Graduate by Hilton Oxford

My first stay in Oxford was the worst. The Graduate looked nice, but everything else was a mess. We walked into a room full of stains, and the AC button was stuck. We had to fiddle with it for at least five minutes before it came on. The shower was covered in hair, from every corner to the curtain, and the remote was sticky and coated in popcorn butter. There wasn’t even a trash bag in the bathroom bin. Charging so much for parking is extreme, though that’s not the main reason for my review. When there’s a big game during the week and guests are staying at the hotel, common sense says to keep the dining options open later. They’re leaving too much money on the table.

We’ve made this our favorite hotel for football weekends because the team creates such a fun, festive scene every time. Walking up feels like arriving at a pep rally, with a DJ, music, and plenty of energy. The location is fantastic, but the service is what sets the place apart. They’ve filled our coolers with ice, given us clear stadium bags, watched our cars all night, and shuttled us to The Grove. They’re genuinely top-notch. What made me write this time was how they welcomed my son. He’s been studying for exams in the lobby all week, and they didn’t run him off. He was clearly welcome, since he came back every day. We’re so grateful for such a great place for both fans and students.

The front-of-house staff saved a stay that was close to a disaster. Everyone I dealt with was friendly, open, and genuinely kind. A well-dressed gentleman even chased me into the parking lot this morning to return a drink I’d left behind. In 18 years of frequent work trips and stays at Hilton properties two or three times a week, these were some of the best staff interactions I’ve had. The food was good too: the deviled eggs with pimento cheese were great, the fish and chips were solid (it’s catfish), the cookie skillet was delightful, and the service was top-notch. The rooms had real maintenance and readiness problems. Room 230 smelled “funky” when I arrived after a long workday, but I ignored it and took a nap before going upstairs for dinner. When I came back to wash my hands, the sink had what looked like mold or gunk in it, and the odor persisted. I considered using the bathtub to wash my hands, then went to the front desk instead. I was told the room had last been occupied about a week earlier and had been “deep cleaned,” which made its condition concerning. The staff handled it well and moved me promptly. Room 234 seemed like a winner at first. It was clean, fresh, and smelled great. I liked the keys, door hanger, and general feel enough to post it on Instagram and tag the hotel. I try to be fair and share the good publicly too. That story got over 4,000 impressions. At bedtime, though, I stepped off the bed to set the AC to my usual 64-67 degrees for sleeping, and the unit wouldn’t respond. The buttons didn’t work, possibly because of dead batteries. I was too tired to move again and hoped for the best, but ended up having one of the worst nights of sleep I’ve had in a long time. Reliable climate control is a basic expectation for me and a major reason I keep choosing Hilton. I didn’t ask to change rooms again that night. In the morning I left a note and my contact details at the desk, with feedback and a request for points as compensation, which felt fair after the problems in both rooms. I attached photos of the sink, the communication, and the AC controls. There’s a sign at the desk asking guests to leave reviews, so here’s the honest version: the front-of-house team was outstanding, the food was good, and the rooms need better maintenance and readiness.

The food was really tasty, and the whole stay had a lovely hometown feel. Everyone was kind, especially Sheryl and Justin, who made everything easy 😊.