A romantic mini-break…with kids

Georgina Fuller - 10 Jun 16

My husband and I recently celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary (hurrah to us for surviving the seven year itch!) and went to stay in a beautiful, romantic Cotswold hotel for the weekend to celebrate. There was a catch though, even though this was set in an idyllic spot on the river and offered quaint, luxury accommodation it claimed to be family friendly. I was a bit cynical at first. It didn’t sound much like Center Parcs or offer anything similar in the way of children’s entertainment but I was actually quite surprised at how much there was for the children. We decided to brave it and took our three, Charlie (7), Edward (4) and Jemima (2) along. It was the first time we had all stayed in a hotel together since Jemima was born.

The fact it was set on a river wasn’t ideal for the kamikaze toddler and meant we had to keep a constant watch on her but, aside from that, the 60 acres of grounds, outdoor playground, chickens, giant outdoor chess and playroom kept them occupied. The playroom had loads of good stuff including some old school board games (Monopoly, Guess Who, Cluedo), playdoh, a wooden train set, chalk and blackboard, jigsaw puzzles and bean bags. They also loved their interconnecting room and we were all made to feel so welcome by Caroline, the lovely manager, from the moment we arrived.

I think our three were probably a bit young to appreciate some of the other on-site activities – the tennis courts, fishing and indoor table tennis. The fact it’s just up the road from Blenheim Palace, Cotswold Wildlife Park, beautiful Burford and a host of other attractions was a big plus though. The spa wasn’t quite finished by the time we got there so, having promised the children we would take them swimming, we headed to the outdoor pool in Woodstock, ten miles up the road. The kids loved it but it was pretty shabby around the edges and could so with an update.

On the first night, we attempted a civilised sit down meal under the chic Cotswolds canopy outside with the children in tow. You can probably imagine how that went. The fact there were no chips didn’t go down too well but other than that the fact we were strategically placed right by the playground and chickens was brilliant. I got stuck into the prosecco too which helped then, after a lovely, Michelin star worthy meal, complete with sausages and mash for the children, we headed back to try and put them all to bed before the babysitter arrived. I’ve never left them all with a stranger before but we were only going up the road to the gorgeous Swan at Swinbrook (which was owned by the legendary Debo Mitford and serves heavenly rosé) and it was lovely to escape for a few hours. I think the poor babysitter certainly had to work for her money (an outside agency, booked through the hotel for a reasonable £10 an hour and a £15 booking fee) and had only just got them all to sleep by the time we got back. Sharing a room and sleeping in three in a row, dorm style beds was obviously massively exciting for them!

The next night we attempted to settle them ourselves after an early supper at Bills in Witney, which was quite a challenge. The novelty of sleeping next to each other rather than in separate rooms once again kept them awake for an age. The following morning we had another lovely breakfast where the children gorged themselves on pain au chocolat and local strawberries before we reluctantly headed home.

Would absolutely recommend though if you’ve got children (or dogs – or both!) and you’re looking for a lush, Cotswold escape.

Overnight stays start from £175 per night including breakfast. For bookings: http://oldswanandminstermill.com/ 01993 774441

Georgina Fuller

Georgina Fuller is a freelance journalist, reluctant realist and mother of three; Charlie (8), Edward (5) and Jemima (3.) She writes for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Red, Smallish, Little London magazine and anyone else who pays her. After eight years in London, she now lives in a Midsomer Murdersesque village on the edge of the Cotswolds.

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