The Old Bell Hotel: whimsy and charm in historic Wiltshire

Giraffes, monkeys and bold, bright colours add a playful touch to this 800-year-old inn

Sitting atop a hill on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, Malmesbury looks like a postcard. Pretty stone-built cottages and antiques shops line the cobbled streets, and the hauntingly beautiful 12th-century abbey still stands proudly at the centre of the quiet market town.

Next door is the wisteria-clad Old Bell Hotel, dating back over 800 years. Its owners – Kim and Whit Hanks – claim it is the oldest inn in England. So it’s something of a surprise, stepping through the front door, to be greeted by two life-size giraffes. “Don’t worry: they’re not real,” the receptionist reassures me. “Giraffes are Kim’s favourite animal.”

It’s the first of many quirky design details throughout the hotel. Each room is a riot of colours, patterns, and eclectic furnishings – a far cry from the muted shades of beige and grey that typically adorn high-end English country hotels. But then, Kim and Whit are Texans.

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The American hoteliers purchased the Old Bell back in 2021; Whit knew he had ancestral ties to Malmesbury, but it wasn’t until they bought the property that they discovered one of his distant relatives had owned part of the hotel over a century earlier. The result is a striking blend of old and new, preserving the building’s storied history while adding a sense of fun.

No two rooms are the same. Kim worked closely with designer Charlotte Smiley to put her stamp on the bold interiors, and each of the 34 rooms are unique, with carefully chosen hand-drawn wallpapers and intricately patterned curtains.

To soak up the history, book one of the suites in the main building (a word of warning: the hotel is said to be haunted). Named after people who have owned or leased the hotel throughout its history, these are the most spacious accommodations: some have grand four-poster beds, wooden beamed ceilings, and views of the abbey. There are also a handful of dog-friendly rooms, and a collection of smaller ‘cosy’ rooms in the adjoining coach house.