Printable hotel details
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High Street, Goring on Thames, Reading RG8 9AW
RG8 9AW
The Miller of Mansfield
- Style
- Creeper-clad country inn
- Setting
- Berkshire Downs village
An 18th-century inn, the Miller of Mansfield stands proud, sidled up to a flint cottage and opposite a stone parish church and a lovingly tended green. This king of pub stays is a great base for exploring Oxfordshire, the Royal County of Berkshire and the tranquil Thames Valley.
Need to know
- Rooms
- 12, including two suites.
- Rates
- £110–£175, including Continental breakfast and tax.
- Check-out
- 11am; later when possible.
- Facilities
- WiFi at a charge; massages and beauty treatments can be arranged, either in your room or at a nearby spa. In rooms, flatscreen digital TV, and DVD players on request.
- Children
- Extra beds and cots available, £10 a night. Babysitting can be organised with advance notice, and the chefs are always keen to accommodate special dietary needs.
- Also
- Smokers will appreciate the heated area outside. Weekends require a two-night minimum stay.
In the know
- Our favourite rooms
- Silver and black room 7 has a raised Japanese‑inspired bath big enough for two. Fiery 8 looks across the road to the church and packs a colourful fuchsia punch with its antique bed. Super‑spacious suites 4 and 5 have extra little rooms with day beds, ideal if you’re travelling with a wee one. Rooms 3, 6, 10 and 14 are on the small side, so splash out on a larger one if you value your space.
- Packing tips
- Navigating the winding country lanes by car can be confusing for those unfamiliar with the area; you’ll definitely thank yourself for bringing a decent map. And you'll want to take to the river in a boat, so bring appropriate clothing.
- Also
- The Miller of Mansfield can pack you a picnic basket and arrange riverboat trips.
Food & drink
- Hotel restaurant
- The Modern British/European cuisine extends to full à la carte offerings, as well as a six‑course tasting menu and daily special. We love the nouvelle cuisine take on the full English breakfast and the quirky fondant with peanut butter ice cream.
- Dress code
- Low‑key and traditional with modern accessories – like the pub itself.
- Top table
- On a banquette, by the window or wall in the restaurant; by the window in the pub.
- Last orders
- 11pm for drinks; bar menu available 11am–10pm.
- Room service
- There isn’t a dedicated menu but the Miller of Mansfield will try to accommodate special requests.
- Hotel bar
- The comfy pub is split into three snug sections; try to sit fireside in winter. Out back, there’s a decked area for alfresco drinking and dining in balmier weather. As well as local ales, an extensive bar menu lists modern tapas-style dishes.
Smith card offer A Cosmopolitan cocktail each, served with nuts and olives on arrival, plus a generous Miller goodie bag of home‑made seasonal treats, such as chocolates, chutneys, jams and lavender products
If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).
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Smith concierge
If you’d prefer to talk to someone, or you’re having trouble booking online, ring our travel team on 0845 034 0700 (+44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Local restaurants
Even the fussiest eaters are spoilt for choice when selecting dishes from the top‑notch British classics at The Crooked Billet on Newlands Lane in Stoke Row (+44 (0)1491 681048); the bar also has an excellent calendar of music events from Mozart to blues and jazz. For real ales and home‑cooked fare by Antony Worrall Thompson, try The Greyhound, his 17th‑century country pub at Gallowstree Common in Rotherfield Peppard (+44 (0)1189 722227). Less than a 15-minute drive from the Miller, The Sweet Olive restaurant at the Chequers Inn in Aston Tirrold (+44 (0)1235 851272) is hugely characterful and has a Gallic bistro menu of French-accented cuisine. The food is lovely, but another big draw is its amazing, great-value wine list, which makes for very enjoyable evening meals.
Local bars
With the best views over the valley, King William IV in Hailey, Ipsden (+44 (0)1491 681845), is a traditional no‑frills pub serving up salads, pies and fish ’n’ chips – worth going to just to drink in the views.
