The idea of healing ‘energies’ informs the interior design of this picturesque 18th century Palladian mansion set in the Cotswolds

Interior designer: Marchella de Angelis

Approaching through the traditional but beautiful countryside in Gloucestershire, there is nothing remarkable about the outside of the hotel. In fact it lulls you into anticipating paneled walls, chintz and Georgian armchairs. Its elegant Grade II facade suggests a country manor house that blends in with the rest of the quaint village of Painswick. But as soon as you walk in, the place makes you giggle.

The experience is transforming. More rock ‘n’ roll than Cotswold stone; more retro than contemporary, and  more punk and eccentric than you can imagine. It makes the Sex Pistols and The Clash seem quite corporate. Make no mistake, this is a funky hotel.

Immediately on arrival there’s a feeling of gothic revival, with elegant chandeliers and traditional candelabra adorned with black crows and black spiders’ webs woven through the banisters and ascending in the library to the ceiling. Spooky, but fun.

Then there’s the six ‘Perspex nipple lights’ on the wall against a background of psychadelic wallpaper. ‘This had to be a sexy room’ says designer Marchella de Angelis. The room is complete with a Spanish bar with a quilted front, circa 1960, and silver paint. Silver paint features quite a lot in this hotel, and puts me in mind of Marc Bolan’s and Noddy Holder’s platforms in the early Seventies.

A mix of art and distressed antiques immediately tell you that this is designed by someone who’s not afraid of culture. Or punk. Mixing elements and almost trashing the baronial stately home that it once was, it comes as a shock to view the Gloucestershire landscape out of the windows.

This is one of the most entertaining stays in a hotel. It’s anarchic, but with good humour. De Angelis has created a post-modern and progressive hotel which she describes as ‘outrageous but also quite regal. There is a subtle snob value but it’s also got a streak of anarchy.’

Each of the bedrooms is themed, and I stayed in the Leigh Bowery room, where the late performance artist is celebrated in specially commissioned wallpaper. There is nothing off-the-shelf at this hotel! Having hundreds of faces stare back at you from the wall could be disturbing, but it just tickled me.

The restaurant is the traditional panelled library, but again not as you would imagine. It has lofty ceilings and long windows dressed with big swags but, and here’s the shock, the wood panels are yellow with silver paint trims. Yellow! How brave is that? Against the background of the black gothic accessories, it’s pure theatre.

The delicious food is what I would loosely label British European, but who needs a label in this eclectic atmosphere? It was good with no unpleasant surprises and, mercifully, nowhere near as wild as the interiors.

I would love to have seen the look on the faces of previous guests who rebooked for a traditional country house retreat! But if luxury means a different type of hotel experience for you, then this one stimulates and excites. I loved it.

Have you had a fantastic hotel experience? We’d love to hear from you. Send approx 500 words with images on why you thought the interior design made for a great hotel experience to tdowling@fxmagazine.co.uk