Old Swan

Hotel is in a lovely setting and location but the overall experience did not live up to that and needs someone to get things in better shape as I would sadly not recommend. We had a superior double room in the pub and it did not match up with the picture on their web site - suggests quite a spacious room with two arm chairs plus a desk and chair - we just had a desk and chair with no space for further seating. We did have a small outside area but really not inviting - sofa covered in leaves and dust and half a screen between us and our next door neighbours. According to the sheet of paper given on check in rooms are “refreshed” every day. For “refreshed” you should read water and toilet roll replenished, a perfunctory make of the bed (pillows not actually touched) and towels adjusted. No actual cleaning takes place - e.g. sink in bathroom became stained due to me washing my hands having applied foundation - no amount of us wiping or washing down removed it and that remained for the rest of our stay. Floor in bathroom is odd and had stains that look like toothpaste around the sink. One or two members of staff were friendly but in the main not. There doesn’t appear to be a bar open in the hotel until 5pm so one has to buy drinks at the pub and then cross the road with the drinks to sit at the hotel tables by the river. We bought pre dinner drinks from the hotel cocktail bar (advertised as “coming to life” at 5pm - ie opens at 5pm) and the barman was really unwelcoming. We ate at the pub on our first night (a Thursday) - inside was empty and only a couple of tables taken outside. Food itself was nice - burger and minted lamb pie - no real ambience though. We ate in the wildling restaurant on our last night when we hoped there might be more diners (hotel itself seemed relatively busy) and this was a real disappointment. Empty restaurant (can’t even recall any background music) which is perhaps a sign! Waiter said the menu is a small plates aimed at sharing - but only a small portion of the menu is small plates. He spoke highly of the chateaubriand which is what we chose but sorely disappointed. Steak was luke warm and cooked well beyond the medium rare we ordered and not very well seasoned. Bearnaise sauce is served cold so on a lukewarm steak, not great. We asked for mustard or horseradish but were told that they had neither. The waiter enquired how things were and we expressed our disappointment and to be fair he came back to tell us that the manager had removed the cost of the steak from our bill. Dessert was very good. Breakfast is served in the pub and was nice enough - not buffet style with all items from a menu.

We stayed 2 nights ant Minster Mill. Our room was simple but comfortable. The grounds are nice with a rushing little river. We could see a couple of fish jumping, The Old Swan is across the road about a 2 minute walk from lodging. Imagine a scene from the movie “ The Holiday” that is what I thought when we came in for our happy hour or after dinner drinks. Very good place to try a Cotswolds gin, beer or hard cider. .

For example the room key!? Come on you can do better than that what a terrible first impression. The feature room by the river is ok - but no matches to light the fire (yes we did look in the tin and everywhere else!). Loads of leaves and debris in the patio area which needs a leaf blower running over it more regularly. And slightly more private dividers would be nice. Don’t bother with the ‘spa’, and if you do try to book they generally make it as difficult as they can for you, seems so that they can have an easy life with no spa guests!! Just tiny touches like new bins in the changing area or giving the shower head a clean or replaced in the clay room!? Lovely view of the builders screening frame which has been there a while - hurry up or screen it better!! All these boutique hotels popping up in the Cotswolds would give anything for this location and they’re working hard at being the best - seems everyone here has just given up!! Food was fine. Menus were dirty and tatty - would’ve cost nothing just to print a few fresh ones each day? Online menus are very enticing and yet not the current versions. Everything felt like it was hard work for the staff. I’d ask management to be really honest with themselves and go over every element of the property and identify easy wins and apply some care and attention to what their team are delivering because it’s far below par.

Lovely staff, room was lovely and clean had a lovely time.

Review from last week, slightly edited. Attended an open air theatre performance. I shan't say what because the performance was great. The venue was terrible. The stage was on the "croquet lawn" which was so uneven as to be a danger. As a H&S officer for another organisation, I would not have passed this as safe ground for an event likely to attract the elderly and infirm. A good deal of the fun of open air theatre such as this is providing a nice, posh picnic. We were banned from bringing any food or beverage. Instead, we were forced to patronise their "barbecue". As this is a 4* venue with pretensions to fine dining, we hoped that would (at a price) provide an adequate alternative. On offer were hot dogs or beefburgers. These were a disgrace. How an establishment offering any form of fine dining - as the Old Swan and Minster Mill clearly do - could serve these travesties beggars belief. Our hot dogs consisted of a cheap, very mediocre sausage, barely cooked in an oven before being left to cool in a container. To serve, the unfortunate sausage was dumped on the grill for under 30 seconds (I timed it) and stuffed into a not-too-fresh bun that was sliced so deeply that it fell in half. We were left to add our choice of unappetising sauces or some sort of chutney, said to be caramelised onion. For this, we paid £9.00 apiece. Even a third-rate van at the side of the road would soon be out of business, serving such fare. We weren't allowed to bring our own water. This was on sale at £2.00 a bottle - and it was unpleasantly warm. When we paid for our two hot dogs and two bottles of water, the server announced, "twenty pounds". The credit card was charged £22. Despite enjoying the performance, we left with a sour taste. We felt that Brownsword Hotels took us for every penny they could get. They should be ashamed of themselves

Attended an open air theatre performance. I shan't say what because they were great. The venue was terrible. The stage was on the "croquet lawn" which was so uneven as to be a danger to any of the (several) elderly and infirm. A good deal of the fun of these events is the picnic. This was banned. We were forced to patronise their "barbecue". Out hot dogs were a disgrace. How an establishment offering any form of fine dining - as the Old Swan and Minster Mill clearly do - beggars belief. Our hot dogs consisted of a very mediocre sausage, barely cooked in an oven before being left to cool in a container. To serve, the unfortunate sausage was dumped on the grill for no more than 30 seconds (I timed it) and stuffed into a not-too-fresh bun. We were left to add our choice of unappetising sauces or some sort of chutney, said to be caramelised onion. For this, we paid £9.00 apiece. We weren't allowed to bring our own water. This was on sale at £2.00 a bottle - and it was unpleasantly warm. Wen we paid for our two hot dogs and two bottles of water, the server announced, "twenty pounds". The credit card was charged £22. Despite enjoying the performance, we left with a sour taste. We felt that Brownsword Hotels took us for every penny they could get. They should be ashamed of themselves

This is a pub and a former Mill on both sides of the road - managed together . Certain days meals are available only on the pub side , as is breakfast . The location next to a rivulet in the heart of the Cotswolds countryside is convenient. The facilities are comfortable enough . The pub accommodation is meant to be fancier but a four poster bed in itself does not achieve that . It does not have a safe deposit box nor a mini bar . Andy - the operations manager is good and tries his best but good Management means the whole team has to be upto scratch . The European lady who checked us in to our three rooms on the 27th made things very complicated and her English was incomprehensible . In extenuation Amelia and Cat were good and helpful. At the pub one had to wait for a long time to be attended to by Niamh while she continued to do her own work . Dan the manager at the Pub was indifferent

We booked the Old Swan & Minster Mill for a 2 day corporate event; everything from start to finish was seamless. Victoria was amazing and assisted with all the logistics and ensured everything ran smoothly prior to the event and during. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the event but I received great feedback on service, location and food offerings.

