English Country Inns

Happy New Year!

Why not make it a New Year resolution to explore and discover more of this great country of ours in 2026 with a short break at a quintessential English country inn?

Link in the comments section below.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas, from the team at English Country Inns.

May your Christmas be as magical as this!

Another mini heatwave is on the way...or so they say. Why not take advantage of the weather to relax, recharge those batteries before the sun disappears and autumn approaches? Leave the beaches to the families, and head instead to the Cotswolds where there are still many tranquil backwaters to explore...
https://www.english-inns.co.uk/Cotswolds.htm

WATERSIDE ESCAPES AWAIT!

Dreaming of a pub where the view is as good as the pint?

Discover our handpicked waterside inns... from cosy riverside gems to scenic seaside stays. Perfect for boaters, walkers and anyone who enjoys a tipple by the tide.

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Seaside Inns, Waterside Inns and Hotels by the Sea | English Inns Seaside hotels, riverside inns, smugglers inns and hotels by the beach. Browse here for the best seaside and riverside inns in England.

'The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.' - Winston Churchill.
Today is World Gin Day! Raise a glass and toast this most useful and yet historically destructive spirit. Whilst a gin and tonic in the Tropics helped ward off malaria, in the early 18th century gin was so cheap to buy that it became the drink of choice of the poor, offering an escape from the grinding poverty of their everyday lives but leading to a rise in crime, public nudity, prostitution and madness...

80 years ago today, the nation celebrated V.E. Day - Victory in Europe Day. This year we remember with immense gratitude those who fought for our freedoms, whilst also celebrating the end of the conflict.

There are events planned all over the country to celebrate and commemorate. Will you be attending a street party? Or a tea party at home perhaps? Or maybe a visit to your local pub with a glass of English wine and a pint of local ale?

Let's get out the bunting, sing along with Vera Lynn and celebrate!

80th anniversary of V.E. Day.

Pubs will now be allowed to open two hours longer and close at 1am on May 8th!

Let's raise a glass to the memory of the brave soldiers who fought for our freedoms and to celebrate the end of World War Two in Europe.

Cheers!

Happy St George's Day!

St George is the patron saint of England. He famously fought the dragon and is the patron saint of knights and soldiers amongst others.

It is somehow fitting that St George's Day is also the traditionally recognized birthday of William Shakespeare, England's greatest playwright, in 1564. He also died on this day in 1616!

Wishing everyone a peaceful Good Friday and a Happy Easter.

A survey by Nisbets has found the following to be the nation's five favourite pub dishes:

1. Sunday Roast
2. Fish & Chips
3. Steak & Chips
4. Hunter's Chicken
5. Scampi

Do you agree? What would be your top five? Let us know in the comments below.

The ancient monument of Stonehenge is world famous. But there is another, even more impressive, intricate set of stone circles not far away at Avebury. This is a very mystical place where, unlike at Stonehenge, you can get up close and even touch - or hug - these ancient monoliths!

And right in the middle of these ancient stones there is a village with a chocolate-box pretty thatched pub, the Red Lion.

Unfortunately there is no overnight accommodation here but perhaps that is just as well, as it claims to be one of the most haunted pubs in the country!

Here at the English Country Inns HQ we have been debating what makes a perfect pub/inn. We came up with the following:

First, a great host. There's nothing like a cheerful welcome and easy conversation to make you relax.
Second: great food and drink. Goes without saying!!
Third: character. Nooks, crannies, uneven walls and historic features all help to create a cosy atmosphere.
Fourth: a real fire. In our opinion if an inn has a fire it should always be lit, except for the few instances when the mercury is over 25 degrees!! Inside the thick walls of an historic inn, it is always a cooler than outside.
Fifth: dog friendly area of the pub (so those who don't like dogs don't have to put up with them!) and if at all possible, a boot room for muddy boots.
Sixth: a beer garden for those barmy summer days and evenings.

We would like your thoughts: do you agree? Have we left anything out? What do you think? L:et us know via the comments section below.