🥂 Charming 18th-century pub with rooms | 🛌 9 stylish bedrooms | 🌳 Pretty rural village setting | 🍴 Delicious a la carte and set menus | 🐶 Dog-Friendly | 🍼 Children welcome |📍Filkins, Oxfordshire
Why we love The Five Alls near Lechlade for a weekend
“A beautifully refurbished Cotswolds’ pub nestled in a quiet and picturesque village. With exceptional food, 9 luxurious rooms, a sprawling garden and cosy alpine-style nooks to cosy up in with a tipple. There’s a little something for every weary traveller here – including your furry friends.”
Tucked away in the little village of Filkins, The Five Alls near Lechlade is a beautifully restored 18th-century, ivy-clad stone pub that’s perfect for exploring the Cotswolds. Conveniently located midway between the picturesque villages of Burford and Lechlade-on-Thames, there’s plenty to do and see. Though, if you’re tempted to wile away the day in front of the pub’s crackling fire with the owner’s orange tabby, Dougal, we won’t blame you.
With nine plush bedrooms, two dining rooms, a bar area at the front and large garden with a suntrap terrace out the back, The Five Alls is the ideal spot for all seasons – whether you’re looking to cosy up on a crisp autumn evening or soak in the sun on a warm summer afternoon.
About the pub
Since taking over in February 2024, owner Tom Downing has poured his 20 years of hospitality experience into the refurbishment of this 18th-century coach inn and luxury retreat. With care and craftsmanship, original features have been restored to their former glory – rendered Cotswold stone walls, exposed oak beams, flagstone and oak floors, and a stunning inglenook fireplace are all waiting for you. Added to this, there’s original contemporary art, pops of rich colour, floral roman blinds and vintage details (we love the antique gramophone speakers that have been upcycled into pendant lights above the bar).
Together with the general manager, Robert Wilks, Downing has created a warm and inviting country escape that offers exceptional food and gorgeous guest accommodation while still retaining its vital role as the village local. There’s a welcoming buzz that fills the light and cheery pub of an evening, making you feel like one of the local crowd.
Around the handsome Cotswold stone bar, you can choose from a range of cocktails, carefully selected wines, and a good selection of locally produced craft ales and guest beers. You may even find Tom himself chatting amongst the locals, sometimes joined by his sweet pups, Mabel and Rupert.
Yep, dogs are more than welcome in the bar and dining areas. There are even two dog-friendly rooms complete with a happy dog hamper filled with duck bites, enrichment cards, adios poo bags and Earl Grey Hound (tea for dogs), all for just £20 extra a night per dog. You’ll also find dog treats on the bar including rabbit, venison and boar chews.
The rooms
Above this lovely Lechlade pub, there are four en-suite rooms, two double and two kingsize. In additiona, five cottage-style rooms with super kingsize beds sit at the rear of the garden, with the same honey-stone rendering found in the main building and thick beds of fragrant lavender running along the perimeter.
All nine bedrooms are stylish and comfortable – kitted out with thick wool carpeting, vintage furniture, and luxurious walk-in showers. Then there are those extra special touches like duck down duvets, crisp linens, Nespresso coffee machines and Bramley toiletries to make the experience more lavish.
We stayed in Room 5, which had a secluded entrance and an outdoor cafe table perfect for enjoying your morning cuppa in the sunshine. The room was light and spacious with simple decor and calming colours; a perfect contrast to our sunshine yellow ensuite fitted out with all the modern amenities.
The food
Our experience at The Five Alls pub near Lechlade was well and truly topped off by the exceptional food and wine served up by their cheery staff.
They have a range of delicious starters, though the smoked Bibury trout pate was a standout. Creamy and fresh with a very delicate smoky flavour, it came highly recommended by our server. Better still, the local trout farmer is a local who we’d seen sat at the bar moments earlier.
The head chef, Lucian Juganaru, takes great care in crafting seasonal à la carte and set menus that celebrate the very best ingredients found locally and from around the UK. This love and attention to good quality ingredients is evident in every bite.
We were guided to the pressed leg of lamb with pea and mint fricassee and pork belly with buttered spinach, potato rosti and red wine jus, and weren’t disappointed. The lamb in particular was rich and flaky, falling apart on the fork and melting in your mouth, and paired perfectly with their house red wine, a juicy bottle of Primitivo. By the time we reached dessert, we could barely fit in the Five Alls’ coffee panna cotta with amaretto crumble – but somehow we managed.
There were also plenty of delicious sounding vegetarian and vegan options and a dedicated children’s menu for families.
The local area
Filkins is a beautiful, quintessential Cotswold stone village just outside of Lechlade surrounded by lush countryside and farmland. A short wander down the road will lead you to the historic mill, museum and shop, Cotswold Woollen Weavers, where cloth is produced on old looms in traditional patterns. Don’t be deceived by its simplicity – you can easily lose hours here. In addition to rooms full of textiles, clothing and other locally made items, there’s the loom room, the secret garden and cafe, and the statue garden next door.
If you’re looking for a slightly longer outing, hop in a car bound for nearby Burford, with plenty of independent shops and cafes. And, of course, Lechlade, which also offers cute shops and access to the Thames Path. Other nearby sights include Uffington’s White Horse and Iron Age Fort, Kelmscott Manor, and Buscot Manor. The Five Alls is a great base for exploring the best Cotswolds villages, including chocolate-box Bibury. Oxford and Blenheim Palace are around 20 miles away.
Getting to The Five Alls
Filkins is situated just off the A40 between Burford and Lechlade, around a 1.5-hour drive from central London. There’s plenty of space in the large off-road car park to one side of and at the rear of the pub. If you’re taking the train, the nearest railway station is Swindon and it’s a 20 minute taxi from Swindon station to The Five Alls. There is also the 64 bus which takes you from Swindon to Filkins, but the times are few and far between so make sure to plan ahead.
The Essentials
- Doubles above the pub start at £100 a night B&B. Cottage rooms with Kingsize beds from £140 a night.
- Dogs are welcome in the bar and dining areas and there are two dog-friendly rooms for overnight stays.
- Families are welcome. Extra beds for children cost £20 a night each. The Family Room sleeps a family with up to three children.
- Breakfast includes delights such as the Five Alls Full English and the very popular Bubble ‘n Squeak featuring streaky bacon and fried eggs. Coffee, tea, pastries, locally made jams, marmalades and honey are also included.
- All rooms include: Flat Screen TVs, Egyptian cotton linen, Duck down duvets, Toiletries by Bramley, Complimentary Wifi, Roberts radio, Nespresso coffee machines
- The Five Alls uses seasonal, local products wherever possible.
- The pub is a great base for exploring the Cotswolds: Burford, Lechlade, Bibury andCirencester are all a short drive away.
- There are plenty of walks nearby, just ask for guidance at the front desk.
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