Songthrush

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House |5 bedrooms |Sleeps 9

Lower Mill in Cirencester

from £142 / night

This is the estimated nightly price based on a weekly stay. Contact the advertiser to confirm the price - it varies depending on when you stay and how long for.

£990–£1950 / week

3 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

5 out of 5

15 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Swimming pool, beach or lakeside relaxation, balcony/terrace, car advised, may take pets - please enquire

Check availability and book

About the home

Songthrush is a spacious, family-owned contemporary home on the private Lower Mill Estate nature reserve in the Cotswolds Water Park. A fabulous property set in a quiet cul-de-sac location and overlooking a small reeded stream, you have miles of scenic walks from the front door and an abundance of local sporting, sightseeing and relaxing activities.

The House
The house is a firm favourite with families and friends alike. Open plan living spaces make the property a very sociable option. The design mixes the warmth of wood floors with the clean-cut simple style of contemporary furnishings. Families are particularly welcomed; there are plenty of activities for all ages (see below). Children are well catered for with toys, games and books, and you are welcome to bring your well behaved dog.

The Spa
You have free, unlimited access to the award-winning spa a mere 50m stroll away, with slate-lined, naturally filtered heated indoor and outdoor pools. You can swim among the water lilies in the eco plunge-pool, and relax in the sauna, steam room. There is a well-equipped techno-gym and adult-only relaxation room. A wide range of Pevonia spa treatments are also available (extra cost).

Facilities

Further details indoors:
Songthrush offers a very high standard of accommodation throughout:

Ground Floor comprises a hallway with cloakroom (WC/washbasin), opening into a spacious living, dining and kitchen area. The living area has a wood-burning stove as a central feature, and is furnished with two sofas, leather chairs, flat screen TV with Freeview and a DVD recorder. Dining area has seating for 10 +high chair.

The kitchen is large, and as we use it a lot ourselves (and are a foodie family) it is well equipped with plentiful crockery, cutlery, utensils and serving bowls, it has things like decent knives that you don't always find in a rental property. There is a large fridge/freezer, microwave/oven and full-sized oven, kettle, toaster, blender and expresso-maker. There are spices and salt and pepper supplied - as those are the things that it is easy to forget about when organising a self-catering holiday.

Floor to ceiling windows bring the outdoors in, and you step out onto wooden decking with dining furniture and a bbq, with a view over a (unfenced) reeded brook and meadowland. This is the perfect place to sit out and eat breakfast in the sun.

Four of the five bedrooms are on the first floor: 1 double with en-suite & bath, one further double, one twin, one single and a shared bathroom (shower). Two of these bedrooms have floor to ceiling windows opening onto balconies.

On the 2nd floor there is the 5th bedroom: a huge master suite (king-sized bed) which also works fabulously as a family room, with plenty of room for cots or children’s beds. It also has its own TV. It also has an en-suite shower room.

Further details outdoors:
The 550 acre Estate is a caringly developed nature reserve. The 7 lakes and meadows are home to a myriad of wildlife, including otters, deer, bats, birds and the UK’s only wild beaver population.

Songthrush is located a stone's throw away from the Artspa, a beautiful building housing a heated indoor swimming pool, steam and sauna, gym and treatment rooms. There is also an outdoor heated pool, and a eco-plunge pool (yes - very cold!) set amid landscaped grounds and decorated with water-lillies. Book at the Artspa to use the tennis court too. Your rental includes access for all guests to the Artspa facilities. (Treatments are payable locally).

With restricted car access it is a haven where your children are able to play freely and ride bikes around the estate. There are playground areas, trampolines, a football area and table-tennis, as well as tennis courts.

A small shop and café (open from Easter, limited opening hours) is about 200m walk and sells fresh croissants, newspapers, home-made frozen meals and other essential supplies for the house. It also serves coffees, light breakfasts and lunches. Bikes and canoes can be hired for use on and around the Estate.

Further details

Friday changeovers only, or Mondays for short breaks (to Friday). Other dates will be considered at short notice.

Bed linen and towels are included. Please bring your own swimming towels or hire them from the Spa.

Conditions

A £250 deposit is required to confirm a booking and final payment is due six weeks before the start of your holiday. A 'Damages Deposit' of £250 is also taken.

Songthrush is a no smoking property. Please note that Stag and Hen parties are not permitted on the estate.

Photos

 

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Spring at Songthrush - the back of the house

 

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Kitchen and dining area

 

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View from the decking

 

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Artspa - 50m from the front door!