Terrible experience. The rooms were dirty and the bed sheets were stained. Lots of bugs in the room resulting in lots of bites. Poor food and dirty seating area. Most items in the menu were not available, the few items that we tried were clearly frozen and reheated. Overpriced and unfriendly. Would not recommend.

We had an amazing stay! Thank you so much to the Minster Mill team. It was a beautiful location and the food was perfect. We do enjoy a tasting menu and tend to opt for this more when we go out and I have to say it was a delicious meal. The attention to detail was great. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, and have already told our friends to go and stay as they also love a taster menu. My husband was at first dubious to me taking him away, but after the dinner we went and had a hot drink whilst sitting by the fire along the river. He loved making it and spending the evening out by it, so a perfect room for us! It truly was a rest and retreat. We had the best time, thank you so much for making it so special!

My mother and I visited the Old Swan & Minster Mill for the first time and were truly impressed. The location is absolutely beautiful, with a warm, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere from the moment we arrived. The food was outstanding and the service we received was nothing short of five-star. Every member of staff was attentive, respectful, and consistently kind, always smiling and ensuring that nothing was too much trouble. We were so impressed by the exceptional hospitality that we made a point of asking for the names of the team members who looked after us so well — Liam, Ruby, and Manisha. They are a real credit to the hotel and helped make our visit such a memorable experience. We are looking forward to our next visit, highly recommend this establishment you will not be disappointed.

What an amazing place. Very clean and cozy. Very picturesque. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The grounds were lovely and we enjoyed the chiminea one evening by the stream. Would highly recommend

We were really disappointed with this hotel having had to previously cancel a stay here before a couple years ago I was really excited to finally get to visit. We booked a room with the outside terrace hoping to be able to relax outside by the river after a long day walking. The room has potential to be amazing however it was so run down it made the room and bathroom feel dirty. There was also a strong smell coming from the corridor leading to the bedroom, which actually made us decide not to stay for the 2nd night that we had booked as we couldn't stand the smell any longer The best thing about the hotel is the amazing staff so nice,friendly and understanding even refunding us for the night that we decided not to stay which I thought was really kind of them. It is a shame as you can see how it has the potential to be a lovely place to stay

5 star experience across the board. Gorgeous room and patio space. Super attentive and friendly reception, bar and restaurant staff, all went above and beyond to make sure my husband had the best birthday. No issues with WiFi or connectivity. Room was spotless. Highly recommend. The biggest thank you to the team especially Vicky 🤍

We recently held a meeting at Minster Mill and the whole experience was brilliant from start to finish. In the lead-up to the event, communication was seamless, Jess and Vicky were both incredibly helpful and made everything feel really easy to organise. On the day itself, we used one of their barn/function spaces for our meeting, which was a great setting, relaxed but still professional. We had one slight issue with the coffee machine which was resolved very quickly. Afterwards, we moved to the restaurant for food and everything ran so smoothly. We’d pre-ordered via a booking link beforehand, which made things really efficient on the day. Everything arrived on time, and the food itself was unreal! A special mention to Clive, who looked after us - he was attentive, thoughtful, and made sure everything ran without a hitch. Overall, just a really great experience. Would absolutely recommend and will definitely be back.

I have spent quite a lot of time in the Cotswolds over the years, often with family and friends with whom I want to share the picturesque and atmospheric ruins at Minster Lovell . . . and the lovely Old Swan Inn. I just returned from such a visit with several family members and friends, including two nights at the Old Swan, taking up several rooms of various types and sizes. The unanimous sentiment of the group was, "can we stay here longer?" People expecting the bland uniformity of a modern hotel may not appreciate, as we did, the quirky individuality of each room. From a standard room to some of the superior and deluxe rooms, and a couple of cottages, each accommodation was fun . . . and comfortable. Both our evening dinners were great--as were the breakfasts order from servers from a large assortment of menu items. Service was uniformly cheerful and helpful . . . including handling of luggage from the bar/reception area to individual rooms for those who required assistance. Drinks on the stone-floored patio beside the lovely Windrush River were memorable. All in all, what a wonderful experience.

We stayed in Swan Cottage for 2 nights. A lovely old cottage but up to date and beautifully appointed and comfortable beds, modern bathrooms and the log burner in the sitting room made it really cosy. I on only sorry it is too far away for us to make regular visits. All the staff were so helpful and friendly and I would 100% recommend.

Lovely overnight stay - fantastic staff who helped with a lass minute wardrobe issue for family funeral - well done to the team, bar was nice before the event and the room was clean and spacious - would recommend

We stayed here as part of a 4 day family holiday to the Cotswolds. On arrival, the hotel looks lovely and idyllic, with a river running alongside the drive and car park. Staff were friendly. Once in our "feature room", which had a small patio area and overlooked the river, we were disappointed. At £265 per night we were expecting something a little more well appointed, but sadly it wasn't. The tiny wardrobe only had 5 coat hangers, and there were only 2 drawers in the bottom of a cheap looking unit. The miniscule fridge wasn't cold, so it clearly wasn't working properly. There were 2 wall lights in the entire space, and 2 lights either side of the bed, one of which wasn't working. You also couldn't have the wall lights and bedside lights on at the same time. The blind at the window was torn. There was an oversized vertical radiator on one wall, which was permanently on with no way of turning it down or off. This meant the room was roasting hot and we had to have both windows open at night to prevent overheating and sleeping in a stuffy, headache inducing room. The mirror in the shower room was dimly lit by 1 wall light, making it impossible to see what you were doing. I had to perch my small hand mirror on the windowsill in the bedroom to apply my makeup in the mornings. The only other mirror was on the inside of the wardrobe door, but due to the lack of lighting, it was as useful as a chocolate teapot. The tennis court opposite our patio, on the other side of the river, looked very unloved, with moss and weeds growing on the court, with a thatched outbuilding that looked dilapidated. You also have to walk over the road to the Old Swan pub for the continental breakfast, which was ok but nothing special. If you wanted a cooked breakfast, you had to pay extra, and it honestly wasn't great. We had to keep asking staff for things we'd ordered as it had been forgotten. It seemed quite disorganised. Despite being in a great location to get to Burford, Bourton-on the- Water, Diddly Squat or the Farmer's Dog, the hotel didn't live up to it's online hype and was very overpriced. Would we stay there again? No, not unless they vastly improved the rooms and actually invested some money in to it to bring it up to the standard attached to the price tag. Lovely to look at, disappointing to stay at.

Liked · The location is absolutely stunning. It is a large complex in beautiful grounds. However, customer services and communication need a serious overhaul, we feel. You can choose to eat in the adjoining pub or in the hotel restaurant. We didn't actually see anyone eating in the restaurant. We weren't told that the pub would be closed for a private wedding function on our 2nd night. This went on to breakfast the next morning, so that was served in the hotel. My husband was offered 2 mini packs of cereal as no muesli was available! The toast just piled in a heap on the plate! Bad presentation....even cheap B&B's would not serve food in this sloppy fashion. If you just want a relaxing swim....be in for a shock! The spa pool is beautiful but you have to have a treatment at an extortionate price to use it. When we challenged this and asked if we could just have a quick swim before breakfast, we were told we could use the pool for a swim at the cost of £25. We did not take up this offer. Our friends bathroom (Room 130) had a terrible smell like blocked drains, but nothing was done about it. We felt the hotel is very overpriced for what you actually get for your money. I think possibly the wedding function side of things is of more interest to them, than their bread and butter type customers!

