Top hotels in Oxford

Stunning University Town

Oxford is a stunning university town set in a beautiful part of the English countryside. The University of Oxford is the oldest English speaking university in the world and is home to the brightest academic students. It s ranked one of the top 5 universities in the world and the second best in the UK.

Although the town is relatively small, it is a beautiful example of English architecture at its finest and the 30 individual university colleges are breathtaking in terms of their style and deep links with history. Each university college has its own separate building, chapel, courtyard and lawns and each is protected by its own perimeter wall.

Aside from the university colleges, the cobbled and winding streets throughout the town are steeped in mediaeval beauty and the numerous pubs littered throughout the city complement the town.  

Spires and more Spires

The town is also known as the City of Spires due to the large number of colleges, each of which have their own chapel and private buildings. There are plenty of organized tours at each of the 30-plus colleges and it is certainly worth signing up for one or maybe two. The most picturesque colleges include Trinity college, founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas Pope and Magdelen College which is so huge it has its own stretch of the River Thames and roaming wild deer in its grounds.  

Blessed by Monarchy

Oxford can trace its roots back to the 10th Century when it was inhabited by the Normans and more latterly in the 12th Century by King Henry II. As such it is rich in culture and the University buildings dominate both the landscape and the town. In addition to the numerous university colleges (which are all unique and independently managed), there are some lovely museums and libraries. The Bodleian library is probably the most famous in Oxford and the Pitt Rivers Museum is certainly one of the most impressive. Both are worthy of a visit.

Plenty of Venues to Choose from

Oxford benefits from some fantastic restaurants and gorgeous country pubs, which serve up excellent gastro food. The restaurants are scattered throughout the city centre and along the river providing not just wonderful menus but also fantastic views. For a real treat head to The Trout on the outskirts of the town for one of the most handsome pubs in the area, serving award-winning food. In fact the pub is so well known for its food that you need to book at least one week in advance to reserve a table.