The Central England / Cotswolds / Gloucestershire region

Lower Mill Estate is located 5 miles south of Cirencester, and 8 miles north of Swindon. It is an excellent base for exploring the Cotswolds, and the spa towns of Cheltenham and Bath are within an hour's drive.

Our guests tell us that it is a really accessible point for far-flung family members to get to easily - making it perfect for family and friends get-togethers.

Our nearest town is elegant, Roman Cirencester. A lively, attractive place full of smart shops, cafes and restaurants, a ‘real’ market, and a great arts centre in the old brewery building. It also has a Waitrose and Tesco – both of whom will deliver to the estate to take the ‘self’ out of catering.

Lower Mill is also convenient for Cheltenham (including the Festival in March), and very close to RAF Fairford which hosts the Royal International Air Tattoo (July)

The Cirencester / Lower Mill area

There are many beautiful Cotswold villages to explore (by car or bike), each with picturesque local pubs – many of which serve extremely good food - we are building a pretty good list in our Welcome Pack which we send to you when you book.

For the hyperactive, there are comprehensive water-sports centres nearby, as well as jet skiing, cable skiing, waterskiing, paintballing, sky diving, hot air ballooning, riding and golf.

After all that activity the Artspa at Lower Mill offers relaxing and reviving spa treatments to help you recover!

For families, 10 minute walk, or a short bike-ride from Lower Mill is The Cotswolds Country Park & Beach, where you can hire cycles and boats, have a sailing or windsurfing lesson, fish, play on the sandy beach or test your climbing skills at “Head 4 Heights” ariel adventures. 10 minutes drive is Butts Farm, for baby animals and an award-winning farm shop and butcher. A little further a field, near Cheltenham, is a rare breeds Cotswold Farm Park. For more exotic animals, try the Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford.

For quieter types of activity, there are also numerous wildlife parks and gardens to explore; antiques in Tetbury, William Morris’s house at Kelmscott, and the Abbey at Tewkesbury.

If you need to get your shopping fix - Cirencester has a high proportion of individual shops, including clothing, crafts, homewares and specialist suppliers, and has a charming market-town feel. Also worth a visit is the Swindon Designer Outlet Centre which has a vast range of well-known brands' outlet shops, offering up to 60% off standard retail prices. It also hosts a farmer's market every Sunday.

How to get there

Songthrush What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

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Our nearest railway station is Kemble (approx 3 miles), or Swindon (approx 10 miles). Both have direct trains from London Paddington.

1.5 hours drive from London on the M4/A419. Easy access from the M5.

Activities near Cirencester

Reviews

Review: 1 to 3 of 15

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19 Dec 2012

“Excellent option for a short break with the family” Cannot add much to previous reviews. We were 6 adults, 3 young children and a baby. Booking process was very easy and transparent with lots of info sent through prior to arrival. The accommodation... more

23 Nov 2012

“Perfect family retreat!” This was our third stay at the property and it was as fantastic as ever. The accomodation is clean, contemporary and high-spec which is well equipped for the family and in an ideal location, close to... more

28 Oct 2012

“Great house - perfect for our needs” We were attending a sporting event in Cirencester Park and the location of Songthrush was perfect for us. The house was great, a really good size for 9 of us. I'd definitely recommend this house to anyone wanting to stay in the area. The actual location of the house on the estate is also great, being directly opposite the spa. Not to mention that the owner was really helpful to the run up of our stay. I'd definitely stay there again! Thanks for such a great stay! Response: We're delighted you had a successful competition in Cirencester Park, and that Songthrush was a good place to base yourself (and relax afterwards!). Hope to see you again next time around.

Review: 1 to 3 of 15

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Review: 4 to 6 of 15

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04 Sep 2012

“Brilliant” Immaculate, light and airy accomodation. Although very modern the house was surprisingly well soundproofed, between the roooms upstairs and down, allowing us all to have rests when needed - especially as one in our party was recovering from hospitalisation, and my 89 year old Mother was with us. Activities on site were great for the younger memebers of our family - especially the out-door heated pool at the Artspa where even my husband ventured and commentated that it was rather like being in a warm bath but outside!! Would reccomend one takes, or hires, bikes as well worth using them just to nip to the on-site shop for a morning paper. Added to which if you go late enough in the evening for a ride you may see a beaver, or two in one of the reserves lakes as my husband was fortunate enough to do so; made his holiday. The best part for me was the local swans using the stream area, behind the house, as a landing site. Sadly one had been injured, whilst we were there, but the on-site staff were fantastic and came to her rescue within in minutes of being notified as to her plight. Whilst one remained with the injured bird the other two men rushed off to find assistance and contact the local rescue centre. I would definitely recommend a stay at Songthrush for those wanting escape from the humdrum of everyday. A place for those no longer interested in camping or caravaning but wanting to be near wildlife without getting too muddy..