Came up for a wedding. I read previous reviews and thought they have said so many times that feedback is important and that they would speak to the housekeeping team so maybe cleanliness would be sorted, was so wrong and I guess feedback not that important. £190 a night in a old inn in a lovely setting would be acceptable. I walked in the room which is pretty small, greeted by stained carpets in both bedroom and bathroom. Bits on plastic on bathroom floor so not cleaned properly. Old milk stain by kettle which was now dried and crusty. Cobwebs in every corner and across the beams. The light has a thick coat of dust, this isn’t a build up and days it must take years to build up that amount. Cracks in walls above toilet, skirting boards coming away. There is a cupboard which was dark and grubby there should be a light in there but the strip light has no bulb just an old dirty fitting. The pillows because they didn’t put in properly into the cases they rolled off during the night and there were horrible stains, not sure if blood nice to open eyes too. Just generally grubby and certainly not worth the price it could be if there was any care put into these rooms. WiFi is now sorted and good, breakfast ok but unseasoned and eggs were hard. The wedding was great so not a wasted trip but until this hotel take some pride in their rooms and don’t just rely on location I personally would avoid I am sure there are cleaner hotels near by.

Fire alarm rung in the middle of the night in the entire hotel- overall poor not a “Luxury “ hotel- room needs a serious refreshing, breakfast was average with lukewarm coffee - the SPA and massage was the only positive.

Room was not what paid for,nothing like the pictures on website. Bathroom had strong smell of sewage. Pool was fully booked.which wasn’t told we had to pre-book. Got a refund and left. Stay away

Dirty room and bad stains on two chairs mould around windows now breakfast what a joke when you book b b you don’t expect to have to pay for a second cup of tea or coffee also we wanted the Greek yogurt and granola and told sorry we don’t have any we had no deliveries and this was on our second and third day toast was cold we have been many times to this hotel over the years and you used to get a buffet breakfast that was spot on it seems that they are cutting back at it’s customers expense if anyone is thinking about complaining don’t bother you’re wasting your time the managers response is very negative and all they say is sorry and it helps us to get things right well it doesn’t they don’t even offer any type of compensation as you will see from lots of other reviews

Our wedding lunch celebration at the Old Swan and Minster Mill was absolute perfection, from the enchanting Cotswold ambience to the exquisite, seasonal food. The staff provided seamless service that made the day feel effortless, while the warm, cosy accommodations offered the ultimate retreat for our guests and us. It was a flawless experience in a truly magical setting—we couldn't have asked for a more spectacular venue or a warmer welcome from everyone at the Old Swan and Minster Mill. I would highly recommend this lovely venue and will definitely return in the summer to try out the spa! Thank you for our special day.

Stunning location, love the sound of the river ❤️ During our three night stay we were looked after by the staff as if we were their own family or friends. Very welcoming and nothing was too much. The food was another level and the pub had a fantastic atmosphere with the fire roaring, the perfect place to be after a walk around the countryside. We will definitely be booking again in the summer to sit by the river

Fantastic food, drinks and atmosphere! Best thing about the place are the folks who work there. They're SO welcoming and friendly. We keep going back again and again!

Myself and friends have just got back from a lovely little mums get away. I can honestly say we had the best time. The rooms were so spacious and clean and the food was absolutely amazing. The staff were also so friendly, helpful and so welcoming. We honestly did have the best time. Thank you so much ☺️

Have just returned from a beautiful weekend here. To my surprise I was proposed to and when our waitress Emily found out she couldn’t have done more for us to make it extra special and we are so grateful to her for this. 5 stars for you, a Credit to the hotel. Will definitely be back the food, surroundings and room were stunning. Service was impeccable and the hotel is so clean and gorgeous.

AVOID! We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights and I genuinely don’t have anything positive to write. I am not one for writing reviews but I felt this was a must. The rooms are dated and not well presented. There is no WiFi in the rooms and even the areas where there are hotspots it is poor. No signal either so this gave me anxiety thinking that I couldn’t be contacted given that we had small children at home. There was flooding as you enter the hotel driveway which would damage a small car. You cannot use the spa unless you have a pre-paid treatment. The breakfast is limited, small portions and basic and you are charged extra for any additional items even including more tea and coffee. There are cobwebs all through the corridors. The standard of room attendance is poor. Bed not properly made and my husbands eye contact solution gone which was needed. The insert of the bin had been left on top of the bin and the throw off the bed just left on the side. Found staff to be quite abrupt and rude on arrival and when asked for extra items such as tea bags for the room as these didn’t seem to be replenished. The shower lacks power and heat. Given that they charge premium prices to stay here I would certainly never recommend this hotel. I’ve had better experiences in budget hotels.

I never usually write bad reviews as I know things are hard and it is easy to slip up for businesses but I do believe some constructive criticism and feedback is needed for this hotel to actually take notice. I had high expectations for this place that were definitely not met and upon reading some recent reviews I can see people have noted the same issues that are yet to be fixed or even attempted to resolve. Before we had even arrived the hotel was flooded. And not just a little flood you had to drive through a burst river which was inconvenient to say the least. There was nothing done to mitigate the flood or even any explanation or apology. I understand they can not control the weather but surely there could have been things put in place to try and fix it or just an acknowledgment. Once we checked in we were then given the news there was no WiFi except in the reception (conveniently) therefore there was no signal in the rooms at all and no WiFi. Not only that but the restaurant at the hotel was also closed. For food and drinks. Meaning the only place to go was the Old swan pub next door. The room was very average considering we were ‘upgraded’ from the hilltop room to a superior room but I believe this was likely due to the flood they put us in another room. The bathroom felt stuffy and unkept the drains from the shower smelt so bad that the door had to be kept closed and you had to rush when getting a shower. The heating was stuck on in the room somehow even though the radiators were cold so there was no way to turn the mystery heating off so the room was also stuffy and too hot. Not only this but I had paid for Bed & breakfast just to be met with the menu being a small selection and being able to choose one measly croissant or a tiny tiny bowl of yoghurt and one cup of juice. Refills were an additional cost and you had to pay to have a full English. We had a full English one day and paid as soon as we were leaving the pub just for them to try and charge us again as we checked out the following day? It is such a shame as the hotel grounds are lovely and the hotel has so much potential. This stay was to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday and we wanted it to be special but it was outstanding as I had hoped.

One of worst Hotels I have been to in the last 30 years. Kept waiting at reception until someone was available ! When shown to room it smelt musty, only a cheap air blower for heating, there were pulls in the throw on the bed, the blind in the bathroom had a dead spider on it and then we were told there was no wifi. Went downstairs to complain and managed to get a quick refund and we left. All this for £190 a night !

We stayed here for one night with a spa package, massage was great and spa facilities was okay but could do with being refurbed. After we checked in we were then got told nothing was open within the hotel for food or drink and to use The Swan pub which was based next door for food which we were disappointed in as it was very average bland food and after reading previous reviews we wish we chose to eat elsewhere. There was also no wifi or signal in the rooms, overall an average stay. However the grounds and location were great.

