Last week, The Old Bell in Malmesbury – England’s oldest hotel – was named the Best Hotel/Inn in the 2023 National Muddy Stilettos Awards.
Originally opened in 1220 and set in the chocolate box borough of Malmesbury, Wiltshire, the hotel had a full refurb in 2021 courtesy of owners Kim Hanks and her husband, renowned antiques dealer and collector Whit Hanks.
The Old Bell was one of over 77,000 businesses considered across the 2023 Muddy Stilettos awards. Readers across the country voted for their favourite businesses within 28 counties. The Old Bell Hotel won its regional final and was then chosen by an expert team as the national winner of the Best Hotel/Inn category, cementing its place as a quintessential Cotswolds bolthole.
Each of its 34 stylish bedrooms is individually designed and furnished with colourful wall coverings. There are two bar concepts – the 1220 bar and the terraced, aviary-like Tyger Bar, as well as an on-site fine dining restaurant. Headed up by multi-award-winning executive chef Leigh Evans, the restaurant’s menus feature hyper-seasonal and local ingredients. Leigh works directly with The Old Bell Hotel’s gardeners, who grow much of the kitchen’s produce from their kitchen garden at Abbey House Manor.
To learn more about The Old Bell and book, visit their website.