Overview

SAT NAV. OX29 0RN. MINSTER MILL A really attractive, beautiful and pleasant hotel, which stands on the banks of the river Windrush, on the edge of the Oxfordshire region, just 15 miles from Oxford, and now, following a £4.5 million makeover, this luxury hotel is a must come and see hotel. It’s one of the latest Andrew Brownsword hotel collection of hotels, and we certainly recommend all their hotels to you, and we have already offered reviews of others PLEASE READ OUR REVIEWS FOR, BUCKLAND HOTEL, THE SLAUGHTER COUNTRY INN and THE MANOR HOTEL, both in Lower Slaughter, Cotswolds. The gardens sit in 65 acres of lovely gardens, which allows you to wander through a magical garden sitting on the banks of the river, and you have a lush wild flower meadow and a woodland stroll to enjoy. If you are more active, why not enjoy their croquet lawn, or the tennis court, or if you are more like us, then a cooling drink on the terrace May suit, or climb the many stairs that will take you up to the bar lounge, impossible for disabled though. Let’s take you on our review then. Having moved away from the beautiful OLD SWAN INN and driven the few yards to the entrance for Minster Mill. (Photo 1) you will already feel that this is going to be it. With the sun shining on the driveway (photo 2) that takes you round a corner to the two disabled spaces for disabled parking (photo 3) which for large cars is best to park straight on alongside the low wall. Now walk back to cross the wonderful setting of the river Windrush (photo 4) and pause to look over the bridge at the delightful scene that awaits you (photo 5). We now excitingly look forward to seeing the inside of this most lovely hotel, and you have a choice on how to enter. We chose to move ahead to the front of the hotel and enter through the attractive gardens of fragrant lavenders that line the path, with bees and butterflies galore taking in the warm sunny feeling of joy, and you may enter now over a very low step that proved of no trouble to us with the aid of the rear wheelchair lifting bar that can easily be managed (photo 6). Or as you arrive from the car park, you can walk ahead into the courtyard lined with Cotswold stone buildings and barns, where the entrance for reception desk lies ahead, but a small step awaits you, so then we suggest you walk over to the right hand corner (photo 7) where you will find the level approach into the hotels restaurant, and from there wander away through the hotel itself along the lovely decorated passage and along to reception desk. If you have booked an overnight stay here, what a joy you will have with your room, then the staff await to welcome you in. (photo 8) We loved the exposed brick and stone paved flooring with bedrooms alongside (photo 9) Walk back now along a passageway (photo 10) towards bar and restaurant, grateful we do nor have to climb those steps up to the bar lounge (photo 11) and you reach the plain but very nicely decorated furnished restaurant where a cool drink was ordered, along with my husbands request for a small ice cream, has to be small as he is borderline diabetic, but it looks as if that’s not going to worry him today (photo 12) Afternoon tea is taken here, with high favourable remarks being made about the tea itself. And the evening will be so richly rewarded by taking dinner here in the lovely room itself, that dark wooded table and chairs adds so much class to the restaurant itself, with light coloured wooden beams looking down on you (photo 13) The toilets are close enough (photo 14) but just basic, clean cubicles, but quite small, you will not get a chair in there (photo 15). If you feel you can manage it, then you can depart towards the front gardens ( photo 16) and out along the lavender pathway (photo 17) or do as we did, and exited from the restaurant along the level exit and out into the courtyard. OUR FINAL THOUGHTS We thought it a very nice hotel, with a mixture of modern and old, which blends together beautifully, and the garden views and terrace sitting is to die for, but you do need nice weather to fully appreciate the setting. We would really r3commend this hotel as it is so quiet and peaceful a setting.

Transport & Parking

Your arrival here promises well, the approach is inviting, and disabled parking is easy enough but large cars will need to park sideways on to the wall, the two bays are not very big.

Access

Although there are steps in some places, a wheelchair user could cope with help to get up the little steps, but large chairs will need to have a ramp put down for them, but you can enter along the level from a door situated to the right of the courtyard. It is quite easy to then get around to see this delightful hotel

Toilets

We did not find disabled toilets, just ladies and gents, but very clean and in good order.

Staff

All very friendly and more than helpful, really took care of us

Photos