Must-see hotels in Oxford & the Cotswolds

  • Head of the River

    Oxford

    A genuine jewel among Oxford hotels, this large and characterful place, at Folly Bridge immediately south of Christ Church, was originally a Thames-side…

  • No 131

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Set in a stunning Georgian town house, this exquisite luxury hotel holds 11 chic, supremely comfortable rooms that combine original artwork with antique…

  • Painswick

    The Cotswolds

    Focused around an imposing 18th-century house somehow squeezed into the heart of the village, and seriously chic within its stern stone walls, the…

  • Star Cottage

    The Cotswolds

    A mile northeast of Burford, this wonderful old Cotswold cottage holds two comfortable and character-filled en-suite rooms done up in tastefully creative…

  • Wheatsheaf

    The Cotswolds

    The 14 different rooms at this former coaching inn, very popular with an exclusive London set, blend atmospheric period touches, such as free-standing…

  • Oxford Coach & Horses

    Oxford

    A former 18th-century coaching inn, this fabulous English-Mexican-owned boutique B&B hides behind a fresh powder-blue exterior, just a few metres from the…

  • Falkland Arms

    The Cotswolds

    For its blissful bucolic setting and historic charm, there’s no beating the thatched, 16-century Falkland Arms, in the picture-postcard village of Great…

  • Barnsley House

    The Cotswolds

    For pure indulgence and romance, this 1697 country house and its famously beautiful garden take some beating. Each of its 18 rooms is individually styled;…

  • No 12

    The Cotswolds

    This welcoming and very central Georgian town house offers four gloriously unfussy, very private rooms kitted out with a tasteful mix of antiques and…

  • Bradley

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This splendidly preserved Regency house in Montpellier has lost none of its original flair in its transition into a fabulous, wonderfully comfortable,…

  • Glove House

    Oxfordshire

    Luxuriously renovated but proudly displaying evidence of its venerable age, this elegant 400-year-old town house conceals three sumptuous rooms, all with…

  • Tudor Farmhouse

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Sleep in a chic, contemporary world of whites, creams and spiralling Tudor-era staircases, inside a beautifully updated farmhouse. Stylish rooms, most…

  • Tower House

    Oxford

    In a peaceful central location, this listed 17th-century town house holds eight good-value double rooms, simple but tastefully decorated. Some share…

  • Holywell B&B

    Oxford

    It’s worth booking months ahead to stay in the two cosy, pastel-toned rooms in this tiny historic B&B. Set in a 16th-century cottage in one of central…

  • Old Swan & Minster Mill

    The Cotswolds

    This luxurious complex, in an idyllic riverside setting, incorporates a 19th-century water mill holding 37 sleek, contemporary-design pads, and the 600…

  • Burlington House

    Oxford

    This small, well-managed hotel, in a beautifully refreshed Victorian home 2 miles north of central Oxford, offers 12 elegant contemporary rooms – some in…

  • Old Stocks Inn

    The Cotswolds

    Sitting proud on Stow's central square, this 17th-century inn looks fantastic after a bold makeover that blends period charm (exposed beams, slender…

  • Malmaison Oxford Castle

    Oxford

    You won’t mind being locked up in this wonderfully converted former prison. Centring on a turreted tower of Oxford’s castle, it’s now a sophisticated…

  • YHA Cotswolds

    The Cotswolds

    This welcome new hostel, in the heart of Cirencester, is the Cotswolds’ only YHA. Part of an exciting cultural complex, it’s built to the highest…

  • Oxford YHA

    Oxford

    Set in a purpose-built modern building behind the station, Oxford’s large YHA is a cut above other local hostels, with the feel of a chain hotel – and the…

  • Garth Cottage

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    An exceedingly friendly and efficiently run family-owned B&B, right by the River Wye and alongside the ferry crossing. Comfy, chintzy, spotlessly…

  • Troy House

    The Cotswolds

    This great little B&B sleeps guests in four sweet, spacious rooms, two of which occupy a separate rear cottage accessed across an attractive courtyard…

  • Swan Inn

    The Cotswolds

    All soft pastels, country comfort and dashes of colour, the Swan sits beside the River Windrush in tiny Swinbrook, 3 miles east of Burford. Six cosy,…

  • Wyastone Townhouse

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    The bedrooms in this lovely white Victorian house in Montpellier are grander than those in the guesthouse beside the pretty back courtyard, but all are…

  • White Hart Royal Hotel

    The Cotswolds

    ‘Royal’ refers to the fact that Charles I stayed in this low-slung honey-coloured inn during the Civil War. He may not have used the iPod docks and flat…

  • Old Parsonage Hotel

    Oxford

    Tucked into a wisteria-cloaked 17th-century house, where Oscar Wilde briefly roomed as a student, this 35-room hotel achieves a happy blend of period…

  • Bath Place Hotel

    Oxford

    A popular refuge for academics working at the nearby Bodleian – or drinking at the even closer Turf Tavern – with a thousand tales of bygone occupants,…

  • Richmond Hotel

    Oxford

    Close to, but peacefully apart from, the bustle of Jericho, this small guesthouse is above a Lebanese restaurant, Al-Shami. Its rooms, up a cramped…

  • Close Hotel

    The Cotswolds

    Elegant rooms that smartly blend contemporary style with antique furnishings and earthy colours fill this central 16th-century townhouse. Each has its own…

  • King’s Head Inn

    The Cotswolds

    Overlooking a peaceful green 4 miles southeast of Stow, this stylishly revamped 16th-century pub blends old and new to perfection, holding a dozen subtly…

  • Lamb Inn

    The Cotswolds

    A rambling 15th-century inn, off the main street, where the flagstone floors, exposed beams and creaking stairs are complemented by 17 opulent antique…

  • Lygon Arms

    The Cotswolds

    Behind its golden-stone exterior, this historic landmark hotel – here since the 14th century, it welcomed both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell as guests –…

  • Kings Head

    The Cotswolds

    A coaching inn since the 14th century, this plush spot facing the church offers slick boudoirs and super-polished service. Exposed beams, red-brick walls…

  • Foxhill Manor

    The Cotswolds

    Occupying a 1904 Arts and Crafts mansion on a sprawling hillside estate, 2.5 miles northeast of Broadway, this ultra-luxurious hideaway epitomises…

  • King’s Arms

    Oxfordshire

    Above an excellent pub affiliated with Fuller’s Brewery, this popular central choice holds 15 individually styled rooms named after English kings. Crisp…

  • Wesley House

    The Cotswolds

    Methodist founder John Wesley once stayed in this ravishing 15th-century half-timbered town house, which offers five pleasant rooms plus a warm welcome. …

  • Ellenborough Park

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    This majestic 15th-century mansion, set in wide-open country, offers 61 individually designed rooms, mixing original fittings with features like…

  • Remont

    Oxford

    All modern style, subtle lighting and ultracolourful furnishings, this boutique guesthouse holds 25 varying rooms decked out in cool neutrals with silky…

  • Cowley Manor

    Oxford & the Cotswolds

    Surrounded by parklands 5 miles south of Cheltenham, off the A435, this superb Italianate sandstone mansion takes comfort and cool contemporary vibes to…

  • New Inn

    The Cotswolds

    The jasmine-clad 16th-century New Inn, 2.5 miles southeast of Bibury, offers 15 spacious and atmospheric bedrooms divided between the main pub building…