Artist Residence Oxfordshire – South Leigh, England
A 16th-century country pub where thatched-roof England meets contemporary art and eccentric design.
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A wonderfully unconventional mix of 16th-century architecture, contemporary art and eccentric British humour, with everything from William Morris patterns to Andy Doig neon.
● Just nine individually designed rooms, including romantic farmhouse suites and a Shepherd’s Hut hidden in the garden.
● The Mason Arms remains a proper village pub, drawing locals as well as hotel guests for local ales, excellent seasonal food and long evenings around the fire.
Not Your Typical Country Inn
From the lane through tiny South Leigh, Artist Residence Oxfordshire looks almost suspiciously traditional. Thatched roof. Stone mullion windows. Timber beams. An old village pub surrounded by Oxfordshire countryside. Then you walk inside. A neon artwork glows beside centuries-old panelling. Provocative photographs hang above flagstone floors. Pitchforks share wall space with contemporary art. William Morris florals meet battered leather, velvet banquettes and objects collected from antique fairs. Artist Residence hasn’t attempted to modernise the old pub out of existence. Instead, it has made its eccentricities even more interesting.
A 16th-Century Original
The building has been part of village life for centuries. Its history includes time as a farmhouse before evolving into The Mason Arms, and much of that accumulated character survives: inglenook fireplaces, carved oak panelling, old stone floors, low ceilings and timbered eaves. Justin and Charlotte Salisbury brought it into the Artist Residence family without stripping away that history. Their intervention is deliberately irreverent. Works by The Connor Brothers, Andy Doig and other contemporary artists sit alongside antiques, old rugs, traditional fabrics and objects that appear to have been discovered rather than specified. It feels less like a designed hotel than the country house of an eccentric collector.
Nine Rooms, Nine Personalities
There are only nine rooms, including two suites, and uniformity isn’t part of the plan. The rooms above the pub tuck themselves beneath the old eaves, combining original beams and timber floors with reclaimed furniture, patterned rugs, artwork and seriously comfortable beds. The larger farmhouse rooms offer more space and some particularly seductive bathrooms. Think freestanding copper or brushed-metal baths, rainfall showers, old timber and fireplaces rather than acres of polished marble. Then there’s the Shepherd’s Hut, sitting at the bottom of the garden for anyone who wants the country fantasy taken one step further. Modern comforts are sensibly integrated: Bramley toiletries, Roberts radios, Nespresso machines and minibars stocked with local treats.
The Mason Arms
The best thing about Artist Residence Oxfordshire may be that The Mason Arms still feels like a pub. Not a hotel restaurant disguised as one. Locals drop in for a pint. Dogs settle beside the fire. Newspapers and cards appear on tables. Hotel guests gradually become part of the room rather than occupying a separate hospitality bubble. Original mahogany pews and panelling mingle with William Morris wallpaper, contemporary art, battered armchairs and Andy Doig’s neon. It is cosy, but never twee.
A Country Pub That Takes Food Seriously
The kitchen gives you another reason not to leave. The cooking is grounded in British country-pub traditions but draws heavily on local and seasonal produce, including vegetables and herbs from the hotel’s own garden. Depending on the season, that might mean local game, fish, vegetables from nearby growers or comforting pub classics alongside more ambitious plates. Breakfast follows the same philosophy: a proper full English, bacon rolls, eggs, sourdough and dishes substantial enough to prepare you for a day outside. And naturally, there are local ales at the bar.
Country Life, Artist Residence Style
Beyond the pub is a garden made for long summer afternoons, while footpaths lead into the surrounding countryside. Yet South Leigh isn’t nearly as remote as it feels. Oxford and Blenheim Palace are both around nine miles away, while Burford and the eastern Cotswolds are within easy reach. Kelmscott Manor — William Morris’s country retreat — makes an especially appropriate excursion given the patterns appearing back at the hotel. The location gives you access to the Cotswolds without requiring you to stay in one of its more polished postcard villages. That suits Artist Residence perfectly.
The Art of Imperfection
There’s an important thread connecting the Artist Residence hotels. They aren’t trying to make old buildings pristine. At South Leigh, worn timber is allowed to remain worn. Old stone floors don’t need correcting. Vintage furniture doesn’t have to match. Contemporary art can be funny, provocative or completely unexpected. The contrast is precisely what gives the place its character. Artist Residence Oxfordshire takes the archetypal English country pub and gives it a wonderfully subversive twist. Come for the thatched roof, open fires and Oxfordshire countryside; stay for the art, copper baths, local ales and the feeling that you’ve stumbled into the country home of someone with a very good eye — and a slightly wicked sense of humour.
