Milton Hill House Conference & Training Centre, Abingdon

...they were offering rooms at Milton Hill House in Abingdon for £29 each on Sunday 15th February.

It just so happened that the week after Valentines was half term week at the local schools which meant I could take some of the holidays I had remaining (as I work in a school) so my husband and I both booked the Monday off work. I didn’t tell him where we were going or what we were doing I just told him that I was booking a Valentines surprise ...
...in itself!

Milton Hill house with its whitewashed Georgian charm is set in 22 acres of secluded parkland. Owned by the De Vere Group is has 113 stylish bedrooms plus 16 fully equipped meeting rooms and another 16 equipped syndicate rooms which can be used by companies for staff training and other such events. The venue is fully licensed for weddings and other such events like christening parties etc.

Having never stayed ... more

My partner and I always celebrate Valentines day – call us slaves to the commercialism of today’s age but we usually buy each other a card and get a small gift. This year as it was our first Valentines since we got married I wanted to do something a bit different but didn’t want to spend a great deal of money because as usual the penny pincher in me is always present.

We had been talking about the possibility of going away for an overnight or weekend break and had suggested a few different places that we fancied going, these included Bath and Oxford. I had a look at a few different hotels but they were all quite expensive so it wasn’t looking likely that we would be going away any time soon. Luckily a solution came to light when I received my weekly email from the Money Saving Expert website – De Vere were offering selected hotel rooms starting from £19 a night including weekends. A quick search showed me that they were offering rooms at Milton Hill House in Abingdon for £29 each on Sunday 15th February.

It just so happened that the week after Valentines was half term week at the local schools which meant I could take some of the holidays I had remaining (as I work in a school) so my husband and I both booked the Monday off work. I didn’t tell him where we were going or what we were doing I just told him that I was booking a Valentines surprise for us. Now I just needed to keep my mouth shut and not give the game away, which for a big mouth like me was a challenge in itself!

Milton Hill house with its whitewashed Georgian charm is set in 22 acres of secluded parkland. Owned by the De Vere Group is has 113 stylish bedrooms plus 16 fully equipped meeting rooms and another 16 equipped syndicate rooms which can be used by companies for staff training and other such events. The venue is fully licensed for weddings and other such events like christening parties etc.

Having never stayed in a De Vere Hotel before I wasn’t really sure what to expect so did some investigative work on the internet to see if I could find any reviews or anything. Unfortunately a lot of the reviews I did find weren’t very complimentary about Milton Hill House but there was nothing I could do as I had booked the room and it was non refundable. A lot of the reviews had mentioned that there seemed to be a lot of refurbishment going on during the time the writers had visited so I hoped that things would be better during our stay.

On the day we set off in the car with the sat nav telling us where to go my husband was quite excited as he had no idea where we were going, yes I managed to keep the surprise! It took us about an hour and 40 minutes to get there from ours and the drive was pretty straightforward. The hotel was signposted from the main road and was very easy to find, situated just off the road down a small drive way surrounded by wide green spaces and trees. The main building was white and had a number of car parking spaces outside and to the left. We parked up grabbed our bags and went to check in.

The décor inside the hotel was lovely, all very opulent with lots of wood panelling and richly coloured walls. The reception desk was just a short walk inside the front door, it was quite small but had two members of staff dealing with guests, check in was at 2pm. We told the receptionist that we wished to check in she asked for my card and said that they would charge anything that we requested to it and would then take the total amount off at the end of our stay – this is pretty standard practice for most hotels as far as I’m aware.

A lot of the reviews I’d read prior to our stay had complained about the fact that the standard rooms were in a separate building to the main hotel called the bedroom block. They had said that it was a very long walk to get to the block and that upon arrival it reminded them of a concentration camp! Obviously this had me quite worried as I didn’t particularly want to treat my husband to a stay in such a place as that didn’t sound particularly romantic. The receptionist gave us a small map and explained how to get to the bedroom block and off we set luggage in hand. Now I have to say that the complaints I had read on the internet about it being a long walk to the bedrooms were totally unjustified in my opinion as it took us literally two minutes to get there, it was not a long distance at all no further than it would take to reach a bedroom in any other large hotel to be honest.

As the hotel is used as a conference venue and has a number of conference rooms in the main building we had to walk past them all to access the rear of the hotel where the separate bedroom block was located. The block was grey concrete with ivy trailing up the front and even though it wasn’t the most amazing of buildings I wouldn’t say it was reminiscent of a concentration camp. I think the trailing ivy with looked to be a relevantly new addition (probably from the refurbishment) actually stopped the building looking quite so dated.

