Tudor Farmhouse Hotel, Gloucestershire – Review
By Rachel Howard, July 2026
The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire may well be a few hours’ drive from my home in East Yorkshire, but having visited previously (albeit many years ago), I know the drive will be worth it.
The late afternoon sun is casting dappled shadows across the winding roads and plentiful green fields as we make our way to the village of Clearwell, nestled between the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley. Situated on the England-Wales border, Clearwell is pretty, and I mean chocolate box pretty. A church, a handful of pubs, a castle and even some caves make this a quintessentially perfect village, and one I am delighted to call my base for the next couple of days.
My partner Jon and I are staying at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel. Described as a rural retreat and culinary oasis, it speaks to two of our favourite things – the countryside and good food. What could be better! And as we pull down the gravel driveway, I can see we have made the perfect choice.
“Oasis of calm”
Set out around a central courtyard garden, Tudor Farmhouse is so unbelievably pretty it’s almost unreal. As we walk to reception to check in, we see tables and parasols nestled around some of the most perfect planting you will ever see. Each table is placed with precision so as not to feel on top of everyone else. It really is an oasis of calm, tranquility and peace. Plenty of people are having late afternoon drinks in the sunshine, but the sense of calm prevails.
We’re met by Hari Fell, co-owner of the hotel alongside her husband, Colin. Having relocated from London in 2003, Hari and Colin took over the running of Tudor Farmhouse from Hari’s parents and have made quite the transformation. Taking us back across the gorgeous courtyard, we are given the keys to our room for the next two nights – The Cottage. With direct access to the courtyard garden, The Cottage is one of the hotel’s five suites (there are 15 other rooms of varying sizes) and as we enter the hallway, we are suitably impressed.
The ground floor living room features a large sofa (which can be made into a sofa bed for families), seating area with coffee table, smart TV, fireplace, small kitchen area with a Nespresso coffee machine and kettle, fridge and sink and a dressing table. Following the rustic, beam-clad staircase upstairs, we enter the bedroom with king-size bed, free-standing roll-top bath at the foot of the bed and a stunning bathroom with a large rainfall shower, complete with fluffy robes and delicious Bramley toiletries. It really is the perfect romantic retreat. We couldn’t ask for more.
“Superb showcase”
The warm summer evening beckons us back out to a table in the courtyard and we enjoy a pre-dinner drink of Gloucester Brewery Craft Lager (highly recommended!). With the British weather playing ball for once, we decide to make the most of it and stay outside for our evening meal.
Hari brings us the menu to peruse and wow, we’re spoilt for choice. What’s clear from the get-go is the abundance of locally-produced and farmed ingredients. It’s a superb showcase for the area’s best produce. After much deliberation, Jon decides on a starter of koji aged duck breast, teriyaki, daikon radish, soy jelly, orange, sesame snow, coriander and wasabi.
It’s a beautifully presented plate with perfectly balanced textures and flavours. For my starter I decide to go veggie and opt for the hay baked heritage carrots, carrot top pesto, hazelnut, pickled baby carrots and carrot gel. For what is essentially a dish of carrots, this is a smash hit. It’s stunningly presented, with colours so vibrant it’s hard to believe they’re all natural – but I can guarantee they are! It’s scrumptious, and leaves me excited for what’s to come.
“Mouthwatering”
Jon’s main course is Herefordshire beef served with wild garlic emulsion, smoked pomme purée, bone marrow bon bon, braised grelot onion, wilted wild garlic and allium flowers. Again, it’s beautifully presented and a perfect portion size. The wild garlic emulsion is a light yet tasty accompaniment to the rich, tender beef and smooth, velvety pomme purée. Heaven!
I decide to go for the Monmouthshire air-dried chicken, served with confit leg pie, black truffle espuma, sautée potatoes, chicken skin crumb, aged parmesan and caramelised onion purée. I’m delighted with my choice… the chicken is moist, the confit leg pie is a perfect addition and the combination of black truffle, parmesan and caramelised onion is delicious.
Desserts are equally mouthwatering, with Jon going for the chocolate and cherry trifle, served with mascarpone cream, cherry gel and flaked almonds. I opt for the lemon and thyme posset which is accompanied by shortbread crumb, raspberry gel and raspberry sorbet. Both puds were light, full of flavour and the perfect conclusion to a perfect evening.
