Clearwater 28, Wild Briar - P

On a positive the size of accommodation suited our multi-generational family, it was well equipped and comfortable. The facilities at Mill Estate were good. I was very impressed with communication from Orion, administratively everything was very smooth. Just a couple of niggles which I mention constructively for improvement; outside of the entrance door was overgrown with spikey, stingy foliage which look unkempt in relation to other properties in the vicinity, our 4yr old got prickled! Overall the property could have done with a re-paint. There was also dust in areas behind furniture - we had small children with us who were on the floor crawling etc. Also the balcony furniture had not been cleaned - I read the disclaimer about build up due to the lake position but honestly it looked like it hadn't been cleaned at all and is probably due for an upgrade as rusting in places. However, above said, I would recommend the property for a family with children looking for a reasonably priced lakeside stay with amenities.

We stayed for a mid week break in June 2025's heatwave. It was lovely to be next to the lake in the heat. There were lakes where we could paddle to cool down and let the dog walk in (on lead). The property was properly dog friendly with throws on the settees expecting dogs to climb up and no area of the house out of bounds for the dog. There are many walks around the estate (which is a nature reserve) and also on the Thames path for the dog as well as the humans. The spa membership was great as there was access to the spa's indoor and outdoor pool for "proper swimming". Usually the outdoor pool isn't open mid week in June as it's seasonal but thank goodness it was in the heatwave. There's a small gym that the young men used too. The unheated naturally filtered lily pond was popular in the heat. I'm not sure anyone used the sauna or steam room this time. The only thing missing is a hot tub but lots of the other houses come with a hot tub so if that's important you can select one that comes with the house. There's another outdoor heated pool in Mill Village that's available to everyone. That one is heated to Centerparcs outdoor pool temperature so you don't have to swim to stay warm! Great for younger children. Kayak and paddleboards can be hired on site. Orion Holidays recommended Cotswold paddleboard company which offered great service, delivery and collection to the house and was cheaper than the onsite hire. There's a little kayak safari you can do if you're prepared to carry the kayak across a couple of lanes so you get to go into two different lakes. Somerford Lagoon is plenty big enough though. There's quite a few tennis courts and multipurpose astro turf courts with at least one hoop. Table tennis too. In Mill Village, you'll find a sunken trampoline next to the pool together with a grassed area and small goals for football kickabout. There's a playground for little ones right next to the cafe/restaurant on site. You're close to lots of local attractions but we had a lazy time and only ventured to Cirencester for ice cream. The young men did travel to Clarkson's Farm and then went to his pub on the way back. They were very impressed with the food from the marquee. Clearwater 28 is very well maintained and had everything that we needed. It's so nice not to have to take the basics like washing up liquid. The main supermarkets deliver so we ordered our shop for our arrival. Excellent showers. All the bathrooms had baths with showers over so a little more difficult for some to access. That's probably the only thing we'd change - putting a walk in shower on the ground floor. Great service from Orion throughout. They know all the properties really well and the local facilities. Don't hesitate to ask them as they have all the answers. We asked if we could borrow a DVD player (old school I know) and it was sorted. I recommend Mill Village due to the facilities that are there and it's a nature reserve too. If you have little ones, some of the properties have enclosed decking so the proximity of the water is less scary.

We stayed for a mid week break in June 2025's heatwave. It was lovely to be next to the lake in the heat. There were lakes where we could paddle to cool down and let the dog walk in (on lead). The property was properly dog friendly with throws on the settees expecting dogs to climb up and no area of the house out of bounds for the dog. There are many walks around the estate (which is a nature reserve) and also on the Thames path for the dog as well as the humans. The spa membership was great as there was access to the spa's indoor and outdoor pool for "proper swimming". Usually the outdoor pool isn't open mid week in June as it's seasonal but thank goodness it was in the heatwave. There's a small gym that the young men used too. The unheated naturally filtered lily pond was popular in the heat. I'm not sure anyone used the sauna or steam room this time. The only thing missing is a hot tub but lots of the other houses come with a hot tub so if that's important you can select one that comes with the house. There's another outdoor heated pool in Mill Village that's available to everyone. That one is heated to Centerparcs outdoor pool temperature so you don't have to swim to stay warm! Great for younger children. Kayak and paddleboards can be hired on site. Orion Holidays recommended Cotswold paddleboard company which offered great service, delivery and collection to the house and was cheaper than the onsite hire. There's a little kayak safari you can do if you're prepared to carry the kayak across a couple of lanes so you get to go into two different lakes. Somerford Lagoon is plenty big enough though. There's quite a few tennis courts and multipurpose astro turf courts with at least one hoop. Table tennis too. In Mill Village, you'll find a sunken trampoline next to the pool together with a grassed area and small goals for football kickabout. There's a playground for little ones right next to the cafe/restaurant on site. You're close to lots of local attractions but we had a lazy time and only ventured to Cirencester for ice cream. The young men did travel to Clarkson's Farm and then went to his pub on the way back. They were very impressed with the food from the marquee. Clearwater 28 is very well maintained and had everything that we needed. It's so nice not to have to take the basics like washing up liquid. The main supermarkets deliver so we ordered our shop for our arrival. Excellent showers. All the bathrooms had baths with showers over so a little more difficult for some to access. That's probably the only thing we'd change - putting a walk in shower on the ground floor. Great service from Orion throughout. They know all the properties really well and the local facilities. Don't hesitate to ask them as they have all the answers. We asked if we could borrow a DVD player (old school I know) and it was sorted. I recommend Mill Village due to the facilities that are there and it's a nature reserve too. If you have little ones, some of the properties have enclosed decking so the proximity of the water is less scary.

We booked for ourselves and our family. They were kind enough to open up the extra fourth bedroom to accommodate us . We thought the layout was great! There are so many activities and we will be back.

We had an extremely relaxing week on the Lower Mill Estate despite the changeable weather.  The lodge was an ideal base for walking through the nature reserve, cycling and swimming. It was very clean and comfortable and had stunning views across the lake. All of the information we recieved from Orion Holidays was clear and useful. We will definitely book with them again.