29 Jun 2012

“Glorious” Stayed at this house recently from a Friday to Monday. A group of 8 ladies. We had a brilliant time. The house was absolutely gorgeous. You couldnt have asked for anything more. It certainly has... more

09 Jun 2012

“A perfect bank holiday in a fantastic property and location” We booked Songthrush for the bank holiday weekend as we wanted something spacious and modern to accommodate 8 adults and 5 children (aged from 10 to under 1 year). The modern layout of the property and large bedrooms across 2 floors meant that we could all relax and unwind without feeling claustrophobic. It also meant that the children could get their toys out and make the most of the open plan downstairs living area. The house is located a one minute walk away for the indoor and outdoor swimming pool which was fantastic especially when the weather was so unpredictable. Whilst there we made the most of the location- with lots of lakes on the estate it was great for bikes and running, and we also joined in the the annual duck race! The development had a lovely community feel and I would definitely recommend it to other families/ groups of friends wanting a break away.Songthrush is a superb property - I wish I could live there! Response: So pleased you joined in with some of the local activities during your weekend break. I think this idea of community is a strong part of why the Estate feels so welcoming and relaxing - it has a great sense of allowing guests to feel 'at home'. It's also good to hear how the house works for a wide range of people and needs.

Review: 4 to 6 of 15

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Review: 7 to 9 of 15

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30 May 2012

“What a superb house!!!!!!” Songthrush totally exceeded our expectations. We were gathered for an 80th birthday party and the house coped with the numbers really well. Even when day visitors took the number to 17. It was spotless on arrival with good decor. The house is extremely well equipped from kitchen equipment to bedding. The lounge opening up to the garden with big patio windows and great garden furniture made for a huge living space. The house is right next to the outdoor and indoor pools with sauna and steam room plus gym. Our dealings with the owner have been excellent with prompt and helpful replies to every query. Highly recommended.

29 Mar 2012

“Great family holiday, fabulous house in the wonderful setting of Cotswold lakes” Stayed at songthrush for a long weekend with the family, 9 of us in total, 4 generations from 2 to 87 years old, to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday. The house is lovely, modern decoration, spotlessly clean and well equipped. Size was just right, the open plan living space on the ground floor is ideal for a family gathering. Location is great too, peaceful, great views and very close to the spa. Access to the lovely spa was included, the kids loved the swimming pool, and the ladies indulged in the spa treatments. the estate itself is also a great setting, lots of nice walks, a play area for the kids, and there's lots of good pubs nearby serving great food. Bonus was being able to take the dogs to such a nice house, would love to stay again.

21 Mar 2012

“Fantastic house and location,” We booked to meet up with some friends for my sisters Birthday. 8 adults and five small children. The house was perfect and in a great location with lots to do. Liz was very helpful and sent through lots on the local area. I would recommend a visit.

Review: 7 to 9 of 15

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Review: 10 to 12 of 15

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07 Dec 2011

“Spacious house in fabulous surroundings” We have just returned from a fantastic weekend in Songthrush with two other families. The house was very clean, modern and spacious, with plenty of room for all. During the day we cycled and utilised... more

20 Sep 2011

“A great place to stay, with activities for all ages.” We stayed at Songthrush with the family, including our three grandsons to celebrate a sixieth birthday. The house was a great base for the week., with a large kitchen/ family room with space for all.The welcome pack was a lovely touch. We made full use of the nearby Spa and swimming pools. During our stay we hired a Canadian Canoe from the shop, which all the family enjoyed. The area is ideal for walking and cycling around the many lakes.Plenty of other activities only a short drive away. Cirencester is a lovely place to go for a walk around the shops.

