Bolthole Retreats was founded in 2017 by Martin McWilliam and is based in Cheltenham. We are the leading independent agency for Cotswold holiday rental properties. We work closely with owners and housekeepers to ensure that guests have a truly memorable stay. We pride ourselves on our local knowledge, whether it be of a local farm shop, cycle routes or events. Our aim is to enable guests to have the opportunity to enjoy authentic Cotswold experiences, from the Cotswold experts, in a lovely Cotswold property that suits their needs.

The Sycamore is a beautifully designed, luxurious retreat for two in the popular Cotswold village of Arlington, in the parish of Bibury. The owners have spared no expense furnishing this bolthole, using a clever combination of contemporary building materials, sumptuous fabrics, gorgeous antiques and eye-catching artwork. The Sycamore sits in the grounds of Arlington House, in the heart of the Cotswolds, and includes many extra welcoming touches that will delight you and make your stay that little bit special. A minute’s walk from a local pub with a roaring log fire and garden and just a 1/4 mile from Bibury's famous Arlington Row. Book with us to get exclusive discounts to top attractions and experiences.

Arlington was first mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) and was for centuries a village known for cloth making. Arlington village and Bibury village sit side-by-side, separated by the River Coln, a tributary of the River Thames. The village’s honey coloured cottages are what many visitors regard as quintessential Cotswold, with most making a beeline to the famous Arlington Row cottages, once depicted on the inside cover of every UK passport, and just a minute’s walk from The Sycamore. Arlington was also the ancestral birthplace of John Custis II, who emigrated to the Colony of Virginia and named his Virginian mansion "Arlington" after the village. Arlington Mansion was abandoned, but the name was used again by Custis’ great-great-grandson, George Washington Parke Custis (the grandson of Martha Washington and step-grandson and adopted son of George Washington, the first President of the United States) as the name for Arlington Estate on the south shore of the Potomac River near what is now Washington, D.C. Today it is known as Arlington National Cemetery. The 19th-century artist and craftsman William Morris called Bibury "the most beautiful village in England".