Punting on the Cherwell through the Oxford University Botanic Garden and the water meadows of the Cherwell and Isis is one of England's most quintessentially pleasant summer experiences, the flat-bottomed punts gliding past college boathouses, willow trees, and the Magdalen College deer park in a setting that has inspired poets and writers since the time of Lewis Carroll. Punt hire is available from several boathouses near Magdalen Bridge and the Cherwell Boathouse. Hotels near the Oxford punt stations are in the east and north of Oxford's historic centre.
Our Picks — Oxford
City Centre
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.
City Centre
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.
Jericho
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.
Oxford Castle
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.
City Centre
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.
Holywell Street
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.
Looking for more options? See all Oxford hotels