By Sarah Rappaport
England’s most picturesque countryside destination is becoming extremely popular with Americans, and the election is being cited as one reason for the surge in interest.
Hi, it’s Sarah Rappaport, your luxury reporter in London. Last time you heard from me, I was soaking up the sun on the Athens Riviera. This week, I wrapped up warm on a reporting trip to the Athens of the north—Edinburgh.
The Scottish capital is having a real moment now with some stellar new hotel openings such as 100 Princes Street, which features bespoke tartan designs and unbeatable views of the castle. More on that to come in December.
But for now, let’s talk about my favorite British countryside escape, the Cotswolds, which are a Nancy Meyers fever dream, especially now in the twinkling festive season and with a light dusting of snow on the cobbled streets.
The 800 square miles of rolling hills and small villages are less than two hours away from London, and lately a spate of new openings and an influx of Americans have it drawing comparisons to the Hamptons, the beachy summer playground of New York’s elite.
Take, for instance, the year-old members club Estelle Manor, also one of the Cotswolds’ best new luxury hotels, which has quickly become one of the hottest hangouts in the area.
When I arrived for lunch to meet with a top Cotswolds real estate agent on a Thursday afternoon in November, the light-filled brasserie and common spaces were busy, and I was delighted to see the opulent Jacobean manor house all decked out for the holidays. I also noticed a helicopter landing on the grounds and overheard American accents in the parking lot full of Range Rovers and flashy sports cars.
The Cotswolds are getting more celebrity residents, too. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are said to have made a permanent move to the Cotswolds from California and were spotted at Jeremy Clarkson’s buzzy new pub last week. The move was reported in The Wrap as a decision to leave the US because of the election results.
I can’t speak to their reasoning, but I did see DeGeneres at the RH England launch party last summer, dancing to an Idris Elba DJ set at the stately home-turned furniture store, so they clearly had some connection to the English countryside before President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
“The Cotswolds seems to be a mecca for Americans who want the ‘London lite’ lifestyle with great schooling,” Gladwin says. He adds that his American clients aren’t afraid of a big historical renovation project either.
Gladwin says a client from New York recently purchased a Grade I-listed house—meaning a heritage building of highest historical significance—and is working with local experts to bring it into the modern day.
Camilla Dell, founder of Black Brick agency, says she’s seen a number of Americans buy in the waterfront Lakes by Yoo development in the Cotswolds, which is home to a spa in collaboration with supermodel Kate Moss. A two-bed cabin is listed at £1.4 million ($1.75 million).
“The countryside may be in a new phase as Americans living in London start buying weekend retreats, like New Yorkers buying in the Hamptons,” Dell says. And as Yankees invade, Cotswolds businesses are catering to them.
D’Ambrosi Fine Foods, which opened in the historic market town of Stow-on-the-Wold during the pandemic and flies the stars and stripes, is owned by Americans Jesse and Andrew D’Ambrosi (as seen on Top Chef), who have made the Cotswolds their new home.
Interior designer and floral stylist Jesse says that while their menu isn’t strictly American, they’ve been fortunate to cultivate a loyal American clientele, which is driving a rise in demand for their holiday catering. The business goes big for the Fourth of July and, of course, Thanksgiving. (Judging by the photo, that includes canned cranberry sauce, as the Pilgrims intended. Fight me.)
“This year we’ve had a 40% increase in orders for our Thanksgiving menu, which includes a rather extraordinary smoked and glazed turkey and the meanest dark chocolate pecan pie in the land. It seems to hit the ticket for those craving a taste of home,” says Jesse, who notes that she’s seen more Americans both visiting and living in the Cotswolds, even outside the festive season.
“It’s also great to hear how many Thanksgiving celebrations are happening locally,” she continues. “As Americans ourselves, it’s music to our ears.”
