5 Day All-inclusive, Painting Retreat in Bourton-on-the-Water
May 18 - 22 2026
I am organising a plein-air, painting retreat in the Cotswolds next Spring, which will take place on the dates above.
This will be released for sale at 9am on Friday 22nd August and places can be reserved for a £200, non-refundable, deposit.
Read the full details below…
About this retreat:
During what promises to be a glorious few days of painting, I will take you to some of the most paintable spots in and around the gorgeous village of Bourton-on-the-Water, in the heart of the Cotswolds, on the River Windrush, Gloucestershire.
Working plein-air (from life), I will both demonstrate and guide you through some of the best methods of painting and sketching the scenic landscape, in both oils, acrylics and/or gouache (depending on the class interest), taking in scenes including the river itself, the honey-coloured stone buildings, weeping willows, wisteria covered houses and more. In case of inclement weather, we will have the use of an indoor painting space.
About Bourton-on-the-Water:
Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, Bourton-on-the-Water is an idyllic village, famed for its beautiful buildings and meandering river spanned by 5 arched bridges. Regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England, Bourton-on-the-Water has a unique, broad and popular appeal to visitors and residents alike.
With plenty to see and do, Bourton-on-the-Water offers a wealth of attractions and shops, restaurants, cafes and tea rooms all situated in the heart of the Cotswolds; an area of outstanding natural beauty, famous for chocolate-box villages, acres of romantic rolling hills, cosy country pubs and rich natural beauty.
The Accommodation:
Our home for this fully inclusive retreat will be Harrington House, a beautiful Grade II listed, 4* hotel, right in the heart of the village. Showcasing a mix of Tudor, Palladian and Georgian architectural styles, the house was built in 1662. The house has numerous, well-appointed, guest rooms, two lounges, a licensed bar and an attractive dining room. Elsewhere, there’s a handy boot and drying room, books and games to borrow during your stay, a walled garden, a large croquet lawn and landscaped grounds. The house also has a Discovery Point offering a wide range of local area maps, route guides, and easy-to-follow information for self-guided walks, ideal for non-painting partners.
All rooms are en-suite and include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries and a TV.
Room types include doubles, singles and twins and can be requested upon booking.
Non-painting partners are warmly welcomed to join to take advantage of the accommodation, food, amenities and ideal location for further exploring the Cotswolds.
Breakfast, a packed lunch and cooked dinner are provided as part of this retreat. Led by experienced chefs, Harrington House serves a wide range of dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients, aiming to source the best produce available and uses home-grown herbs and vegetables from their own gardens whenever possible. As well as full-board, your trip also includes a cream tea on arrival and a hearty breakfast on departure day. Vegetarian and vegan menu choices are available as well as catering for allergies, food intolerances, or any other special dietary requirements.
In case of inclement weather, there is a convenient room inside Harrington House which we are able to use as a studio space. If this happens, we will work from photos of Bourton-on-the-Water and other Cotswolds scenes.
What is included:
Full painting tuition for 3-days (Tues, Weds, Thurs) including group demonstrations and plenty of 1-1 guidance, working from 10am - 4pm
Fully planned itinerary: based around the weather, paintable locations and convenient amenities
4-nights accommodation from Monday 18 - Friday 22 May
All food (including breakfast, a packed lunch and evening dinner) courtesy of Harrington House
Free parking, Wifi and use of the amenities and public rooms in Harrington House
All participants are required to arrange / bring the following:
Travel to and from Bourton-on-the-Water
Adequate travel insurance is mandatory for everyone. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness.
Your own preferred painting tools and materials, suitable for plein-air work. A detailed materials list will be sent to participants nearer the time.
Itinerary:*
Monday 18: Arrival at Harrington House from 4pm. Cream Tea on arrival, check into your room and explore the house. Welcome meeting with Peter and the group, before dinner.
Tuesday 19: Breakfast. 10am - Morning demonstration on Composition and Design: How to start a painting/drawing with emphasis on creating a strong composition with buildings. Lunch from 1pm. Afternoon - continue work on this theme with 1-1 support from Peter. Dinner from 6pm.