Very disappointing, we were promised a visit that should have been 'nothing short of extraordinary', which was ok but not great, as there were very few staff, food was reheated, breakfast was mean (with charges for extra coffee) and definitely not exceptional dining. Then a horrible experience where staff tried to charge us twice for our stay and three times for our food, with no recognition they had made mistakes. We made a formal complaint but have had no reply more than a week later, which shows they are not serious about customer service.

Not the best stay over we’ve ever had, we arrived just after midday on a Sunday to be told our room wouldn’t be ready till after 3, they have over 50 rooms and the hotel was empty, nor could we get a coffee as everything was closed, we booked a bed & breakfast rate but cooked breakfast is an extra. there was no WiFi unless you went to the spa. The bathroom had a bad smell of drains so that door had to be kept shut. If I had been given a pound for every time a staff member said “we’re so sorry’ I’d have had a free stay. Lovely grounds but the hotel is overdue a make over.

We paid £130 for one night plus an additional £90 for spa access, and unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing and not worth what we paid. The room was unclean and poorly maintained. The bathroom was very dirty with visible mould, the shower was leaking, and the bedroom itself was not properly cleaned. There was mud on the sides of the bed, the floor was dirty, and the cushions on the bed were stained. Overall, the room felt very tired and in need of significant refurbishment. Despite free WiFi being advertised, there was no WiFi available at all. This was made worse by the fact there was also no phone signal, leaving us completely disconnected. The wider property also appeared neglected. The pub was experiencing electrical issues, the car park was flooded, and the hotel generally felt very tatty and in need of a lot of work. The spa was particularly disappointing given the £90 extra charge. Some facilities were not working, the toilets were very dirty, hooks for robes were falling off the walls, and the pool was uncomfortably cold. For the price, the spa was extremely poor value. Overall, this stay fell well below expectations and did not reflect how the hotel was advertised. I would not recommend staying here unless significant improvements are made.

Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing and fell well below acceptable standards. Upon arrival, we discovered dirty marks on the bed sheets, which was unacceptable and unhygienic. To make matters worse, there was a loud party taking place that we were not informed about prior to our stay. The noise continued late into the night while we were trying to sleep, making it impossible to rest. Due to the condition of the room, we were forced to change rooms. However, the second room was also dirty, which showed a clear lack of cleaning and attention to detail. Additionally, there was significant light coming through the blinds until late, which further disrupted our sleep. Overall, this stay was so poor that we will never visit your hotel again. We will also be advising our friends, who are due to visit the area soon, to steer well clear of your hotel based on our experience. The only positive aspect of our stay was the receptionist, who was very helpful and did her best to assist us despite the circumstances. Unfortunately, this alone does not make up for the multiple issues we encountered. I believe £160 is completely unjustified given the condition of the rooms and the disruption we experienced

Filthy overflowing dog poo bin in the car park - not emptied for a week. I live in the village and pass this bin every day. I twice drew staff attention to the mess and they were completely uninterested. The bin remains full. This hotel is trashing the beautiful village it is situated in.

As a business, we hired a function room in the Old Swan pub. We took 50 guests and a fantastic time was had by all! The food was delicious and the staff were very helpful. Vicky and her team made sure that all of our requirements were met during the planning, and the team which looked after us on the night were brilliant. It all came at a very reasonable price, so we will definitely be considering the same venue for our next Christmas party!

We stopped in Room 202 at the Old Mill for my birthday, at £140 a night, if i knew then what i know now i'd have told the missus to keep the money and go elsewhere. On arrival i duly grabbed the wifi code, as i use sleep noise apps to get to sleep. We were shown to the room and the wifi had gone. The card in the room showed that there was a wifi network, but it was not discoverable. I went downstairs to reception to ask, and was then told the wifi does not extend to the rooms above!! The evening meal though well cooked, for £20 consisted of 3 sausages, an ice cream scoop of mash, 3 baby carrots and a plant. Going back to the room, we realised the heating was off, and there was a window which wouldnt close properly. Breakfast in the morning was very basic, butter was given but we had to ask for toast, which was cold. You have a choice of juice, tea or coffee, not juice on the table to have with the meal. To use the swimming pool, you have to pay £50 For a spa treatment. All in all, £140 a night was laughable as an upgraded room, £20 for a meal was far too much for the portion size, and no wifi in a room when the local area has no entertainment makes it pretty boring. Its a £60 room at best.

We hosted a corporate dinner at Minster Mill and found the team professional, responsive and genuinely welcoming. Pre‑event communication was clear, timelines were kept, and service on the night was attentive and well-paced. A big thank you to Vicky and Gemma from the events team, along with Josh, Yasna, Vicky and Beverley, for taking such great care of our guests and us.

I booked a 3 night autumn getaway in October for a visit to Minster Mill in November for my partner and myself. We were so very much looking forward to an idyllic Cotswolds break, but we’re deeply disappointed. On arrival the notice at reception informed us there was no wi-fi in the rooms and also no cellular signal. We were shocked! The reception staff dealt with this difficult situation very well, obviously not their fault. They had to inform us that the wi- fi had been down for a number of days and would it was unlikely to be repaired any time soon! This is really too bad for a hotel of this purported calibre. The rooms were clean and the bed linen clean and crisp but that is unfortunately the only upside of this hotel. It’s such a shame as it is in a great location but the management is poor . The restaurant was not open for us to eat there but the lingering smell in there said it all. Meals were served at the old Swan next door. We had a below average evening meal and an underwhelming breakfast. The old and best part of the pub was deserted and meals were served in the adjacent barn style conversion which was cold in every sense including food which should have been hot. I would recommend this Brownsword chain gets its act together if it wants any chance of maintaining a good reputation. If you are in the business of hospitality then deliver hospitality and pay attention to improving the quality of food ( there are a lot of good home cooks these days ) and make every aspect warm and welcome. If, Brownsword, you can’t be bothered then at least have the good grace to let someone who can be bothered take over! Minster Mill such a great location ruined by mediocre and below average food, no wi-fi and ‘can’t be bothered’ general attitude.

We stayed in a room in The Barn which is located in The Mill hotel. The location and building are lovely. The room was nice & clean - albeit a few cobwebs which I would suggest dusting away as it appears from other reviews this is an issue. Staff were very welcoming & friendly, including in the spa. We used the spa facilities and had a spa treatment which was so lovely and relaxing. Dinner at the Mill was very nice and we received great service, we headed over to the swan for post dinner drinks & also had breakfast there which again was nice. I am surprised to see all the negative reviews and wonder if we were lucky with our room and the service we received as it was a midweek stay and it was quiet or if the hotel has reviewed the concerns and implemented changes . Overall very happy with our stay and would return in the future!

How sad to see this once superbly run hotel falling into decline. Our room was dirty, dusty and the furniture stained. We were so dissatisfied. Sadly the management didn’t seem to care or offer to rectify the situation. We cancelled the rest of our stay after one night. We were so disappointed!

