Inside: The Cottage in the Woods.
Step through the wardrobe and into the landscapes that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, travelling from Narnia to Middle-earth in a single day. Suspended in mist and myth, the Malvern Hills once stirred the imaginations of literary giants – and hidden among them, The Cottage in the Wood feels like a natural extension of that magical landscape.
About
Local folklore tells of a fog-lit gas lamp in falling snow that sparked Lewis’s opening line to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, while Tolkien walked the ridges of these sweeping hills in the 1930s, their contours echoing in Middle-earth’s White Mountains.
Below, Great Malvern rises in Victorian grandeur, long cherished for its healing spring water which once drew figures such as Florence Nightingale and Charles Darwin – a place where creativity, calm and history quietly converge.
The hotel itself has its own illustrious guestbook. Margaret Thatcher was a regular, while Adam Ant, Felicity Kendall, Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones and Joan Collins have all stayed here.
Today, the property is owned by Julia and Nick Davies, former management consultants living in Shoreditch who discovered the hotel by chance while returning from a business trip. With no background in hospitality, they took a leap of faith and bought it in 2015. Since then, it has become their canvas – blending fine dining, natural beauty and relaxed luxury into a distinctive hilltop retreat.
Style
Perched high on the slopes of the Malvern Hills, The Cottage in the Wood offers a sense of deep stillness, surrounded by eight acres of woodland and sweeping views across the Severn Valley and towards the Cotswolds.
The property balances traditional charm with understated luxury. Interiors are warm and welcoming, leaning into the surrounding landscape rather than competing with it – a place designed for slow mornings, long walks and evenings that revolve around excellent food.
Arriving by nightfall in January, we settled in before heading to dinner – the beginning of a quietly indulgent escape in the bleak grip of winter.
Rooms
The property has 32 rooms spread across three buildings. We stayed in one of the ‘Best’ category rooms located in the Main House.
Room One is spacious and inviting, with a large window opening onto a private patio overlooking the hills. The bathroom features a classic claw-foot bathtub – ideal for a long soak after a day of walking, complete with Bramley amenities.
Comfortable and calming, the room encourages guests to slow down and absorb the peaceful surroundings.
Food & Drink
That evening we headed to the acclaimed 1919 Restaurant. Named after the year the hotel first opened, the three-AA-Rosette restaurant has just 12 seats and opens three nights a week (Thursday–Saturday), creating an intimate experience that feels more like a private performance than traditional dining.
Chef Mark Potts’ seven-course tasting menu (£95), paired with a £50 wine flight, began with beautifully executed snacks including smoked eel wrapped in caviar with Granny Smith custard. Next came sourdough bread with creamy Ampersand butter, followed by salt-baked beetroot with goat’s curd, grilled Cornish mackerel with avocado and lime dukkah, and honey-glazed duck breast with chicory, gnocchi and celeriac – succulent and perfectly balanced.
Desserts were equally thoughtful, from a delicate rose geranium and lychee pre-dessert with bursting pearls to a rich chocolate delice with clementine. Each course was paired with wine, beginning with Pierre Mignon Champagne and moving through Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño and Carignan before finishing with a luscious Monbazillac.
It is easy to see why the restaurant holds three AA Rosettes, has twice been awarded Worcestershire Restaurant of the Year, and appears in the Michelin Guide 2025. Potts describes his cooking as reflective of the surrounding landscape: “I want dishes that feel light, balanced and deeply flavoured.”
For something more relaxed, The Brasserie offers elevated comfort food, including a refined take on cottage pie.
Culture Fix
Before heading home, we stopped in nearby Great Malvern – a town steeped in Victorian architecture, independent shops and creative spirit.
Rows of antique stores such as Parkers Bazaar sit alongside jewellers and boutiques, while a statue of Edward Elgar celebrates the composer who frequently visited the Bluebird Tea Room on Belle Vue Terrace, still a favourite local haunt.
Cultural highlights include theatres that often transfer productions to the West End, and the Guinness World Record–holding Theatre of Small Convenience – Britain’s smallest theatre with just 12 seats, once a public lavatory and recently featured on Richard Osman’s House of Games.
Elsewhere, visitors can drink from the Malvhina Fountain’s famous spring water, explore Great Malvern Priory or the historic Abbey Gateway, one of the few surviving monastic gatehouses.
Car enthusiasts should also stop by the headquarters of the Morgan Motor Company, where handcrafted cars have been built since 1910 – a showcase of British heritage and craftsmanship.
A one-night B&B stay in a 'Cosy Room' at The Cottage in the Wood, Malvern (www.cottageinthewood.co.uk) is priced from £104 per night for two adults sharing. 'Best' category rooms in low season starts from £177 per night.
To book a table in 1919 Restaurant or The Brasserie and / or organise a stay, call 01684 588 860 or email reception@cottageinthewood.co.uk.
https://www.cottageinthewood.co.uk/
Article written by Donna Richardson
All images are copyright of The Cottage in the Wood, Malvern