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Set on the village green in Kingham, The Wild Rabbit is a much-loved inn that combines thoughtful hospitality, exceptional dining and beautifully designed accommodation with easy access to some of the region’s most appealing countryside. It has become one of the Cotswolds’ most sought-after stays, attracting guests who appreciate good food, restorative surroundings, and a slower pace of life.
Part of the Daylesford collection and recognised for its commitment to responsible hospitality, The Wild Rabbit reflects many of the values that have shaped the wider estate’s reputation, from sustainable sourcing and craftsmanship to a strong connection with the land. Yet none of this feels performative. The atmosphere remains warm, welcoming, and refreshingly unpretentious.
A Modern British Inn in the Heart Of Kingham
The Wild Rabbit occupies a restored eighteenth-century inn at the centre of one of the Cotswolds’ most attractive villages. Honey-coloured stone walls, open fireplaces and exposed beams provide a sense of history, while carefully considered interiors introduce a more contemporary feel without losing the building’s character.
Owned by Lady Carole Bamford, the inn has developed a distinctive identity that sits comfortably between a traditional village pub and a luxury countryside retreat.
The public spaces are particularly successful. The bar remains a genuine local gathering place, while the restaurant delivers a more polished experience without becoming formal. Throughout the property, natural materials, handcrafted furnishings, and subtle design details create spaces that feel connected to their surroundings.
Kingham itself contributes significantly to the appeal. Surrounded by rolling countryside and picturesque villages, it offers a peaceful base for exploring one of England’s most celebrated rural landscapes.
Staying At The Wild Rabbit
Accommodation is divided into four room categories, all of which share the same understated aesthetic that runs throughout the property.
Classic Rooms provide a comfortable retreat for shorter stays. Thoughtfully furnished and full of character, they feature quality linens, natural textures, and Bamford bath products.
Offering additional space while retaining the intimate atmosphere of the smaller rooms, Cosy Rooms are particularly appealing during the cooler months when returning to a welcoming pub downstairs becomes part of the experience.
The Spacious category allows guests a little more room to settle in. Many feature freestanding baths, generous seating areas, and original architectural details that reflect the age and character of the building. These rooms work particularly well for longer stays where the accommodation becomes an important part of the overall experience.
Designed with flexibility in mind, Family Rooms provide additional space for those travelling with children while maintaining the same design standards found throughout the property.
Across all categories, comfort takes precedence over showmanship, with natural materials and thoughtful detailing creating spaces that feel genuinely at home in the Cotswolds.
The Dining Room: Seasonal Cooking Guided By The Estate
Food remains one of the principal reasons guests make the journey to Kingham. The close relationship with Daylesford Organic gives the kitchen access to exceptional ingredients from the farm, creamery, bakery and market garden, resulting in menus shaped by the produce available throughout the year.
À La Carte Dining
The à la carte menu offers a clear introduction to the kitchen’s approach. Starters include rabbit raviolo with mushroom duxelle and tarragon, cured Loch Duart salmon with green sauce and elderflower, and braised pork cheek served alongside apple, shallot, and black pudding. The potato mille-feuille with Jersey Royal foam and cheddar showcases the kitchen’s ability to elevate familiar ingredients through careful technique.
Among the mains, the rack and braised neck of lamb designed for sharing is particularly impressive, accompanied by artichokes, spinach, and Scottish girolles. Elsewhere, wild halibut is paired with white asparagus, smoked eel and grape, while Creedy Carver duck breast arrives with a duck leg tartlet, cherry, and pistachio. A vegetarian dish of White asparagus, Scottish girolles and croutons demonstrates that meat-free options receive the same level of attention.
Desserts are equally considered. The Valrhona Jivara chocolate mousse with whey caramel stands out alongside a lemon meringue custard tart scented with lemon thyme, and a honey and white chocolate parfait served with grapefruit sorbet.
The Tasting Menu
For a more immersive experience, the tasting menu provides a broader insight into the kitchen’s style. Beginning with a poppy-seed Parker roll and cultured butter, it progresses through braised pork cheek with black pudding, wild cod with oyster velouté and Lardo di Colonnata, lamb with artichoke and mushrooms, and Strawberry and prosecco before finishing with Valrhona chocolate mousse.
The progression feels carefully judged, allowing the quality of the ingredients to remain at the forefront.