The "Old Swan and Minster Mill" is a pub and a hotel close to each other, confusingly marketed as one establishment. This review relates to the mill only. It's a sprawling Cotswold stone building in quaint village setting with a river and extensive grounds. It should be a delightful place to stay, but it fails in almost every area. Firstly comms. There was no wifi except in the bar area. Apparently the rooms should have it, but there's a problem and it hadn't been fixed for weeks when we were there. As there's virtually no mobile signal either, this will be a serious issue for some. I had to drive out of the village to make calls. For myself and three colleagues on a business trip, this was unacceptable. My room was quirky, and I don't mean nice quirky. The lighting was harsh and the decor made it feel more like a Travelodge than a luxury hotel...this is definitely not the place for a romantic break. The room doors have no soft closures and slam shut all the time, causing disturbance. The shower was good though. Last orders in the restaurant is at 9pm, and we informed staff that we would not be able to order until close to that, as two of our party were arriving late. Despite explaining this we found ourselves being nagged every five minutes from 8pm onwards to place our orders. We were the only guests and we felt the staff were trying to get away early. After we finally did order, the food took nearly half an hour to arrive. It was very ordinary. For breakfast we had to walk over the road to the Old Swan...presumably because they didn't have enough guests or staff for both restaurants. The car park is distant from the rest of the hotel and because it was full, due to a private function, I had to leave my car in muddy field which serves as the overflow area. The staff were friendly, but seemed badly trained. It took ages to check in and out because the receptionist didn't seem to understand the system. Putting three rooms on one bill was a major obstacle and she never did manage to create a VAT invoice in my company's name. The room rate of £165 per night had risen by 25 per cent since the previous year. All told this was a very disappointing stay. The management need to sort this place out properly. It could be good, but serious attention is needed in so many areas.

We stayed for one night in a feature room with terrace and log burner. The room itself was small and compact, pricey for the size we thought. Terrace area was great but needed a good clean, cobwebs everywhere. Enough logs supplied but not enough kindling luckily we managed to get a fire going, it was very cosy as it was luckily a nice evening. We had arrived at 1pm and as we couldn’t check in until 3pm went over to the pub for lunch. We had a nice meal, the pie and Cajun buttermilk chicken were very tasty and the service was good, but they did forget our water for the table. We then checked in to our room and we took a walk as the grounds and location are lovely. However the hotel bar was not open until 5.30pm so we sat in a lovely seating area by the water but couldn’t get a drink, so we had to go back to the pub. I honestly don’t think we’ve stayed at any hotel previously where the bar isn’t open to residents to get a drink. The same applies to the restaurant based at the hotel, it does not serve lunch which however luckily we were aware of before we got there. One of the main reasons we would think twice before returning would have to be the no WiFi issue, there was a notice on reception about this when we checked in, but I see from other reviews this seems to be an ongoing issue, not acceptable at these prices and certainly something they should make people aware of before booking, it’s just as well we weren’t there for business as it would have been even worse. All in all a nice stay but for the price it should be an amazing stay. We also ordered room service and asked for some ice which was forgotten and not delivered so we had to ring again for that to be brought to the room. Just a few things that could be better.

We had a gorgeous stay at Old Swan Pub this weekend with a group of adults and our little toddlers! Felt so at home the moment we arrived. The kids loved the grounds, walking around picking apples, playing in the garden on the wooden adventure playground. The games room with shuffleboard and darts were so popular with all the group! Food was super scummy and the staff really looked after us!

Such a wonderful, hidden gem. Everything was perfect and Gemma looked after us so well. When you need to chill, this could ve THE place to do it.

Lovely place off the beaten track.Garden room was fabulous. Beds comfy pillows soft and slept extremely well. Very quiet. Shame no time to use spa pool. Next time. The old swan pub food was excellent!! Warm greeting at reception.

The Old Swan and Minster Mill, is located in the village of Minster Lovell in the Cotswolds. It is a stunning location next to the river. Reception was courteous and helpful although the one big downside was they had no in room wifi which I needed. Apparently there were issues with it so they had created hotspots, which were frankly of no use to me and I always book a room with wifi which is what they offered. So not a great start. The room was very nice with a king bed and the usual Tv team coffee etc. The room was small and also a tiny shower room so bear that in mind. I felt for the money, £207, was a bit on the small side. However the location made up for that. We had Lunch in the Old Swan which is part of the complex all be it over the road, a charming country pub, renovated with a roaring log fire. Had a few drinks and they said they did sunday lunch till 5pm so we said we should eat at 4-30. We were shown to our table and told the beef is off, all they had was roast chicken, unfortunate as we were really looking forward to Roast beef and all the trimmings. So the chicken arrived, oh dear, I had 5 bits of fatty gnarled chicken, I complained and was brought more fatty gnarled bits of chicken, which took a while I think it had been microwaved. Where was the lovely carved pieces of chicken breast? The food had been kept warm somehow and just tasted awful. So i sent the whole lot back. My wife ate hers although she said it wasn’t good at least she had bigger lumps of chicken. No stuffing, and she thought the Yorkshire pudding was not homemade. but she liked the veg. The guy next to me had the last of the roast beef and he didn’t like his meal either. My replacement was a fish finger sandwich which was in a dry bun, soggy lettuce and three bits of fried fish. Not great. I was starving so I ate some of it. There was no apology whatsoever for the lousy food. I can’t recommend this place for food. It is great for a drink. Next day we had breakfast there as it’s where the hotels breakfast facility is. There is no table pre set with cereal fruit etc which you would expect at this price. We were shown to a large empty room at the back of the pub. We were asked if we wanted the usual tea and coffee, and nothing else. I had to ask for juice and toast. I ordered smoked salmon and scrambled eggs which was very nice, I like mayonnaise with it and ordered it when the meal arrived. It never arrived, I had to ask another member of staff who eventually brought some, I was half way through the meal by then. Also we got no toast, I again had to ask another member of staff for it and it arrived near the end of our meal, my wife had scrambled eggs and bacon, and would have liked toast from the start. All in all food ok service terrible. This place need fine tuning and correct staff training and procedures in place when ordering. This was a half way stop for us on our way to the south west, there are plenty of options to stay elsewhere which we will be doing next time. I note it’s part of the Brownsword group, you can do better!

The Old Swan and Minster mill is a beautiful looking hotel and pub in a lovely village that was in a great location for us to do what we needed to . Sadly though our room ( gor 2 nights) was not up to our expectations . I’m not a fussy person but for the price the room had cob webs the carpet was tired and stained with a rug under the bed that we kept tripping up on ! The bathroom was clean and a good shower but the paint was peeling off the walls and felt like it needed some tlc. As a paying guest you can only use the pool if you book a treatment , only a small pool , we didn’t think we’d have time for treatments so didn’t book but did fancy a swim to be told it would be £25 ! Breakfast was ok but the coffee was cold and we were not asked what type we would like , asked for some hot coffee but the waitress didn’t take our old cold half coffees away so when the warmer coffee came we had to pinch cups off another table . Had a nice meal in the evening though and on checking out we voiced our concerns and the receptionist immediately gave us 20% off with no quibble . I suspect other complaints had been aired . Such a shame as could’ve been a fab place but wouldn’t stay again

Damp smell in room, badly stained carpet in the bathroom, wood lice in the bathroom

Came here for lunch on a Saturday with a friend as a treat. Service was curt. They had no veggie option for roasts. My friend asked for the cajun chicken burger- they didn’t have any. The only veggie options were macaroni cheese or a bhaji burger which i ordered. Really boring burger - hardly any taste and very greasy. Chips were fine. It’s the sort of food you’d expect at Wetherspoons but paid £19 for the burger. This is a beautiful and place with stunning surrounding and I imagine for this reason, they are able to get away with just really underwhelming food and service. Shame.

