The pioneers are local couple Sam and Georgie Pearman (who also run The Swan in nearby Ascott-under-Wychwood). She’s queen of funky interiors, he’s king of innovative menus, so you can expect plush rooms and amazing food. Downstairs, they’ve created a warren of living and dining spaces, including a fire-warmed snug, a bright garden room with climbing jasmine, a private feasting room, and an open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs cooking on an open fire. Outside, it continues, with a terrace for alfresco dining, a garden with a sweeping lawn ringing the property and a shepherd's hut for relaxing treatments. Some of the 19 bedrooms open onto the garden for extra tranquility. In all rooms, you can expect jazzy wallpapers and locally-sourced antiques.
Come here to escape cooped-up city life; the Duke’s location in a small Oxfordshire village makes it ideal for weekend breaks. The Cotswolds are on your doorstep, as are a host of outdoorsy activities and family-friendly days out. This is country living meets urban style and we loved our stay here.
Highs
- The assortment of living and dining spaces creates a buzzy and friendly atmosphere – this would be a great place for private parties or get-togethers
- Delicious food and cocktails served by happy staff
- Gorgeous bedrooms decorated with quirky market finds and many with sumptuous rolltop baths
- Surrounded by beautiful countryside and pretty Cotswold villages; Blenheim Palace and Oxford are within 30 mins
- Ideal for weekend escapes; London is two hours away by car
Lows
- Due to the sociable vibe, a couple of the ground-floor rooms could suffer from a touch of noise pollution from the dining areas and kitchen
- Be aware that hot breakfast items cost extra
- And be prepared for some punchy pricing for their wines
- Although it’s ideal for weekend breaks, getting here by public transport isn’t easy as there’s no train station nearby
- Parking can be tricky at busy times
Best time to go
Our top tips
- Boutique Inn
- 19 rooms
- Restaurant open daily
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Bicycles Available
- Electric car charger
Rooms
The 19 bedrooms come in four categories: Cosy, Medium, Large and Family. Each is individually designed, with British pieces, hand-picked interiors and antiques sourced from local dealers. Patterned wallpapers behind the beds add character, as do colourful tiles and shabby-chic furniture pieces. Some rooms also have added luxuries like in-room bathtubs and private garden access. We stayed in a ground floor Family room which had such access and was a perfect spot to sit out with a cuppa or pre-dinner drink. Our daughter loved her bunk style bed space, inset against the wall.
If you're tall you might want to steer away from their cosy attic rooms - they're still furnished beautifully but have limited head room.
For dog owners some ground floor rooms accept dogs.
All rooms have kingsize or emperor beds and stylish ensuite bathrooms with 100 Acres toiletries. Cafetieres, Roberts radios, retro telephones and TVs come as standard. Extra beds or cots can be added to the larger rooms.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Food is at the heart of The Double Red Duke. Days start with trendy breakfasts, with continental items like granola, bircher muesli, pastries and sourdough included. Brunch-style hot dishes are on offer for an extra cost; the open omelette with smoked haddock was particularly delicious.
Their bar has an excellent selection of cocktails - we had our best Pisco Sour ever here. For dinner their menus change with the season. Generally dishes centre around grilled meat cooked on an open fire, accompanied by vegetables and a range of sides and small plates. We couldn't resist but gorge ourselves on their porterhouse steak which we found exceptional. There’s a separate menu for Sunday lunch, as well as an indulgent feasting menu for parties.
Your choice of spaces to dine is vast: on bar stools at the curved chef’s table, on smart red banquettes in the dining room, outside on the terrace, in the cosy snug. Maybe try a different spot for each meal!
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Room service
Activities
- Chill-out with a massage in the shepherd’s hut out in the garden
- Visit Burford (15 mins) and wander down its hilly high street packed with boutiques, pubs and local produce shops. Burford Garden Company, on the outskirts of town, is also a great place for shopping and lunching
- Other chocolate-box Cotswold towns worth exploring include Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and Cirencester
- Enjoy a riverside walk along the upper Thames: we love the stretch from Buscot (a wild swimming spot) to Kelmscott, where William Morris lived (his manor house is due to re-open to visitors)
- Soak up the views from Uffington White Horse (30 mins), a Bronze-Age hill figure that can be seen from miles away
- Visit Bibury (30 mins) to fish at its Trout Farm and see the famous 17th-century houses of Arlington Row, which regularly feature in films
- Cotswold Water Park (40 mins) is great for watersports, including sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and water-skiing; there are also lovely walking trails around the lakes.
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
Kids
Families are very welcome. There are special Family Rooms, and the restaurant has a dedicated kids’ menu. There isn’t a huge amount for kids on site – it’s more geared up for eating and drinking – but there’s plenty of family fun in the area, including wildlife parks, manor houses and watersports.
Best for:
All ages
Family friendly accommodation:
The three Family Rooms sleep two adults and two children (plus a baby). The Large Rooms can also fit an extra bed or cot on request.
Kids Activities on site:
- Board games
Distances:
- Shops: 5 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The Double Red Duke is in the small village of Clanfield, in Oxfordshire. It's near the Cotswold town of Burford.
By Air
London Heathrow is your best bet if arriving from overseas; Bristol and Birmingham also receive international flights.
By Car
It's easiest to arrive by car, and there's parking on site. It's within 1.5 hours' drive from Southampton, Birmingham or Bristol; around two hours from London. If you need to hire a car see our car hire recommendations.
By Train
The nearest big stations are Swindon or Oxford, both around a 25-minute taxi ride away.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Oxford International Airport 28.0 km OXF
- London Heathrow 100.0 km LHR
Other:
- Beach 0.0 km
- Shops 3.2 km
- Restaurant 0.8 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 4 independent reviews from i-escape guests