Worth getting out of bed for
The countryside around here is very pretty: the Ridgeway – Britain’s oldest road – is an 87-mile National Trail through two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It crosses the Thames at Goring, hugging the riverbanks for five miles before branching off into the Chiltern Hills (www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Ridgeway). If you're seeking cultural thrills, Windsor Castle (www.royal.gov.uk) is close, as is 18th-century Palladian mansion Basildon Park (+44 (0)118 984 3040). Hit the gastronomy trail and you'll be rewarded with more Michelin-starred delights than you'd find in many London boroughs: the village of Bray in particular has amassed more than its fair share of accolades. Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-star restaurant, The Fat Duck (+44 (0)1628 580333), is on the High Street, and his less formal (but no less fine) Tudor gastropub, The Hinds Head (+44 (0)1628 626151), across the road. Beside the river on Bray’s Ferry Street, Alain Roux heads up The Waterside Inn (+44 (0)1628 620691), which also enjoys treble-star status. In Great Milton, Raymond Blanc conjures up two-star gourmet delights at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons (+44 (0)1844 278881).
For more ideas, see our destination guides to Oxfordshire, Berkshire and the Cotswolds.
Diary
April The ancient Hocktide Festival in Hungerford features Wicker Man-style street dancing, ale tasting and all sorts of mediaeval goings-on (www.visitwestberkshire.org.uk). May The Henley Food Festival includes cookery demos from Heston Blumenthal, Raymond Blanc, Tom Aikens and Antony Worral Thompson and their ilk (www.henleyfoodfestival.co.uk). June Royal Ascot is one of the highlights of the social season in which aristos and Wags wearing silly hats get as much attention as the racehorses, especially on Ladies’ Day (www.ascot.co.uk). See our events guide Smith 52 for more details, or buy the book for the full insider lowdown. July The Henley Royal Regatta: like Ascot, but in boats instead of on horses (www.hrr.co.uk). Henley also features in our events collection Smith 52. August International rock bands and hordes of people who haven’t washed for three days congregate at Reading Festival (www.readingfestival.com).
For a full list of bars and restaurants in Berkshire, click here
Berkshire, United Kingdom
- Number of people
- 2-150
- Licensed for weddings
- No
Wow factor
This pretty 18th-century ivy-clad coaching inn makes an idyllic setting for a small or medium-sized wedding reception. The terrace gardens are ideal for drinks during warmer months.
Need to know
The hotel isn't licensed for weddings, but often holds receptions for services held at St Thomas of Canterbury, the local church. They can also steer you in the direction of other local venues for the service, including churches and historic sites. The nearest venue for civil ceremonies is Reading's Town Hall.
Inspiration
Receptions here are simple, stylish and rereshingly unshowy. Expect nature-theme details such as pebbles used as place names, personal touches such as hand-tied napkins, and quirky chalk boards with guests' names outside bedrooms, as well as home-made food and wedding favours.
Click here to view more wedding hotels in United Kingdom
Berkshire, United Kingdom
- Best for
- Babies and up – children of all ages welcome and catered for.
Recommended rooms
Suites 4 and 5 are spacious, and both have an extra bed. There's no extra charge for an extra bed or cot in rooms.
Activities
There's a large garden to run around in. Ask at reception to borrow baby-friendly toys.
Meals
Children are allowed in the restaurant at all times.
Babysitting
Babysitting can be arranged with prior notice (please check with the hotel once you've made a booking).
Baby-listening
Baby monitors work in all rooms. Bring your own, and reception staff will be happy to check on it while you dine.
No need to pack
There are high chairs in the restaurant.
Also
There is a TV player in every room, and a DVD player to borrow from reception (you'll need to bring your own DVDs though, particularly if your little ones are going through an 'only my Thomas the Tank Engine/Barney/Fimbles DVD will do' phase).
Click here to view more child-friendly hotels in United Kingdom
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