The Galaxie

At 10:30 p.m., while I was working on statistics for a major academic research presentation with my colleague, we were told to leave the lobby because it “closes” at that time. I hadn’t been told about this at check-in, and I can’t find the policy on the website. I’ve never come across this rule at another hotel I’ve stayed in. We chose this place because it appeared to have good spots for getting work done. The rooms are absurdly small for the price, and I won’t recommend the hotel or give it a generous rating. The only reason it gets more than one star is that most of the staff are very nice, even when enforcing a ridiculous policy. With all due respect, this rule is ridiculous.

Breakfast was amazing, with lots of choice and really good quality. The hotel’s decor is beautiful and gives it loads of character. The staff were genuinely friendly and welcoming, which made our stay feel relaxed. I had a lovely time at the Galaxie Hotel in Oxford and would definitely stay again. Highly recommend it!

It looked really nice, but the room wasn’t very practical. I can only speak for my third-floor room, which got so hot that I had to leave the windows open all night, even in February. With wooden floors throughout, you can easily disturb the guests below by walking around after hours. My bed was two singles pushed together. That can happen, but the feet had no grips, so the beds kept sliding apart on the wooden floor whenever I moved. It made for a very uncomfortable night. A few practical changes would make a big difference.

The breakfast was good, and the women serving in the morning were welcoming. For the price we paid, the stay was okay, though our room was especially small. We’d hoped to love the Galaxie, with its upscale four-star feel, but cleanliness issues were a real disappointment. There were also odd noises at random times, perhaps from the elevator, and they were distracting.