Overnight stay on route. Minster Mill lovely room, clean, had everything we needed. grounds really nice, couple of areas need tending to where wood degrading. lovely walk along the river. had dinner in Old Swan pub was sausages with Hawkstone gravy, colcannon mash was lovely, Then breakfast on the Monday morning where had bacon sandwich with red onion which again was delicious, plenty of tea.

My partner and I live in a neighboring village to The Swan and after a long walk we popped in on Sunday for a coffee and hot chocolate. The service was first class so we decided to return on Weds for their curry night. From the moment we arrived the staff were incredibly attentive and all very cheery and friendly. The service was slick from start to finish With regards to the food I have to say it was the best curry either of us have eaten - portions and quality were perfect We will definitely make this a new regular visit. As for some comments on here regarding the price - I found it very reasonable and on par with the area in fact the curry night was excellent value. You are in the Cotswolds!

Expensive

This hotel could be so much better. Our room was dusty and the mugs were dirty. We were offered a change but receptionist said she was busy and at 8pm about to go to dinner we were not in a position to pack up and move rooms when she would get around to it. The grounds and location are lovely and our meal and breakfast at the pub was good. We had a drink in the bar before bed and they literally closed the bar without talking to us and all staff disappeared. Wifi not working which was not major but it should not be an issue really. It is very annoying that you have to book a treatment to use the pool and again unnecessary. Please just get better at cleaning

We stayed at Old Swan and Minster Mill on Tuesday 26th of August for what was supposed to be 2 nights. We booked one of the rooms that had space for our daughter, room 125. We were greeted by friendly staff, and headed to our room. On entry, up the stairs I noticed thick cobwebs on the door and the staircase, and when entering the bedroom, the floor (carpet) looked like it needed a hoover. I then noticed thick dust on the bedside tables, and all the edges of the bathroom where the tiles met the walls, as we were going to be using the fans in the night due to warm weather, I checked to see if everything g else was clean, so that dust wasn’t blowing around all night. The room was filthy, I am not being pedantic, the window sills were sticky with dust, the shelves in the open G-Plan style tv unit was thick with dust, as was the skirting boards. I tried to plug the fan into the wall and noticed a huge health and safety issue: a plug pin had been snapped off and was stuck in the top of the three prong plug socket, with the switch turned on, for those who don’t see a problem, the top prong that was wedged and snapped off in the socket is the one that creates the circuit of electricity. If our four year old daughter had found it before I did, who knows what could have happened. We went for dinner that evening to the Old Swan pub, and we were served gone off steak, which we saw a few times in the evening and early hours of the morning. The waiter was friendly, but unfortunately had an unpleasant smell/odour. I did mention the uncleanliness of the hotel room on the day of check in, but the cleaners had gone, and a lovely lady from reception was going to come in and give it a clean, but she hadn’t had time, as cleaner clearly wasn’t part of her job role (and shouldn’t have to pick up the slack of cleaners) I’d also like to note that the room needed more than a quick whip around with a dusting cloth (see attached a photo of one of the flannels I used to give a quick wipe around the dusty areas, photos are of both sides of the flannel) It was filthy. We decide to check out that morning and was assured that the manager of the hotel would be in contact with us to discuss reimbursement of the hotel stay for the night we did stay. We are yet to hear back from this hotel, and will be sharing this review on my forum that I share with over 1,000 independent travel agents like myself. Very disappointed from all angles of this hotel and do not recommend. We paid £300 a night for this hotel, and have stayed in cleaner hostels whilst travelling around Thailand as a young tourist. Avoid at all costs!

WiFi still not working, maintenance issues with the room - taps loose - shower head wouldn’t stay up - dust and cobwebs in room Having said that breakfast was good Staff were welcoming and attentive I did inform the pub of the above issues on checkout Won’t return

Very strange experience here. Just wanted a lovely cold cider on a sunny day, however, I must’ve turned invisible. Three staff at the bar. One serving. Two either trying to take food orders for no one as everyone at the time wanted drinks so they went back to stocking the fridge or drying glasses right in front of me. Another chap came to the bar and the one lady serving drinks asked him for his order. Simple bar etiquette! Urghhhhhhh

We received a very confusing welcome as staff were talking to each other then another couple whilst asking us for allergies and showing us to our table. The food was very good although not as described. I had the sausage and colcannon mash but the cabbage came separately. What was jaw dropping was the price of a glass of wine...... £12.75 for a 175ml chardonnay. I was asked if I wanted a large glass but at £17.50 it was a definite no! The wine imo was also not great. Drink prices are way too expensive compared to other local restaurants. The drinks prices sadly would put us off returning.

Loved the hotel and restaurant, such a beautiful building and rooms, outside lovely too, with croquet, giant chess and hoopla. Food was very nice, we had evening meal and breakfast. Staff friendly and attentive too. We’re definitely coming back. Fab location.

Beautiful location

Bathrooms need a little update.

Just got home after a one night stay at the Swan. Firstly, booking - the booking prior to arrival is rather confusing and wasn’t sure which one we were staying in, a more modern hotel/ spa or the pub the other side of the road, the pictures are a little misleading and confirmation isn’t very clear. We wanted a room in the Mill but ended up with a room in the pub. We confirmed our arrival time as requested prior to arrival and check in was 3pm so we got there for 3pm and confirmed this too. However, when we arrived , the room wasn’t ready, we did have plans too so this was a problem, we waited patiently and was told “20 minutes” as it’s just being cleaned… 30 minutes later nobody got us, so we headed back inside and asked and 40 minutes later we were in the room at 15:40 The room is what you’d expect from a pub that old, however we were a little disappointed as we were hoping the room was in the mill not the pub. We were also told that the WiFi was down, being a rural location, this was an issue for us as signal is pretty much non existent and we rely a lot on our phones for directions and information etc. we quickly headed out late to our plans, when we returned back we wanted a few drinks in the pub, but again more problems, our first round was a lot cheaper than our second round despite buying the exact same drinks and measures. We didn’t feel like we could query it due to the service we’ve received so far in our experiences and felt it would cause more issues than it’s worth. Our room had a broken fan which didn’t work either properly and an asthmatic person could probably blow out more air than that fan, this made sleeping impossible on a hot summers night. I guessing the only thing that made the room superior was a sofa next to the window. The next morning we went to breakfast and felt again, wasn’t value for money, the food was nice and service was better but portion and options were limited, we didn’t pre book breakfast so we paid after, I wasn’t given a receipt prior to paying and just passed a card machine and then receipt after I paid to discover a service charge on it which I wasn’t aware of or mentioned on a menu. Hopefully it can go towards buying a new fan or costs of WiFi. When we checked out as well, I’d already paid for the room prior to arrival but the staff member tried to say we hadn’t paid? We are pretty laidback people and I stay in hotels in rural locations often for work, once a month and this in comparison just wasn’t value for money. The grounds of the mill are incredible and lovely and some of the staff were friendly just slow but just felt disappointed and not what I wanted or paid for but not sure how to address it. I questioned myself and my booking too, and when looked online during the stay, I saw that a nicer room was cheaper in the Mill for the night we booked, and knew we would of enjoyed our stay more if it wasn’t for all the confusion.