“Natural caverns”
A night cap in the courtyard rounds off the day and a few hours later – after a great nights sleep – we return to the sun-drenched gardens for breakfast. Just as impressive as the night before, the menu is bursting with locally-sourced ingredients alongside the usual continental offerings. Eggs Benedict for me and a full English for Jon sets us up wonderfully for the day ahead.
With us only being in the area for one full day, we make the most of the time and head off early to explore Clearwell Caves. Just two minutes drive down the road from Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell Caves are a showcase of the area’s 4,500 year mining history. First opened to the public in 1968, the caves are a network of natural caverns mined for iron ore and ‘colour’ (ochre).
As well as fascinating displays throughout, you can see exactly where ‘colour’ has been extracted – right from the Stone Age to the present day. The cave system has also been used for filming purposes over the years, with series including Doctor Who, Willow and The Winter King all using the atmospheric environment as a backdrop to their storylines. It’s a great trip out for adults and families alike, shining a light on the history of the area in an easy and accessible way.
“Magical”
After a quick refreshment stop at the cafe we head for another of the area’s top tourist attractions – Puzzlewood. This 14-acre ancient woodland is just a five minute drive from Clearwell in the depths of the Forest of Dean. A rare temperate rainforest, it is known for its mossy-cloaked scowles, intricate root-lined pathways, secret caves and maze of winding wooden bridges.
Having been formed from a mixture of uplift, erosion and centuries of open-cast iron ore mining, Puzzlewood is now a must-see for tourists to the area as well as a significant filming location for film and television. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Doctor Who, Da Vinci’s Demons and Hidden Kingdoms are just some of the productions that have used Puzzlewood as filming locations. Rumour has it that it was also the inspiration behind JRR Tolkien’s forests of Middle-Earth.
Suitable for adults and children, but not for pushchairs, mobility aids and wheelchairs (due to the uneven ground and slippery steps), a walk around Puzzlewood take around 1-2hrs depending on often you stop for pictures. With every corner revealing something new and magical, your camera roll will undoubtedly fill up quickly! It’s an enchanting place, and in the warm summer sunshine, it offers plentiful shade and moments for quiet contemplation.
“Serenity”
I first visited Puzzlewood about 14 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it, so I was thrilled to get the chance to revisit. The only thing that’s changed in the intervening years is the expansion of the facilities. As well as the cafe, there are now animal enclosures including goats, donkeys, Shetland ponies and rabbits. For younger visitors there is also a playground, a willow maze and musical play in the orchard.
After heading back to Tudor Farmhouse, we nip to the pub next door – the Butchers Arms – for a drink and bite to eat. We are mightily impressed with the pub grub on offer here and thoroughly enjoy the lamb kofta and baconator burger. But it’s not long before we’re heading back to the serenity of the Tudor Farmhouse courtyard for one last evening soaking up the sun with a G&T.
Another wonderful nights sleep follows and after another 10/10 brekkie, we’re back on the road and heading back to East Yorkshire. Our couple of days in the Forest of Dean has been wonderful, and the jewel in the crown was the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel.
“Hidden gem”
Hari and Colin have done a wonderful job turning this once working farm into a boutique hotel that takes high standards to new heights. It’s a haven of tranquility and calm just a stones throw from some of the area’s best tourist attractions. The accommodation is five star and the food is some of the best I’ve had the pleasure of eating.
If we had been staying longer, I would have sampled the spa treatments, which take place in a shepherd’s hut, not to mention some of the hotel’s “Experiences”, which include foraging trips, stargazing safaris and crafternoon teas. They even offer e-bike safaris and specially curated babymoons. They really have thought of everything, and as a guest at the Farmhouse, you can choose to do as little or as much as you like.
The Tudor Farmhouse Hotel is a hidden gem in one of England’s prettiest corners. Two days just wasn’t long enough and we can’t wait to return.
From £139 B&B per night.
After studying English at university and having a lifelong love of writing, Rachel, a full-time editor, came to On Yorkshire in 2017 where she started off reviewing theatre productions in and around the East Yorkshire area. That love of theatre soon expanded into hotels, restaurants and travel, not to mention becoming one of On Yorkshire’s resident beauty editors, reviewing the latest products, spas and treatments. Rachel loves to sample the very best Yorkshire and the UK have to offer in order to bring you the low down on the high life!