Wednesday 20: Breakfast. 10am - Morning demonstration on Getting Confident with Colour: Using colour more effectively to create a stronger sense of harmony in your painting. Lunch from 1pm. Afternoon - continue work on this theme with 1-1 support from Peter. Dinner from 6pm.
Thursday 21: Breakfast. 10am - Morning demonstration on Mark-making and Texture: Creating paintings with more life and energy, using more expressive and textural brush work. Lunch from 1pm. Afternoon - continue work on this theme with 1-1 support from Peter. Dinner from 6pm.
Friday 22: Breakfast. Check-out by 10am.
*subject to change dependent on the weather
Participants working in all painting mediums are welcome to join this retreat. Peter will be working in oils, acrylic and gouache.
The painting participants will be limited to 15 places. (This does not include non-painting partners who are warmly welcomed to join.)
For more information on Harrington House, please visit https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/country-houses/locations/bourton-on-the-water-cotswolds
For more information on Bourton-on-the-Water, please visit https://bourtoninfo.com/
Pricing:
Painting participant prices start from £1069 per person. This is based on a shared Classic room (double or twin), for two people.**
Non-painting partners can join from £589 (based on sharing a Classic room with a painting participant).
Classic Single room supplements are £20 per person.**
Premium room supplements are £40 per person.**
**Room allocation will be on a first-come, first served basis and we will do our best to accommodate everyone’s requirements. Single and Premium rooms are limited, and if there are none left, we will offer you a Classic room instead - we will confirm this with you when we contact you.
Places are secured with a £200 deposit for each painting participant. (If you are bringing a non-painting partner, please indicate this on the checkout “form” and we will contact you to arrange their deposit payment separately.)
Once we have received your deposit, we will contact you to confirm your details, including room allocation and therefore the total amount due. We will then discuss and agree a payment plan with you, for the remaining balance.
Non-painting partners are most welcome.
If you are interested, please put the 22nd August in your diaries as places are expected to sell quickly.
FAQ’s
Can I join as a day participant without staying in the hotel?
I’m afraid not. This is an all-inclusive retreat and the package and price I have secured at the hotel is based upon a group booking, meaning that we all need to be guests of Harrington House. My courses at Hogshaw Farm and with the Broadway Arts Festival are non-residential so you may want to consider those instead.
Do I have to share a room?
No, there are a few single rooms for which there is an additional supplement to pay.
How many places does the £200 deposit cover?
One painting participant. If you are booking for 2 painters, you will need to pay 2 deposit payments. If you wish to bring a non-painting partner, please indicate this on the form and Kimberley will contact you to pay their deposit separately.
What will happen after I have paid the deposit?
Kimberley will contact you to confirm your room selection and whether you are bringing a non-painting partner, which will determine the total cost. She will then discuss and agree a payment plan for you. You can pay in instalments or in full - Kimberley will discuss the options with you.
Is the deposit refundable?
No, I’m afraid not. We will be passing your deposit onto the hotel in early September which secures us this group rate. Their terms are that it is non-refundable.
Will we be the only group at the hotel?
No, there will be other groups at the hotel, we do not have sole occupancy.
Can I come on the holiday as a non-painter?
Non-painting partners, sharing a room with a painter, are most welcome to attend; every room booking must contain at least 1 painting participant.
Will you provide transport?
You are responsible for your transport to and from the hotel. During the three days, we will be based within walking distance of the hotel. If you wish to or want to travel further afield, staff at the hotel can help you arrange taxis / buses etc but the cost of these will be additional to the cost of the course.
Can I attend from outside of the UK?
Absolutely, all are welcome. If you need help getting to Bourton-on-the-Water from an airport, we can provide you with help and assistance to book your transfers.
Why do I need travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking with the hotel that all guests have adequate travel insurance. It is mandatory for everyone travelling on a holiday with them and is a condition of booking (UK and overseas holidays). You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, neither we nor HF holidays, will be liable for any losses arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
Can I reserve a space now?
Not yet…spaces for this retreat will be released at 9am on Friday 22nd August and places are first-come, first-served. By giving everyone advance notice of the release date, we think this is the fairest way.
