Old Swan & Minster Mill

Having booked a family stay as a surprise for my husband for his Christmas present, I was really looking forward to seeing him enjoy the stay. We was so disappointed unfortunately. I paid £285 for a superior pub room as we had our daughter with us. Upon arrival the room was not ready and the extra bed was not in the room. I quickly realised we had not been out into the room we'd paid for and it was clear the room was the standard double. Although the room had character there was dust and cobwebs all over the ceiling, beams and shower fan. If am paying nearly £300 for a room I expect that little bit more in attention to detail. The rooms in the pub also have no WiFi or signal so when I needed to try and arrange a taxi I had to stand on the bar. When I queried the room type and it's value I was informed that I am incorrect and we was in superior room and because they was full there was nothing they could do. In the morning we popped for breakfast. Unfortunately the order was incorrect no buggy as mistakes happen. What made it worse for me was the waiting staff talking about me in the kitchen which I could hear! I then asked for a second coffee which took so long to make i actually left. The hotel and pub is in an amazing setting, and there vast majority of staff we spoke to were fab and polite. I just feel that for what we paid the stay and experience was not good value. I did try to share feedback directly with the hotel but the link they shared to give feedback doesn't actually work.

We spent New Year's Eve here with friends. Unfortunately the Old Swan was not properly heated so everyone was sat with their coats on for lunch & it was still cold in the evening for dinner.Only one room had been heated. So we left our table very early on in search of an open fire to warm up which meant we were away from the live music that we had been looking forward to. This could have been easily rectified with some industrial heaters. We also had to have 4 different bottles of red wine as they ran out of 3 types ! Our bedroom was warm but the shower was really poor. The other 2 couples we were with had cold bedrooms & had to add blankets & coats to their beds to warm up. Light bulbs had not been replaced & the wifi was not working in the bedrooms. At over £200 a room per night (plus extra for the meals/entertainment)I would have expected far better. It felt like this hotel was rundown & not well kept. It's a shame as it's very picturesque & the staff were friendly & tried to help but were let down by poor management. I certainly wouldn't recommend staying here in the winter.

We stayed here based on four and five star ratings that is supposed to have. The food at the Mill was very good, at the Wildings restaurant. Seasonal and nice atmosphere, however the rooms are dire. We checked in at the Pub and the room was tired, small and it hadn't been cleaned. Furniture was frayed and bath panel was blown. We were moved to a room in the Mill which was lovely but the service in the pub was awful. Staff have clearly not been trained sufficiently. We slept well but breakfast resembled a scene from Fawlty Towers...eg whrn we asked if we could have scrambled egg without butter (due to an intolerance) we were told it had been made in a batch that morning and would take too long! We ordered a fruit selection which had had just about everything bar what was listed on the menu. When we asked about it they said that was all they had. The next table had had a similar experience. It's a shame as the setting is beautiful and the chef at the Mill is clearly very skilled, but the service let's it down. When we paid our bill there were extra items that we had not consumed, and when we asked about the internet being down they tried to suggest it was just that weekend....yet the review tell us otherwise. Please, just be honest with people.

We booked this as a week away with our toddler, and stayed in a junior suite. Things we liked: lovely location and setting, peaceful, and special mentions go to Bobby, Gabby, Angie and Phoebe in the spa. Things that could have been better: housekeeping was poor (we had to ask twice for our room to be hoovered, bins weren’t taken out and after asking reception i ended up taking it out myself, toiletries weren’t replenished without asking multiple times despite it being a 5 day stay, the room wasn’t tidied properly), the menu in the old swan wasn’t consistent (the same meal would come out differently on different nights) and to be honest the reception staff werent as friendly as we expected. Considering we spent alot staying in the best room for 5 nights, quite disappointed. A few small tweaks to service could really level up this beautiful hotel.

Stayed here for my partners birthday and we had a more than perfect stay. The staff were absolutely amazing and very accommodating. We had the most gorgeous room which was spotless which came with a log burner outside which we loved and used in the morning with the cup of tea which was complimented in the room. The spa treatments were amazing and the staff so kind. The grounds were perfect for a cosy stay and there were options to hire a bike, a walk or use the courts etc. Would more than recommend staying here it is well worth it! We also had a gorgeous lake view from the room! Thanks for making my partners birthday perfect!

