THE sweeping Cotswolds countryside has long drawn in visitors from far and wide, and it’s not hard to see why, writes Natalie Lawson.

We as a young family opted for South Gloucestershire for a weekend away as it was only a few hours away from our west Wales home, but felt a world apart - such was the contrast between the gentle rolling landscape, canals and vistas, and our mountains, lakes and coast.

A change is as good as a rest, they say, and they aren’t wrong. The change of scene (and a wonderful weekend of weather thankfully) really rejuvenated us.

We stayed at the De Vere Tortworth Court hotel at Wotton-under-Edge. This impressive country house is dripping with kerb appeal - we could see immediately why it would be a draw for weddings. Run by De Vere, the service was faultless, the staff so friendly and helpful and the place immaculately kept.

Our family room included a door onto a small patio area with table and chairs, and looked out onto one of the many lawned courts. Our toddler thoroughly enjoyed running free around here while we sipped some wine. A huge bonus, and I recommend parents request a ground floor room with this added extra!

The room itself was spacious and packed with everything we could have needed, included treats to welcome us and our two year old, which went down a storm!

We explored the hotel and particularly admired its rooftop room with spectacular views, the manicured grounds and extensive arboretum, developed at the turn of the 20th century.

Inside, the glass-roofed atrium stole the show. A real show-stopper, we enjoyed a relaxed meal here, with a great selection of dishes on offer, including a children’s menu. We would highly recommend it for family dining, as the atmosphere was less formal than the main dining room.

Breakfast was a suumptuous buffet affair with plenty to choose from, even for a picky toddler. Set in the old library, the surroundings are stunning and the huge windows afford wonderful views over your breakfast orange juice.

Tortworth Court proved a perfect base for exploring the area, and we took the opportunity to do some walking and visit some local sites and attractions. A trip to Stroud was a highlight, with its relaxed atmosphere, bustling market and charming winding streets full of places to sit outside in the sunshine with a coffee.

And only half an hour away was Bristol Zoo and Gardens, a really fun day out for the younger members of the family. Much more compact than we had expected, the site itself - set in the city - is small enough to be manageable with a lottle one, yet they had all the big draws like lions, gorillas and penguins. We took in several talks and demonstrations by the knowledgeable zookeepers and enjoyed a delicious and reasonably-priced lunch on site - quite a departure from what you would normal get at a similar-sized tourist attraction!

After a day of being dragged back to see the funny pink "mingos" for the 100th time, we were delighted to collapse back into the comfy social areas at the Tortworth and get an early night - which was blissfully quiet and uninterrupted despite it being a Saturday night and there was a sold-out Bee Gees tribute night being hald at the hotel’s separate Orangery building.

It's all in the detail: We stayed at the four-star De Vere Tortworth Estate, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8HH. Contact number: 01454 263000.

To find out more and to book, go to www.phcompany.com/de-vere/tortworth-court/

Bristol Zoo Gardens is located in the Clifton area of Bristol close to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, easily accessible by bus, train, bicycle or car.

Go to www.bristolzoo.org.uk for more information, and book online and save up to 29 per cent on your admission tickets.