Milton Hill House takes conferences of up to 170 people in theatre style in its largest room, residential training courses with 114 bedrooms on site, and weddings for up to 200 guests. The venue is a Georgian manor house with modern meeting facilities, set in 22 acres of parkland at Steventon, near Abingdon, about 13 miles south of Oxford. It is run by The Venues Collection, a division of Compass Contract Services (UK), within the Lime Venue Portfolio.
Seminars and company events
There are 15 meeting rooms plus breakout areas, for groups from a boardroom of six to a plenary of 170. Rooms have air conditioning, AV equipment with HDMI, a screen, projector and flipchart, stationery and fast Wi-Fi, and many have daylight. Day packages start at ten delegates and cover room hire, refreshments, a buffet lunch and equipment. A 24-hour package adds an en-suite bedroom, a three-course dinner and use of the leisure club, which suits training courses and two-day seminars. The house also runs a dedicated training center.
The grounds take the program outdoors. Flat lawns suit games and inflatables, and the meadow and field allow motorized activities such as driving experiences and car launches. A marquee on the grounds can seat up to 500 for a dinner dance, a summer party or a product launch. There is also a five-a-side pitch and a croquet lawn. The venue holds the ECOsmart Gold and Meetings for Change accreditations.
Weddings and receptions
Four event spaces are used for civil ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and evening receptions, for up to 200 guests. Photographs can be taken in the Italian gardens, on the two patios or across the parkland. Wedding catering includes canapés, evening buffets and hog roasts, and the chefs can build a custom wedding breakfast. Guests can stay in the house, and the venue holds wedding fairs and takes short-notice weddings.
Rooms and capacities
Wisteria, 10.5 by 14 m, is the largest room: 170 theatre, 144 banquet, 120 cabaret and 70 classroom. Rose and Fuchsia open into one room of 20 by 5.8 m for 120 theatre or 60 cabaret, and each seats 50 theatre on its own. The Singer Suite takes 80 theatre and 36 cabaret, and Oak 60 theatre. Orchid, Red Birch, Crimson Birch and Yellow Birch each hold 40 theatre. The Library seats 20 for a banquet, and The Ivy and Beech take 30 theatre. Needle and Thread suit 15, while Beech Nut and Silver 1 are boardrooms for six.
Accommodation
The hotel has 114 double and twin bedrooms in Standard, Deluxe and Suite categories, with the Deluxe rooms in the manor house. Guests use the gym, heated indoor pool, sauna and steam room free of charge. The Bar and Lounge opens daily onto a terrace over the grounds.
Catering
Catering is in-house. Mortimer's restaurant serves British dishes and international flavors on seasonal menus, using local produce where possible. Conference lunches are either multi-course meals served in the meeting room or buffets, and dietary needs are handled.
History and setting
The manor house keeps its Georgian period features, and the estate combines parkland, Italian gardens and flat lawns. The venue points to a long record of hosting weddings. Dogs are welcome.
Getting there
The house is close to the A34, with access to the M4 and M40, and about 25 minutes by road from Oxford. Didcot station has direct trains to London and Bristol, and Reading and Swindon are within reach. Heathrow is about 60 miles away and Gatwick about 80, with an airport taxi service. Parking on site is free.