We made our way up the stairs and located our bedroom which was situated on the first floor and I noticed that the décor in the corridors did look slightly shabby and could possibly do with a bit of sprucing up but I think this is to be found with most hotels in this price range. The room which was entered via an electronic key card was a pretty big size housing a very large double bed, desk and chair, small armchair and a small occasional table, it was decorated really nicely in tones of brown, cream and green in a very modern style. Mounted on the wall opposite the bed was a large flat screen TV which received a number of different channels. There was plenty of lighting available with two lamps on either side of the bed and a separate lamp on the other side of the room plus the usual overhead light. There were a variety of brochures about local attractions, a De Vere magazine plus information on how to use the hi speed internet connection which is available in every room.

The bathroom was a good size and I loved the decoration in there, it was very stylish and modern. The walls and floor were decorated with black mosaic style tiles and there was the usual WC, basin and bath with a shower overhead, it very much had the feel of a wet room. For some reason there was a gigantic silver clock on the wall behind the toilet, no idea why but it seems this is quite normal for this chain of hotels as I had read other people saying they had them in their rooms too. There were plenty of white fluffy towels provided in a variety of sizes and a heated towel rail which unfortunately didn’t appear to be working although maybe I just managed to oversee the switch to turn it on.

There was a small cupboard just inside the entrance door to the room which houses an ironing board and iron, trouser press, hairdryer and tea and coffee making facilities. This was also meant to double as a wardrobe though it was only a small cupboard and the other items dominated it quite considerably leaving hardly any room for hanging clothes up – not that this bothered me but I could see it may be a problem for some guests.

After settling ourselves in to our room we decided to venture out. I gave my husband the choice of visiting either Reading or Oxford both of which are a short drive away in the car from the hotel. As he was born in Oxford he decided he fancied heading there for the afternoon, we drove into Oxford and luckily as he knows the area he directed me to somewhere where we could park for free for a few hours. We had a lovely walk around Oxford, took some photographs and had a delicious cream tea before heading back to the hotel.

Once we arrived back at our hotel we decided to have a little explore of the amenities. The hotel houses a spa, small pool, sauna, steam room and mini gym which all guests can make use of. There was a lounge and a bar, the lounge being the quieter of the two – the bar had a moderately sized wall mounted TV. Dotted at various spots around the corridors of the hotel were coffee machines where you could help yourself to cappuccinos, lattes, espressos, macchiato and other hot drinks for free which was a nice touch.

The hotel has a restaurant which serves breakfast and dinner but neither of these were included in our room rate. I enquired about the cost of breakfast and was told that it was £7.50 per person which personally I felt to be slightly expensive. Most of the reviews that I had read on the internet had said that the food in the restaurant wasn’t particularly great so I had already decided that we would either head into Oxford for our dinner on the Sunday night or try to find a nearby pub that served food instead. Luckily for us there was a small country pub right next door to the hotel on the main road called The Latchpole, we called in on the way back from Oxford and found out that they serve evening meals so decided to book a table while we there. I was really glad we decided to do this as they had a really extensive menu with plenty of options both meat eaters and vegetarians, the portions were big, the prices were very reasonable and the food was delicious – I think it was certainly much better than we would have had at the hotel. Even the barmaid said that the hotel send people to them as (in her words) “they know their food is quite rubbish”. It is worth noting that the pub is within walking distance so if you want a few drinks then you can easily walk (or stumble) back to the hotel afterwards.

After having our meal at The Latchpole we then decided to have a couple of drinks at the hotel bar as it was still quite early. Only problem was there was nobody at the bar serving, we waited and waited but still no sign of any staff even though the bar was open and there was no bell to press to call for someone. Not wanting to kick up a fuss we took a seat and about 15 minutes later someone came along but I wouldn’t usually expect to wait so long to be served in a hotel bar as usually they are never left unattended for so long. My husband bought a Kir Royale (Champagne & Crème de Cassis) and a bottle of Magners Cider and it came to £11 which by hotel standards isn’t overly expensive, the bar wasn’t particularly well stocked though so we were glad that we had a couple of drinks in the pub beforehand. There were a few guests milling around in the bar and lounge area and after a while we got chatting to a very nice couple who were a real scream, we eventually made it to bed at 1.15am – whoops!

In the morning we decided that we weren’t going to pay £7.50 for breakfast at the hotel but instead we would take the penny pinchers option which was to drive to the local Tesco which was about 5 minutes away and have our breakfast there, our full English breakfast with toast for less than £3 each was much more pleasing to my purse and tasted just as good. We then drove back to the hotel and made use of the leisure facilities, we had to sign in at the health club reception upon entering where we were told that they provided you with towels to use whilst inside and then we were directed to the separate male and female changing areas. The pool although small was about average size for a hotel such as this, it was very similar to a Q hotel that I stayed in for a friend’s hen weekend last year. Attached onto the side of the pool was a round Jacuzzi and to the rear were the sauna and steam room. The mini gym was in a separate area although we didn’t use that facility during our stay I had a look and there were a few pieces of equipment treadmill, rowing machine, bike, stepper and cross trainer, plus a few weights and a gym ball.