Sunday Lunch at The Wild Rabbit
Sunday lunch has become something of a destination in its own right. The menu includes a chef’s fillet of beef Wellington, roast leg of lamb, and roast Paddock Farm pork, each served with seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire puddings.
The starters elevate the experience beyond a traditional roast. Rabbit raviolo, cured salmon with buttermilk and roasted veal sweetbread demonstrate the same attention to detail found throughout the main restaurant menu.
Breakfast Before Exploring the Cotswolds
Breakfast maintains the same commitment to quality ingredients. Alongside pastries, cereals and yoghurt, guests can choose from a Full English breakfast, eggs Benedict, Royale or Florentine, smoked salmon with scrambled eggs, smoked kipper with dulse butter, mushrooms on toast with poached eggs and French toast served with either maple and bacon or fruit compote.
It is the sort of breakfast that encourages a slower start before heading out into the countryside.
Wines and Cocktails
The drinks offering is every bit as considered as the food. The wine list ranges from Daylesford’s own sparkling wines and Prosecco to leading producers from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champagne. Guests can enjoy everything from Gusbourne Sparkling Brut and Langham Estate Blanc de Blancs to Krug Grand Cuvée and Dom Pérignon for more celebratory occasions.
Cocktails draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. The Beetroot Negroni, Market Garden Fizz and Forced Rhubarb Paloma showcase produce-led flavours, while signatures such as the Rabbit Old Fashioned and Daylesford Ramos have developed loyal followings among returning guests.
The Bar, Terrace, and Everyday Pleasures
While the restaurant attracts considerable attention, The Wild Rabbit remains firmly rooted in its identity as a village pub. That authenticity is one of its greatest strengths.
Locals and overnight guests share the same spaces, creating an environment that feels genuinely lived-in rather than exclusively designed for visitors. The combination of exposed stone, timber beams and open fires makes the bar one of the most inviting rooms in the property.
The pub serves local favourites including Hook Norton’s Hooky, Hawkstone Session, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Deya Magazine Cover, alongside regional ciders. Guests looking for alcohol-free alternatives can choose from a thoughtful selection of mocktails, kombuchas, and organic soft drinks.
Whether stopping in after a countryside walk or settling into an armchair before dinner, the atmosphere encourages guests to linger.
During spring and summer, the terrace becomes one of the most appealing spots in the village. Overlooking the green, it provides a relaxed setting for lunch, afternoon drinks, or an early evening glass of English sparkling wine.
Experiencing the Wider Daylesford Estate
A stay at The Wild Rabbit opens the door to a range of experiences beyond the inn itself.
The Daylesford farmshop remains one of the estate’s most popular attractions. Visitors can browse seasonal produce, artisan cheeses, baked goods, wines, homeware and garden products while gaining a deeper appreciation of the estate’s approach to organic farming.
The Bamford Wellness Spa offers a more restorative experience. Treatments, wellness therapies, yoga classes and fitness sessions are delivered in calm surroundings that mirror the wider estate’s emphasis on wellbeing.
Throughout the year, Daylesford hosts cookery classes, floristry workshops, gardening courses, wellness retreats, and seasonal events. Depending on the season, guests may find themselves learning floral design, refining cookery skills, or joining specialist workshops led by the estate’s own experts.
The surrounding landscape is ideal for exploring on foot. Walking routes extend directly from Kingham into the neighbouring countryside, while the popular Wandering Rabbit walks offer a more structured way to discover the area’s farming heritage and natural beauty.
A Base for Discovering the Cotswolds
The Wild Rabbit’s location places many of the Cotswolds’ most celebrated destinations within easy reach. Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford, Chipping Norton and Broadway can all be explored as part of a longer stay. At the same time, numerous gardens, historic houses and walking trails provide additional reasons to venture beyond the village.
An Inn With A Clear Sense Of Place
What distinguishes The Wild Rabbit is the strength of its connection to its surroundings.
Its relationship with Kingham, the surrounding countryside and the wider Daylesford estate informs everything from the menus and interiors to the experiences available beyond the property itself. The result is a destination that feels authentic, thoughtful, and quietly confident.
In a region known for exceptional country hotels, The Wild Rabbit continues to stand apart through the quality of its food, the warmth of its hospitality, and its deep connection to the landscape around it.
Location: Church St, Kingham, Chipping Norton OX7 6YA
