The Old Black Horse - Inn

The OBH is at the Cowley Road end, surrounded by cafes, a cinema, restaurants and shops, and it’s only a five-minute walk over Magdalen Bridge to the city centre. I’ve been coming here for about 30 years, since before Pete took over, when the rooms were old-fashioned and dated. He’s worked hard over the years to keep upgrading and maintaining them. Room 10, which I’d stayed in before, has since been enlarged and is much better for a short break. It’s newly refurbished and spotlessly clean, with a lovely en-suite and a handy kitchen area we hadn’t expected. We used it on our last night to finish picnic and barbecue leftovers from the day before. The beds were just right, neither too firm nor too soft. Pete and the staff gave us their usual warm welcome, and the Tandoori Mixed Grill, Dhal and Garlic Naan waiting for us were superb. There was a lovely choice of lagers and ales to go with it. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend staying at the Old Black Horse. Thank you very much! Diolch yn fawr!

Pete, the owner, went out of his way to help us, including with thoughtful ideas for our family’s time in Wolverhampton for a soccer match. The Old Black Horse Inn was exactly the kind of place we wanted for our stay in England. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the beds were good, the price was great, and having a bar downstairs was a nice touch. I also had fun watching Liverpool’s opening match of the season there. Pete’s a Liverpool fan, so it’s a fun place for match days. There are lots of restaurants and pubs within walking distance, and Oxford University and the Botanical Gardens are an easy stroll away. It also worked well as a base for Puzzlewood, the Cotswolds and Bourton-on-the-Water, all around an hour’s drive away. We had a wonderful stay with our two boys, and the hospitality made our England trip memorable. If we come back to Oxford, we’ll stay here again.

It was cheap and clean, but I couldn’t sleep well. The windows wouldn’t shut properly, so street noise kept me up, and buses or large cars made the house vibrate.

The location is superb, and the room had all the basic amenities, though it was small and the bed was old, small and a bit uncomfortable. Like many older places in London, there are narrow stairs to climb, which is a challenge with big luggage. The parking bay is behind the hotel, but the code reader didn’t respond reliably enough to open the barrier.