Cotswold Villages

There have been many discussions here about how to see the Cotswolds without a rental car: use the Search box at the top of this window to search for those discussions.
Most N. American travelers reporting in here appear to bite the bullet (driving on the "wrong" side of the road) in order to make their Cotswold visit more efficient, since public transportation options are limited (no trains within the Cotswolds, only one or two stations where trains even stop).

I’ve stayed in Cheltenham, Chipping Campden and most recently in Stratford Upon Avon. Each was fine, but I had a rental car. There are a number of other villages near each. Stratford is larger, but almost all its sites can be seen in a day. Most of the villages’ sites can be seen in an hour or two. Cheltenham has little to offer and further from the popular villages.

November really isn’t the time to visit the Cotswolds, particularly without a car - there will be no colour in the gardens and it will be dark at 4pm and a fair chance of it being cold and wet. At that time of year, I would visit somewhere with more to do inside.

Yes, it is easier to have a car, but with being there only for the weekend you could use the bus or a cab. I would suggest staying in one of these villages Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water or Chipping Campden because I know buses goes to them. You will need to check the bus schedules, it’s not the same everyday.

We traveled to the Cotswolds without a car May 2016. We traveled with another couple and split the cost for the following drivers. From airport to Chipping Campden we used Cotswold Connections: [email protected]. He took us both directions.
We had booked our own AirBnb, we wanted someone to drop off 7/or pick up we used Chipping Campden Walks,
Dennie Gibson is owner, she was wonderful. One day it was raining buckets and she suggested Stratford Upon Avon it was brilliant. Don't miss Hidcoate Garden, do miss Bourton on the Water so touristy. Dennie discouraged but I was taken in with the reference to Venice of the Cotswolds definitely Not. I loved the Cotswold area and hope to return some day.

You are at a disadvantage not having a car in the Cotswolds.
We loved Chipping Campden and stayed at the Volunteer Inn, which has the best pub in town as well as a great Indian Restaurant.

As has been noted November isn’t the best month to visit the Cotswolds which, due to RS, have become a bucket list visit for many.

Unfortunately their popularity has created an atmosphere where towns like Burton on the Water can be as crowded as Disneyland. At least that’s how I felt when I visited a few years ago.

That said there are also many other lovely villages and towns all with in an hour to 2 hours jaunt by train from London.

https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/ten-chocolate-box-villages-within-reach-of-london

Maybe you’ll find one of the above of more interest.

We visited the Cotswolds in mid-October and the weather was very nice. Not sure about November.

While I have yet to visit the Cotswolds region, I have researched potential trips quite extensively. I agree that traveling with a rental car is probably the most efficient way to see the region, I've also come to the conclusion that one can visit for a short period of time, see enough to satisfy their interest without one.

Moreton in Marsh is served by the Great Western from Paddington station in under 2 hours. From Moreton in Marsh, one can find ways to explore deeper into the region. However, those options probably become a bit sparse outside the high season...

The Cotswolds.info website (https://www.cotswolds.info/) is a great source of information for visiting the region.

We traveled without a car using Cotswold Connections: [email protected]. to and from airport to Chipping Campden. This was in 2016.
We then used a company that usually provides transport btw villages we had an airbnb and didn't want to move. Chipping Campden Walks, Dennie is the owner and was very accommodating. You'll love it not sure how it will be in November, good luck!

We had a car and were torn between staying at Chipping Campden or Stow on the Wold. We stayed at Stow and visited CC. I have no regrets with our decision as we enjoyed Stow. We were there in April and the weather was chilly and damp at times.

We enjoyed our time in the Cotswolds but in hindsight, I think York (personal runner-up on the wishlist) would have been a better choice weather-wise. YMMV.

Public transport can be poor on Sundays - you need a car in my opinion - even for the other days. Check out Google Streetview so you know what to expect.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.9641746,-1.81541,22951m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

We visited the Cotswolds in December. While it wasn't the best in terms of weather, gardens, etc, it was uncrowded and the shopkeepers and tea houses were very happy to see us. And the cream teas on a cool December afternoon -- wonderful!

I stayed in Stow-on-the-Wold for 2 nights this past June. Very charming village and for it's size, has a fair amount of store fronts and options to choose from for drinks and eats. Stayed at the Victoria House and although the rooms were on the smaller size, it was very pleasant and clean for the price and right downtown.

I rented a car for this trip, so you may be at a disadvantage without one and may be difficult to be able to hop around from village to village like I was able to. I visited Chipping Campden, which had great charm, but slightly less options for pubs and restaurants than Stow from what I saw. Also visited Broadway, which was super quaint and charming, and from there is where I started my Cotswolds Way walk (path directly from downtown Broadway to Cotswold walking path and Broadway Tower.)

I would say either of these 3 options would probably suit your needs and wants for a Cotswold village experience. For November in particular -- depending on the weather, probably Stow-on-the-Wold due to have the most options within the village at short distances.