The Head of the River

The staff were efficient and helpful, and there are no extra charges for lots of little things. Breakfast is included, with a good buffet and plenty of hot dishes to choose from. Tea, coffee, milk and water in the room are included too. The inn itself is charming, with fun design details to look around at. Our room was spacious and quirky, the food was good, and the sunny-day location is hard to beat. We loved it and will definitely stay again.

The location is lovely, but parking made the overnight stay more expensive than we’d expected. The nearest paid parking is inside the congestion charge zone, so it was £38 for 24 hours plus £10 for two days of congestion charge. Our room was lovely, with nice decor, a comfortable bed and a good shower, though the single-pane windows let in a lot of outside noise. Breakfast was delicious. The staff, however, weren’t helpful, kind or attentive. At check-in, someone gave us the key and rattled through the breakfast times very quickly. After spending a few hours in Oxford city centre, we came back at 18:10 hoping to get dinner, only to be told food service had stopped at 6. The apology for not making that clear was brief and didn’t feel sincere. Neither that staff member nor another who was sitting behind her eating offered much in the way of an apology or alternatives. It was New Year’s Day, so other local places were closed anyway. We walked about 15 minutes to Voco Spires hotel and had a lovely meal there, with kind and accommodating staff despite us not being guests. Later, when we returned here for a drink, we were told our drinks didn’t qualify for the 15% residents’ discount because we weren’t ordering with a meal. At breakfast, staff noisily stacked cutlery in trays beside us, dragged chairs and sprayed cleaning product on all the nearby tables.

We felt at home straight away thanks to the receptionist’s warm welcome. Everyone on staff was genuinely kind, and the room was comfortable and spacious. Breakfast was delicious too. I’d happily recommend a stay here, or dinner if you’re just stopping by. Can’t wait to return someday!

We had a fun overnight trip here during the week and had the best time. The room was one of the most comfortable and well-designed hotel rooms I’ve stayed in, with a great layout and everything I needed, including coffee, tea, an iron and all the soaps. The staff were lovely from start to finish. Breakfast was excellent, so it’s definitely worth including with your stay.