A very disappointing stay and meal. The food was very poor as was the service. The general maintenance of the room was poor. No air con in the room either which made it unbearable to try and sleep in this heatwave Will not be returning!!

Stayed here for 1 Tuesday night as we were going to a wedding nearby. The staff were helpful in the lead up recommending a reliable taxi company we could pre book travel to and from the wedding venue nearby. Also, we arrived at 11:30am (knowing we wouldn't be able to check in) and left our case at reception and used the public toilets to change and finish getting ready for the wedding. Sadly, that meant we checked in at midnight or so, so it was straight to bed. The room was very, very nice. It was pretty loud early on on the Wednesday morning though which wasn't ideal. Breakfast was across the road in a pub and we weren't thrilled by the menu but what we did order was good quality. Glad it was included in the hotel cost though as it was pricey. After breakfast we had a little walk around the grounds of the hotel which were really beautiful.

Lovely location and stunning grounds!

Staff were incredibly unfriendly - we were left waiting 2 hours to check in with nobody at reception and when somebody did come they told us they were busy and walked away. Really disappointed and service in restaurant, bar, breakfast extremely slow - waiting nearly 45 mins for breakfast in an empty restaurant and almost 20 mins for 3 pints at the bar.

We went to the Old Swan for lunch having completed a lovely circular walk from Minster Lovell. Annoyingly, the menu was aimed at selling a full sit down meal ( starter, main, dessert). There were no sandwiches or salads, almost nothing suitable for a light lunch. We chose the only option which was a sharing platter priced at £22. For that we had two slices of bread toasted and cut in half. Some cheap cuts of cold meat, some pickle, gherkins and olives. What a rip off.

This is in a lovely location and if you’re looking for a very peaceful time, this is the place for you As for the food very very nice I’m a bit partial to sausage and mash and I would say it was probably the best sausage and mash that I’ve had for a long time

The only problem that we had was the tables outside they were very sticky from drinks where they haven’t been cleaned or wiped down and this caused a lot of problems with the wasps. I understand that when your outside you are going to get insects, but you can limit that by making sure the tables are clean and not sticky and putting wasp traps up that actually work

One of the worst hotel experiences I can remember. The receptionist was eating at the front desk when we arrived. She couldn’t find our key. When we got to our room, there was no WiFi. The next morning, the shower flooded the bathroom. Still no WiFi. In spite of the heat wave, there was no effort made to clean the room or change the bedding. Towels were simply hung up and DIRTY cups put away in the room. Day 3 - intermittent WiFi. Room is finally cleaned but that night, the room filled up with a strong smell of smoke at 11:30 pm. No explanation as to why the next morning. The smoke returned at around the same time every night thereafter. For all the claims, this is simply not a 4-star hotel. The amenities at the local Premier Inn in Witney are better and the price point much more reasonable. Save your money, stay there and spend what you save enjoying the Cotswolds.

Having returned from staying at The Minster Mill I feel one must share the rather appalling experience we have had. Although a pretty setting the tower of negative points put any initial hopes into darkness. Feature Room - "With magnificent views of the River Windrush" the website states!!. No view of River due to overgrown nettles and untidy green mess presented to you when opening the door to your private terrace, patio area needs weeding, wooden privacy gate broken off so no privacy. Previous burnt logs and ash left. No wifi at all anywhere. Scuffs and all over walls, unclean room and bathroom. In general appalling for over £300.00. Your website photos are totally misleading and I would never of paid to stay here if an accurate truthful portrayal of the Hotel had been shown. The wonderful chorus of drunken women who had booked some rooms next to each other went on until 3am. Why on earth did no one do anything about them??????????. Please don't say it was up to us to say. You could and should of done something you could hear them all over the grounds clearly hour after hour. Staff were dressed inappropriately, with mis matching clothing that looked untidy, breakfast over the road as the hotel your paying to stay at doesn't offer breakfast was terrible. Lady took our order which took over 30 minutes to come after several enquires, it turned out it had not been passed on to the chef. First in yet sitting there with all later arrivals being served or finished. Left breakfast to follow member of staff going back over to the hotel with breakfast sandwiches. Disgusting service!!!!

Lovely setting by the river Windrush. Great service from all staff and a lovely massage. The Spa is small and the pool floor needs cleaning. Air con in the bedroom would have made the stay more comfortable.

Location was very pleasant combined with the history of Minster Lovell.

Staff were disinterested, rooms not made up in a timely manner, frayed curtains and poorly operating toilet.

The cottage is very dirty and has a strong unpleasant smell — it really needs a deep cleaning. The service is not professional, and the food is poor

Just held an amazing Charity Garden Party at Minster Mill Hotel. The General Manager and her Staff were so accommodating! The cream tea was marvellous, finished off with ice cream. The gardens were beautiful set alongside the River Windrush; a great venue for all occasions. Thank you Minster Mill for an unforgettable Day!

I have loved the Old Swan for years. It is a magical place. The garden was pleasant. The rooms good sized. The bathrooms updated and just fine.

Needs a real thorough cleaning. Not just furniture dusting and vacuuming. The sills, the rafters, the window frames. It deserves more love. It is not air conditioned, so the windows need to be able to open at night. A small fan pushing around hot air doesn’t work well enough.

The food in restaurant made the stay.

Check-in experience: Although check-in was from 2 PM, we arrived at 3 PM and the room was still not ready. We were advised to have a drink at the bar—this really should have been offered complimentary given the delay. No one informed us when the room became available, which was disappointing. Room: The room itself was lovely—quite warm, but a fan was provided, which helped. We understand that air conditioning may not be feasible in a building of this age, so that wasn’t a major concern. However, the bed could use replacing; it was uneven and sloped noticeably, making it difficult to sleep comfortably. Amenities: The bathroom products were a thoughtful touch and much appreciated. Check out: Bill was not ready for us on check out, which delayed our onwards travel was suggested to come back later for bill but was not an option for us as had plans later in day. Had to wait for bill to be produced. An unnecessary drama.

Breakfast service was very quick on both mornings and the food was good. Some staff were helpful depending on who was on shift. The surrounding area is also beautiful and quiet. If you like going for a morning run, the Minster Lovell Hall ruins is a lovely spot.

Some staff did not bother to help when I mentioned the mattress was lumpy on day 1 - they simply said they don't deal with the rooms and that I need to go find someone in the building across the road. The next day, I woke up with a sore back and only then the other staff on shift (who were very kind) arranged for me to have a new room for the 2nd night. The coffee also wasn't right - I ordered a flat white and got mostly warm milk.

Disappointing for 500$ a night. Shower doesn’t get warm. WiFi doesn’t work. Breakfast was included but didn’t taste great. There was no beautiful garden or walking area around the property like I imagined and when I asked the front desk the walking path pamphlet they gave me is a dangerous one car road with no footpath. On my own I discovered that the sister property across the street has a decent walking path along the river. It just doesn’t match up the expectations created by their website. This feels like a 3 star hotel not 5 star.