Grounds and exterior of hotel are lovely. However everything else is a real let down. I travel a lot for work and have done so for the past 10 years. This is by far the worst hotel I have stayed at. I booked the hotel but was given a room by the pub across the road. I was told it’s part of the hotel and all the rooms are the same. The entrance area to my room had a bucket on the floor as the ceiling was leaking and a large wet patch was present on obviously dirty carpets. The room was small dusty and shabby. There were stains on the carpet and 3 unmatching hangers in the cupboard. I could not turn the hot tap on in the bathroom as the taps were bizarrely behind the sink and the hot tap so close to the sink that it was impossible to turn. Also those taps and the area behind were not clean. There was a chap on reception in the pub I think his name was Clive who kept wiping his dripping nose with the back of his hand and then dealing with customers drinks and food ….yuk. No room service although they agreed to deliver food to my room. Food was expensive and nothing to shout about for what you get. No wifi at all. No heating in rooms. Radiators turned off. I had to ask for a heater. Eventually given one after two hours from my initial request. You are better off staying at Premier Inn. This place is a two star hotel. I have stayed at many hotels around the country on a frequent basis and this was the first hotel where I woke up at 5am to get ready as I could not wait to leave. Very poor.

How the mighty have fallen! We last stayed at Minster Mill probably about ten/eleven years ago when it was owned by Peter DeSavary. It was chic, and very classy. We checked in last Friday and checked out 20 minutes later. No offer of help with our luggage to our room, especially since there is a steep staircase. No WiFi (read previous reviews). The room was very dirty (especially the bathroom, where the vent was filled with dirt and dust, and could easily be a fire hazard) and very poorly maintained (including a cigarette burn on the throw on the bed). The Receptionist was genuinely shocked and embarrassed when I showed her the photos. She sent us an email to confirm we wouldn't be charged. Copied in was the General Manager (whom I believe has worked there for around 17 years) and the Operations Manager: neither of them has followed up with us, so they clearly do not care, it would seem. Four star hotel? Never. Interestingly, as we were making our way to our room, other guests were complaining about their room and asking to be moved. I would sum up Minster Mill as falling from great to grubby. Avoid at all costs.

Wonderful stay. Great food and ambience in both pub and hotel. Lovely staff. Fabulous grounds! Beautiful late Autumn treat. 🍂 Also had spa treatments together ... mud Rasuul was amazing. 👌 Sadly breakfast was a bit hit & miss ☹️ Def returning though!

Quaint hotel and great staff made my business stay enjoyable. If you want an "English countryside" experience, you will get it in this 15th century hotel. The basic rooms are small, but comfortable enough that I slept well each night. The convenience of the onsite restaurant was nice, and the food was decent. I stopped in the spa for a manicure which I do not recommend. The girl that did my manicure was very nice, but had a hard time getting my gel off so I ended up scraping it off my nails myself, and then the polish she used came out bubbly. Not worth the £50. The hotel also has a gym and free bicycles you can use. About 1/4 mile down the street are 14th century ruins that are worth a visit, just follow the signs to the church.

Lovely country inn and an authentic English inn experience. A bit out of the way in Oxfordshire but isn't that the point? The inn is staffed by a seemingly small but professional staff who check you in, draw you a pint, and show you to your room. The rooms are a bit small (it dates to the 15th Century) but comfortable and well appointed. The inn serves 3 meals a day and the menu is rather upscale. I only had lunch which was delicious and commensurately priced. The inn isn't really within walking distance from much to do so have a plan to get out an about via car. Overall, not a 5 star experience by far but very nice and recommended.

This hotel is slightly oddball, but set in a lovely village in Oxfordshire. The River Windrush flows next to the Mill, and the gardens and grounds are great for quick walks. There is also a Gym. The Mill is the hotel, while The Swan is the pub/resturant - all run by the De Vere group. This is a nice setup, though I guess it could be quite annoying in wet weather. The rooms vary, but some can be extremely small and cramped. The restaurant is also very overpriced, and I advise you look elsewhere for your tea! That said, and despite it not being the best hotel in the world, the setting and location make up for that, and we were happy with our stay here. Very good for visiting Oxford.

Beautifully situated hotel and old inn. Be aware there are two properties and more rooms than one might think looking at the web site presentation. Plus the inn seems to get plenty of local patrons wanting pub lunches and family dining seats. Bar was cosy with a goodly amount of draft beer taps and the menus for the various sittings of meals were thoughtful and expected of what is obviously a serious destination. I avoided paying 25 pounds for a swim in the spa center which can be avoided if you have a treatment in the spa. Lovely walk along the river aside the property and you can fly fish for half a day on said river (for 60 pounds) Reception made an error processing my final bill which probably wouldn't have been caught without my input. Rooms in the inn seem to have more hidden away rooms . Mercia room was at the top of a vertical spiral suitcase in the inn.! Help was needed to move suitcases. But the Mercia room had an outside patio albeit it close to the coolers by the kitchens. Parking easy and plentiful out back.