The Feathers

Reception was welcoming, and the quiet top-floor room was comfortable. The hotel is ideally placed for Blenheim Palace. I booked the room only through Bookings.com for £275 per night, which felt expensive. Breakfast was available for £25 per person per day. Booking directly would have cost the same £275 per night but included breakfast and a £50 allowance to spend in one of the hotel’s two restaurants. The website didn’t make that clear, and I don’t understand why using a third-party agent, as many people do, puts guests at such a disadvantage. The ‘welcome’ email came at 10.45 pm the night before we travelled, went into my spam folder and wasn’t seen until after our stay. It had the wrong day and date, and said we’d get the breakfast and £50 allowance, which we didn’t. A small nice touch was the complimentary snacks, including lemon drizzle cake and two small bottles of beer. Some snacks were refreshed the next day, but not the beer or cake, which was a little disappointing. Finally, Bookings.com said our room would have ‘city views’, but all we could see were rooftops and a fire escape.

The room was spacious and comfortable, and the staff were outstanding, from Gemma the GM to Frankie, Michael, and everyone we met. The hotel is beautiful, and the whole stay was wonderful. Woodstock’s shops and other things are close by, and Blenheim Palace is even within walking distance. The location is perfect.

The location made it easy to explore Woodstock and visit Blenheim Palace. We had a lovely, spacious suite with a gorgeous bathroom and lounge, and thoughtful birthday touches including cake, bubbles, fruit and a card. The team took great care of me, my partner and our toddler. We’d love to come back.

The food was excellent, and the service was friendly and efficient. Our room had a comfortable bed, plenty of wardrobe space, a safe and refreshments, plus a really good en-suite shower. The hotel has a lot of character and has been modernised to a very high standard. There’s free secure parking a few minutes away, right in central Woodstock. Some rooms involve a steep climb, so check with reception if mobility is a concern. Thoroughly recommend it.