WITH genteel chocolate boxstyle villages, cosy inns and rolling hills, the Cotswolds do an excellent job of minding their own business in the countryside.

Apart from Kate Moss causing a stir by snapping up a multimillion pound farm a few years back, this rural retreat is not exactly top of the list for high excitement.

But the  Cotswolds is a nosey-parker's dream for stars all year round. In a quiet, understated way, it is celeb central.

Just a little word of advice - unless Kate Moss and Pete Doherty are having a party, this is not the destination to rip up your weekend.

You won't find the rich and famous falling out of nightclubs flashing their bits or having punch-ups with the paparazzi.

This place has never so much as seen a stag or hen party or downed a bottle of Smirnoff Ice.

So why go, then?

Well, as wild and crazy Kate and Pete discovered, life isn't all about getting mashed up all of the time - and there's photographic evidence to prove it.

The recent pictures of the supermodel in her green wellies pushing a broken-down car out of a tight spot in a field near her country pile were a breath of fresh air. And there's fume-free lungfuls of the stuff in abundance in this haven of green hills.

If you are worn out by city life, the Cotswolds provide a welcome retreat.

Simple country pleasures like pottering about in shops, supping pints of real ale and keeping a casual eye out for passing partied-out celebrities are what the Cotswolds are all about.

In a bid to spot my first celeb, I checked into Wyckhillhouse Hotel in Stow-on-the-Wold, whose previous guests have included Cameron Diaz, Elle Macpherson, Jude Law and Stella McCartney.

Like its A-list guests, Wyckhillhouse is just brimming with charm and sophistication.

An 18th Century mansion in a 100-acre private estate, it has just been vamped up with a £3m refurbishment.

All 54 bedrooms have flatscreen TVs, DVD players and fluffy bathrobes.

Guests can take breakfast - a hearty fry-up with Cotswolds sausages - in the conservatory overlooking rolling countryside.

It doubles up as the two AA rosette restaurant at night, where the menu includes a flavoursome goat's cheese and aubergine tower, pan-fried sea bass with artichoke puree and a big selection of local cheeses, including Cotswold White and Cotswold Blue.

Wyckhill has a cosy bar, where you can sink into the leather sofas with your whisky chaser and simply contemplate life.

The hotel also has a pristine spa. Amazingly, an hour-long deep tissue massage, with Thai foot treatment, does not come with a celeb price tag. This will set you back just £60 - very reasonable for a five-star establishment like this.

So what's outside the walls of this star-studded bolthole?

There's Stow-on-the-Wold itself, just up the road. It's packed with organic butchers, shops full of scented candles and Cath Kidston prints and gorgeous little cafes selling cream teas.

Step back in time and stock up on retro-style multi-coloured jelly beans and rich butter toffees at Hamiltons in neighbouring Burford High Street.

Make sure you stop off midway up the hill in Burford for a pint at the Lamb Inn, which does gorgeous home-made seafood.

Strange but true, Kate Moss has got herself a season ticket at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, which is worth a peek for its array of weird and wonderful creatures.

With pottering high on the agenda in this area, Chipping Campden is also worth a trip. Have a nose in the Cotswold House Hotel, where Johnny Depp took over the Old Grammar School Suite, when he was filming The Libertine.

There are dozens of lovely pubs, but if you want to see if Kate's in town, you might find her and Pete propping up the bar in The Swan at Stourton.

She booked this for her 31st birthday and the staff were really miffed when she failed to turn up.

You might also catch a glimpse of Kate at Trouble House Inn on the busy main road between Cirencester and Tetbury.

If you like a curry, check out the Jaflong Tandoori in Lechlade, where Kate has been known to enjoy a Chicken Naga.

And to round off your weekend of country pursuits, you can buy your cigs where Kate does - in the Londis next door.

FACT FILE

Wyckhillhouse is a luxury boutique hotel and spa in Stow on-the-Wold with views across the Windrush Valley.

There are 54 huge period bedrooms all with different styles - choose from the orangery, coach house and the mansion house.

The hotel is within walking distance of the village centre and the nearest station is Moreton-In-Marsh.

A one-night stay in a junior suite costs £295 per room and includes dinner, bed and breakfast.

The spa offer is £127.50 per person per night (two people sharing) based on five nights.

Price includes dinner, bed and a champagne breakfast, plus any treatment per day per person up to the value of £60 with use of the relaxation, sauna and steam rooms and 10% off products bought during your stay.

To book call 01451 831 936 or visit www.nichehotels.com