The Old Bell, Malmesbury: England's oldest hotel meets Lone Star style to create something special

To take a walk around Malmesbury is to be almost overwhelmed by Englishness. A labyrinth of honey-coloured stone, where the wisteria grows and blooms just so. Charity shops and the passing elderly. History around every corner, interspersed by babbling brooks and lush green fields. Streets of indistinguishable sizes and directions. An abbey. Aethelstan. All that is missing is a Spitfire spinning in the sky.

It’s almost too much, this arcadia. A film-set passing off as real life. But there is no doubt that it is perhaps one of the country’s most beautiful towns, because it is so perfectly English. Is it any surprise, then, that it is also home to England’s oldest hotel? Where else would it be?

The hotel in question is The Old Bell, and it was opened as a hostelry by Abbott Loring in 1220. Now it is owned and managed by a couple from Dripping Springs, Texas, called Kim and Whit Hanks. Hang on a minute. Texas? The place with the cowboys? England’s oldest hotel is owned and run by a couple from Texas? Yes, and thank goodness too.

It is far from the easiest thing in the world to take a hotel, especially a hotel like the Old Bell, and keep it both relevant to its place (Malmesbury) and exotic. I would argue that it is perhaps the most difficult balancing act in hospitality. But the rewards are great, if executed correctly, and what Kim and White have achieved at the Old Bell is nothing short of sensational.

I would not even want to imagine how difficult it might be to re-design and redecorate a building from the 13th century; a building that is likely so listed that even looking at it funny will land you in prison. Breathing new life into a building that has already seen so much is a task only to be undertaken by those with exceptional taste, something that the English would not normally associate with the Lone Star State.

And yet, to walk through the halls and rooms of the Old Bell is to see the very best of design. It is a space where English curiosity and eccentricity has been brought to the fore, with just the right amount of New World razzle dazzle to make things pop. A faux giraffe head here, a Tyger bar there, and in between, William Morris-esque wallpapers, wicker chairs, brass and wood.

The aesthetic is so important because it is so fun, without being in any way tacky. It makes the Old Bell a place worth visiting, rather than just another honey-coloured piece of furniture in the traditional tapestry of the Cotswolds. And as much as Malmesbury is ‘England’, so too is that sense of fun, of bright wallpaper and curios, of joy steeped in tradition. We just need to be reminded that it's there.

You can say lots of things about the Americans, and not all of them are kind. But what they do better than anything else is hospitality and fun. The Old Bell could have been, perhaps should have been, just like any other small luxury hotel in this most perfect part of England. But it isn’t, because a fresh eye and a splash of joy is just what it needed to be even better.

The Rooms

There is always a danger in a hotel that is more than 800 years old that a man of 194cms in height is going to struggle. Somehow not so. The rooms are wildly spacious and the ceilings high. Kim’s outstanding taste is prevalent, creating rooms of sincere character that make the most of their unusual shapes. But comfort is first and foremost — the beds are serene and there are plenty of plugs of all shapes and sizes. The bathrooms are also very elegant — think big baths, brass taps, rainfall showers.

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The Food

If the eccentric charm of the Old Bell isn’t enough to tempt you to visit, then come at least for the food. At Abbey Row, the in-house restaurant, Daniel Kerr combines local and seasonal ingredients to create a menu of traditional English fare that’s cooked to perfection. There is plenty to enjoy a la carte, but the real show is in the set tasting menu, where seven courses allow him to really show off. Much like the rest of the hotel, it’s all very English, with a splash of American flair. Great cocktails and a terrific wine list are a given.

The Old Bell also offers a sensational afternoon tea offering and, while I didn’t have time to try it, it seems that people travelled from far and wide to have a go. The presentation looked top notch.

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What to do while you’re there

Where to start. The Cotswolds is a rich tapestry of history, culture and activities. In the hotel itself, why not try the cocktail making class. As well as learning three of the hotel’s signature drinks, you’ll also be nicely lubricated for the rest of the evening.

In Malmesbury itself, there is lots of walking to be done, and the hotel offers a helpful map which not only tells you where to go, but what to look at and some helpful historical insight. There are also a lot of very good charity shops in the town, so bargain-hunting is a must.

Further afield, Lake 32 offers paddleboarding and other watersports, Westonbirt Arboretum is a short drive away, as is The King’s home at Highgrove.