Christ Church is Oxford's grandest college, founded by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525, whose Great Hall served as the model for the Hogwarts dining hall in the Harry Potter films and whose Christ Church Meadow, Tom Quad, and college chapel — the Cathedral of Oxford — constitute an ensemble of collegiate architecture unrivalled in Britain. The college has educated 13 British Prime Ministers. Hotels near Christ Church in central Oxford are within easy reach of the Ashmolean Museum, the Covered Market, and the river punting stations.
Oxford's most famous hotel — a magnificent 1866 Gothic Revival building opposite the Ashmolean, immortalised by Inspector Morse and still Oxford's definitive grand hotel address. The Morse Bar and ornate staircase are as much a part of Oxford as the colleges.
A beautifully converted 18th-century bank on the High Street with an extraordinary collection of contemporary British art on its walls, 43 well-appointed rooms, and a lively brasserie. The central position — steps from Christ Church and the Bodleian — is unbeatable.
A 17th-century stone building on the edge of the Jericho neighbourhood — where Oscar Wilde once lived — Old Parsonage is a quiet, academic-feeling hotel with a fine art collection, walled garden, and a restaurant of real quality. Oxford's most atmospheric boutique option.
A converted Victorian prison on Oxford Castle's grounds — rooms occupy former cells with original steel doors and brickwork transformed into moody, design-forward accommodation. One of the most distinctive hotels in Britain.
A smart, well-run contemporary hotel in a central position with spacious modern rooms and one of Oxford's more reliable kitchens. Good value for Oxford given its location, and popular with visiting academics and conference guests.
A cluster of 17th-century Dutch cottages on the medieval lane of Bath Place, steps from the Bodleian, offering some of Oxford's most atmospheric rooms — small, stone-walled, and utterly unlike any other hotel in the city.