Bedroom not well ventilated as only a small window in bedroom which could only be opened slightly. Everywhere looked a bit tired and in need of refurbishment. WiFi took long time to connect. Poor reception on TV in room. Not sure how this hotel has a 5 star rating.

Beautiful location and building but that’s as far as it goes! Surly slovenly, extremely rude staff!! Appalling menu choices…very limited vegetarian options, nothing for vegan diets! Poorly cooked, over priced food! This place could not careless! Avoid at all costs!

The Old Swan is a lovely old building in the beautiful Minster Lovell let down by rude serving staff and terrible options for those who don't happen to eat meat or fish. My wife is vegan and was told at first that they couldn't do anything for her, then told that they could do a risotto – without butter, without cream… and lastly thrown in as a very rude aside… without taste. Service was very slow. She had to settle for a starter of four asparagus tips for £11 , bread and soup (supplied with butter despite the fact that she is vegan). The staff could not have been ruder.

The staff were friendly, yet I felt they were overworked and they took ages serving us. It would have been nice if they had shown us around the hotel/inn, shame as we only saw the games room the morning we left. Coffee machine didn't work, the phone to reception wasn't connected, the staff took their time when at the bar giving me coffee sachets. The shower head needs replacing is way too big for the wall fitting, it nearly knocked me out and the temperature gade/adjustment wasn't easy to manage/operate - so I just had a brief rinse with the cold water. The plug in electric fan was noisy and rattled all night. A dog had been locked in a room a few doors down and barked for a good hour until it was seen to.

Nice place in lovely location but simply impossible to use for business with no Wi-Fi or phone signal

FALSE ADVERTISING: I selected the Old Swan Hotel specifically because the listing on Expedia stated that the property offered air conditioning—an essential amenity for my stay. Upon arrival and check-in, I immediately noticed that the room was uncomfortably warm. I searched for the air conditioning controls but could not locate any. I then approached the front desk to inquire, and the receptionist informed me that the hotel does not have air conditioning in any of its rooms. This directly contradicts the information provided the Expedia site at the time of booking. This discrepancy constitutes false advertising and significantly impacted the comfort and quality of my stay. I feel misled by the inaccurate listing and believe this situation reflects a bait-and-switch experience.

Positive: - Excellent restored buildings and grounds in a beautiful setting - Relaxing outdoor areas along the river - Peaceful walks through the gardens and grounds - Spa treatment faciities very good - Food and service at the pub (accross the road) was very good Negative: - Size of the room very dissapointing for a "Superior" room! - Thick duvet on bed rather than a sheet/light blanket in the current heat wave! - Gap between mattress and headboard - pillow kept falling into gap making sleep uncomfortable! - Restaurent NOT open on weekends! Had to have meals accross the road at the pub! - No diet drinks at the pub - dispenser broken! - Credit card machine would NOT connect to the network - made 3 attempts on arrival the 2 attempts on departure - finally had to switch credit cards and another 2 attempts to connect before payment would go through! Other guests had the same problem! Can't run a business on this basis! - It all seemed a bit amateurish! - Has the potential to be so much more!

Hotel and location lovely but no wifi and no phone signal so simply cannot revisit. Woman on reception/bar totally miserable...othet staff lovely

A disappointing stay overall. Here’s why: We had two room, one for me one for my mother. 1. There’s not enough staff, we had to wait for someone to assist us every time we went to reception. There was always a wait at the bar because there was only ever one person serving. 2. On the evening of check in, my mother was asked to change rooms the next day since a mistake was made in their system. 3. If you’re thinking of doing some work while there, forget it. The WiFi will not connect. I waited overnight until it finally work, the staff just shrug and say there’s nothing they can do. 4. The restaurant menu is disappointing. Fish and chips and burgers and pasta. Nothing special and not even reasonable prices. The staff are young and untrained, they leave cutlery on the table that you won’t use. 5. The gents toilet was dirty. The toilet was not cleaned whilst I was there. See photo. Toilet brush was filthy. 6. The garden furniture with old and rickety. A large garden umbrella blew over one afternoon and nearly hit a guest. 7. Room change late, came back from a day out at around 4.30 and room had not yet been made up. Overall, it feels like they are running the place on a limited budget and cutting corners. It’s not really a professionally run hotel, disappointing. Could be so much better.

Location was great, quiet and scenic and with the sister Mill opposite which was available for Old Swan patrons to use was a good combination - despite being asked to use the 'Old Swan pub across the road' at certain times as the Mill facilities 'wasn't open'

Staff were overwhelmed with more than two customers at a time, weather that be at the bar or checking in/out and/or in the restaurant in the evening and at breakfast. Food service was slow, only seemed to be able to cater for an order at a time. Only one till and card machine in the bar which proved to be a bottle neck The team lacked front of house leadership, although the staff were trying to do their best, even though it wasn't particularly busy. Service charges applied to bar bill when ordering and collecting drinks from the bar which is not appropriate whether a resident or walk in customer - also Service charge applied to our breakfast bill, even though we were overnight guests paying a B&B rate..

Shocking service , no soft drinks on tap . When ordering a shandy offered the flat dregs from a supermarket 2 ltr bottle of lemonade. Lady behind the bar was unhelpful and bordering on rude , and didn’t have a real clue what she was doing . Landlady ? Fantastic location but sadly a lovely day out spoiled but a team that don’t put the service in service . Tried to order food at the table to be told order at the bar , yet the order for the table behind is taken. Shocking !! Avoid this place , plenty of better service pubs in the area .

Everything

lovely quaint period property in a great location , few small things need attention , lack of signage, warm beer , cold coffee , outside patio needed cleaning , staff were trying but seemed under pressure

stayed at the weekend, 6 of the 9 beers were off including both casks, due to apparently a chiller failure? wifi wasnt working properly so took hours to get a connection, no 4/5G available on our phones here either so had no internet of any description, outside furniture is pretty tired and battered, not like on the stock photos, shame as outside area is pretty nice, evening meal was ok but portions rather small, breakfast took ages, toast was cold when it arrived, table next to us was complaining after a 45min wait, I had the french toast with bacon and maple syrup, in any normal place you get a small jug of syrup along side the meal, but not here, wouldnt have known a maple syrup bottle went anywhere near it and nothing extra supplied, rip off for £14. Didnt bother with breakfast the next day. Im sure they will say "You should have asked at the time", the point is that I shouldn't have to ask for toast to be hot and for meals with maple syrup to actually come with syrup.

Such a beautiful setting but aside from that not much was left to be desired. The room, although nice, not worth the in excess of £300 for one night. No phone signal and the wifi is extremely poor, not able to get connected until midnight on our arrival. The bar was very disappointing with most of the pumps not working. Breakfast was incredibly slow and the French toast was very poor, bacon burnt to a crisp. Upon arrival, we had to wait an age to get into our room whilst the staff fumbled through a drawer of keys only to find out someone had taken the key home for our room. Finally, I misplaced an item during our stay and have called multiple times and even emailed to ask if it has been found, but all my calls have gone unanswered, no one has called me back or replied to my email. I would suggest some very strong customer service training is required.