18 Sep 2011

“Exceeded all expectations” From the moment I contacted Liz , the owner, everything went smoothly and she was very helpful with local restaurants etc. I booked Songthrush for my daughter's 21st birthday. Our group was made up of nine adults and a six week old baby. Everybody had their own space and bathroom (very handy for getting ready in the evenings!) The house is beautiful and full of quality furnishings - It really has everything you will ever need. The location is stunning and central to many pretty villages and attractions. The girls loved the Spa, which is just outside the front door, and took advantageof the treatments available. We also visited the Cotswold Wildlife Park, about a 30 minute drive, which we all enjoyed and which was a lovely day out. There are also lots of restaurants serving delicious homemade food which are worth visiting. All in all, a totally enjoyable stay and a gorgeous place to celebrate with all the family.

Review: 10 to 12 of 15

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Review: 13 to 15 of 15

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22 Aug 2011

“absolutely fantastic” beautiful house immaculate very well equipped.we had a great week very quite estate lovely walks excellent for children very safe.spa is absolutely brilliiant. welcome pack and champagne and chocolates were a very nice touch thank you.would highly recommend.cannot wait to return.

13 Jul 2011

“Quintessential English combined with homely modernity” We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Songthrush. It is a beautifully appointed home, providing lots of unexpected extras; additional fluffy towels, spices for cooking, childrens books and games and a lovely welcome basket. The house was spotless upon arrival and kind Pete Townsend, who is responsible for managing the property, surprised us with a welcome bottle of wine. The house is in a very nice part of the estate, very quiet with a very pretty garden and pond a few steps from the lovely patio. The area is gorgeous, we rented very good quality mountainbikes from - I think they were called - Go By Cycle, and did some great cycling around the lakes and into the countryside. We hired canoes from a company called Waterland, not so much fun if you are serious about canoeing as the lake is quite small, but the kids enjoyed exploring the little island in the middle and shorelines, and swimming in the very clean lakes. The only change we would have made to our Uk trip was to have stayed longer in Liz's lovely home in the Cotswolds. Her service is impeccable and so is her home.

23 May 2011

“A luxury retreat in the Cotswolds, a real home from home” Ideally located in Lower Mills this five bedroomed house felt like our own home from the moment we arrived. The attention to detail and quality hits you as soon as you walk through the door. The ArtSpa is only a minute's walk and the area is a must for walkers, cyclists and watersports enthusiasts. One of the best holidays we have had in the UK with our teenage daughters. The ideal place to chill out and explore the many country pubs and restaurants in this beautiful part of England

Review: 13 to 15 of 15

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Rental prices

Prices for group size 9
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Late Winter	4 Feb 13	16 Feb 13	800£ 800	-	250£ 250	3 Nights
Spring Half Term	16 Feb 13	23 Feb 13	1300£ 1300	-	-	1 Week
Early Spring	23 Feb 13	29 Mar 13	990£ 990	-	275£ 275	3 Nights
Easter Holidays	29 Mar 13	16 Apr 13	1320£ 1320	-	-	1 Week
Spring	16 Apr 13	24 May 13	1250£ 1250	-	330£ 330	3 Nights
Summer Half Term	24 May 13	31 May 13	1350£ 1350	-	-	1 Week
Early Summer	31 May 13	12 Jul 13	1350£ 1350	-	370£ 370	3 Nights
Summer Holidays	12 Jul 13	31 Aug 13	1695£ 1695	-	-	1 Week
Autumn	31 Aug 13	25 Oct 13	1295£ 1295	-	360£ 360	3 Nights
Autumn Half Term	25 Oct 13	1 Nov 13	1350£ 1350	-	-	1 Week
Winter	1 Nov 13	21 Dec 13	990£ 990	-	290£ 290	3 Nights
Christmas & New Year	21 Dec 13	4 Jan 14	1950£ 1950	-	-	1 Week

The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Monday and Friday are change over days for arrivals and departures. Other weekdays may be able to be accommodated dependent on bookings/demand. <BR><BR>Bank Holiday weekends may be extended to cover the additional day, and special rates may apply. Please ask for rates.<BR><BR>Arrivals: any time after 4pm<BR>Departure: Please vacate the property by 10am <BR><BR>Weekend breaks are 3 nights. Sorry we do not do 2 night stays at weekends.<BR><BR>NB Well behaved dogs are welcome. We charge a £25 flat fee to cover the additional cleaning required.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Availability notes:

The estate is closed between 5 Jan and 5 Feb each year.

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anyway No. of adults No. of children Message * Send me ideas on where to stay

3 years listed You are contacting Liz Wren Landline n/a Mobile n/a Languages spoken The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2010. This house has received 15 reviews from previous guests.

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