April 2024
Perfect stay in a lovely cottage
We were very sad to leave this lovely cottage. We especially loved sitting in the little garden, walking in Wychwood forest, enjoying the amazing atmosphere and food at The Bull down the road, and day trips to nearby Blenheim and Oxford. I will be recommending this cottage to friends and family and hopefully returning soon. Thank you so much!
Laura
A perfect stay
Our second visit and won't be our last as we will be back! Love this little cottage, has everything we need. The village is so pretty, and has everything we need. Juliet is delightful too.
Lindsay
Simply Wonderful
We stayed at Vine Cottage for an initial 4 nights, but we loved it so much we stayed an extra two. The property is exactly what you would dream a Cotswolds cottage to be. The location is amazing and the town is absolutely beautiful. Internally, it is exquisite with lovely interiors and a fantastic kitchen and bathroom. We would love to come again!
Jamie
Thank you for your review. We're so pleased you had a good time. We hope to welcome you back.
- Bolthole Retreats, 16th November 2022
Absolutely Perfect in Every Way!
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and wished could have done a little longer.
Cottage was just as described. Well located. Well equipped and our lovely host couldn't have been nicer
We shall be back!
Lindsay
Very good
We enjoyed our stay in Charlbury. The cottage was very comfortable and well equipped. Juliet was welcoming and helpful. We would be happy to stay here again. We were very happy here and would strongly recommend the cottage to others.
Winifred
Create Memories
Experiences designed to make your stay unforgettable
We have curated not only a portfolio of properties, but also a portfolio of experiences we recommend everyone try the next time they visit the Cotswolds and surrounding counties. This selection of ours is constantly growing as we discover more hidden gems and local stars. Many of the experiences are incredibly popular, and we encourage booking in advance because these little extras can turn your everyday holiday into a fantastic, fond memory, one you aren’t soon to forget.