Unfortunately the pool was absolutely freezing so much so that unless you kept moving you actually become rather uncomfortable and far too cold which I suppose is good because it forced you to keep swimming without stopping but not very relaxing. After about 10 minutes we decided to use the Jacuzzi which in comparison to the pool was pleasantly warm – we were assured by some ladies who use the facilities everyday (local residents can buy memberships to the health club part of the hotel) that the pool was not usually so cold and that apparently it was because the water had been drained the day before. We then tried the sauna which was very hot, they aren’t my favourite of things anyway so we only stayed in a short while but afterwards sat in the steam room which was much more pleasant. We stayed in the health club for around an hour switching between the pool, Jacuzzi and steam room before returning to the room to get ourselves ready for checkout.

When I booked and my email confirmation came through it had a number of offers that I could take advantage of like the two course dinner for £15 I mentioned earlier, reductions on the price of wine with your meal, upgrade your room for an additional charge or a late 2pm checkout for an extra £5. As I thought it would be nice to use the leisure facilities on the Monday morning I had decided to add a late checkout to our stay and I am glad I did as the usual checkout time for a weekday is 10am which I thought was very early, the earliest of any hotel I’ve ever stayed in personally.

For those wondering what there is to do near the hotel here are a list of local attractions and their distances from Milton Hill House.

Blenheim Palace 16.2 miles

The home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and the Birth place of Sir Winston Churchill. Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland, attractions include tours of the palace and pleasure gardens with maze, miniature train rides and exotic butterflies.

University of Oxford 10.3 miles

Oxford is a beautiful city of stunning architecture, history and culture. You'll find ancient and modern colleges, fascinating museums and galleries, and plenty of parks, gardens and green spaces in which to relax.
The Living Rainforest 9.3 miles

Explore the rainforest and discover its wonders for yourself.
Didcot Railway Centre 3.5 miles

See the unique collection of Great Western Railway steam engines, coaches, wagons, buildings and small relics; and a recreation of Brunel's broad gauge railway.

Oxford Castle Unlocked 10 miles

For the first time in 1000 years, the secrets of Oxford Castle have been Unlocked Walk through these ancient buildings and experience the stories that connect the real people to these extraordinary events.

Oxford Playhouse 10.3 miles

Oxford Playhouse has a well-earned reputation as one of Britain's leading theatres. From its foundation in the 1920s to the present day, it has been associated with the launch of many stellar careers and productions.

New Theatre Oxford 10.2 miles

There has been a theatre on the corner of George Street for almost 170 years. The first theatre built in 1836 was known commonly as the ‘Vic’, and later as the ‘Theatre Royale’ after the company that played there. Audiences at the theatre can once again see leading opera and ballet companies, from Welsh National Opera to the English National Ballet, contemporary dance, hit musicals like Chicago and Guys and Dolls, and of course sell-out pop concerts.

Waddesdon Manor and Gardens 23.2 miles

Waddesdon Manor was built (1874-1889) by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to display his outstanding collection of art treasures and to entertain the fashionable world. Fascinated by the history and culture of France, he commissioned a French architect, Gabriel Hippolyte Destailleur, to build him a Renaissance-style chateau, based on those in the Loire Valley, and employed a French garden designer, Elie Lainé to lay out the grounds. Waddesdon has one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain, famous for its Parterre, seasonal displays, shady walks and views, fountains and statuary. The 45 rooms on view hold one of the most exceptional collections of French 18th century decorative arts and English portraits in the world.

Cogges Manor Farm 13.8 miles

A unique working museum depicting Oxfordshire rural life in Victorian times, set in an historic manor house and Cotswold stone farm buildings. Explore the beautiful farmstead, original Cotswold buildings and displays about farming in years gone by. Meet traditional breeds of farm animals, talk to farm hands and dairy maids and watch them go about their daily work.

Highclere Castle 18.5 miles

One of Britain’s most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst spectacular parkland. Visit the Castle and its Grounds.

So as you can see there are plenty of things to see and do in the areas around the hotel within easy travelling distance of Milton Hill House.

Our room which was a classic double room would usually cost around £49 to stay on a Sunday evening which in itself isn’t that much for 2 people. Due to the special offer I paid £34 for our room which included the extra £5 for the late 2pm checkout, I felt that this was a good price as the hotel was very nice, the bed was extremely comfortable (and huge!) and I enjoyed staying there. There are other rooms available at a greater cost which would probably be even nicer and are based in the main house rather than in the bedroom block. The hotel is really well situated as a base to stay overnight whilst visiting local attractions and would be sufficient for most peoples needs. Personally I felt that the detrimental reports I had read about the hotel were unjustified and I was very pleasantly surprised with the hotel.

I would definitely recommend this hotel and award it 3.5 marks out of 5.

Many thanks for reading my review.

 

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