Minster Lovell Mill Old Minster Lovell, Cotswolds, Minster Lovell, United Kingdom | (888) 635-3814
Housed partly in quaint and quirky 16th-century country inn
Set on river and surrounded by picturesque grounds
Located in pretty Cotswolds village, a few minutes from the A40 road to London
Free sloe gin and homemade fudge in rooms
Bathrooms have high-end toiletries and bathrobes
Leisure opportunities on-site include tennis and fly-fishing
Snug restaurant and bar with fireplace
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Spa with indoor pool, ice fountain, sauna, and steam room
Some rooms are small
Noise can be heard between rooms
There are few other hotels that can boast such a picture-perfect English country setting as the Old Swan & Minster Mill, a wonderfully quaint and cozy old inn in the Cotswolds region. Rooms are split between the old inn and a newer building and most have beautiful furnishings, although a few in the modern annex lack space and charm. The Garden Spa provides treatments as well as an indoor pool. This is a great option for those wanting to experience a slice of timeless rural England.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Picture-perfect 16th-century inn set on 65 acres of English countryside
With its quaintly crooked, moss-carpeted roof, ancient timber frame, and pretty floral and ivy-clad stonework, the postcard-perfect Old Swan & Minster Mill is the archetype of a country inn. Its pastoral grounds stretch across 65 acres of weeping willows, scented purple lavender, and daisy-dotted lawns, suggesting a scene of idyllic English countryside little changed since the property's construction in the 16th century. Inside, the spell is sustained, with wood-beamed ceilings, crackling log fires, crooked flagstone floors, and an assortment of rustic and medieval-themed ornaments and curios. The newer "Minster Mill" side of the property is a more modern, but similarly styled building with contemporary rooms. It looks out over a slow-running river and the gardens where the resident ducks, Betty and Eddy, can often be spotted.
Location
Set in quaint little village in the Cotswolds, a 30-minute drive from Oxford
The hotel is located down a winding country road in the picturesque, 900-year-old village of Minster Lovell in West Oxfordshire. Its location in the heart of the picturesque Cotswolds makes it ideally situated for country walks and for visiting other villages in the region. It's just a few minutes from the A40 freeway,which leads to London in around 90 minutes. The city of Oxford is about a 30-minute drive away.
Rooms
Old-fashioned and newer rooms with unexpected extras such as sloe gin and homemade fudge
The hotel's 60 rooms are spread between the old inn -- with traditional decor, original beams, and heavy dark-wood furnishings -- and the modern annex, which has rooms finished in a fresh, country style with modern furnishings and contemporary flair. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi as well as some unexpected extras such as a decanter of sloe gin, homemade fudge, and hot water bottles in the winter. Beds have Egyptian cotton sheets and bathrooms have luxury toiletries and bathrobes. Some garden rooms open to patios with wood stove heaters.
Features
Seriously snug bar and restaurant plus fly-fishing in the river
The Old Swan’s restaurant and bar comprises a collection of alcoves and low-ceilinged sitting areas made even more cozy by low oak beams and open log fires. The restaurant grows some of its own produce and collects eggs on-site, which they use to create a menu of upscale gastropub fare. Leisure facilities include a tennis court and a smallish gym, and fly-fishing can be arranged in the river. There are numerous walking paths in the area (though beware of bulls). The hotel's Garden Spa provides a range of treatments and features, including an indoor pool, sauna, ice fountain steam room.
