I don’t need any excuse to go to the Cotswolds, so it’s always a treat to be asked to shoot a country house hotel there. The village of Barnsley is everything one would expect from a Cotswold village: picturesque stone cottages huddled around a pretty church, and the imposing manor house looking on from behind its stone walls. The manor house was converted into a hotel only a few years ago, and has the added bonus of sitting in exquisite gardens designed by Rosemary Verey.
One of the pleasures of shooting hotels is the range of subject matter to focus on. While bedroom and restaurant shots are important, they are only part of the story. In addition there is the spa, the cinema, the food, the grounds, the location, and all those incidental images that make somewhere appealing. So my day started in the estate’s greenhouses photographing the home grown produce served in the restaurant.
Then to the kitchens for the action shot.
The attraction of Barnsley House is summed up in these images as the mix of cosy Cotswold charm, and sophisticated, contemporary facilities. The ideal combination.
