4 Best Hotels in Oxford, The Thames Valley

From the impressive collection of modern artwork throughout the hotel to the sleek furnishings in the guest rooms, this stately converted bank building displays contemporary style in a city that favors the traditional. Oxford's most centrally located hotel also holds the busy Quod Restaurant & Bar, serving creative salads and pizzas, as well as heartier dishes like duck confit.

A 17th-century gabled stone house in a small garden next to St. Giles Church, the Old Parsonage is a dignified retreat. Dark red walls, eclectic art, and a crackling wood fire give the lobby a distinguished look. The guest rooms favor plum, purple, and gray with wool, linen, and velvet materials; bathrooms are rich with marble. Memorable meals by the fire (or in the walled garden terrace in summer) keep people coming back. Afternoon teas with scones and clotted cream are excellent.

The Graduate Hotels group took a 19th-century neo-Gothic landmark and gave it a top-down makeover, beautifully amplifying its Oxford heritage and incorporating such stylish guest-rooms touches as William Morris–esque wallpaper, quirky artwork, and nods to the likes of Oscar Wilde and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Some of the hip yet elegant, chic yet traditional accommodations have views of Oxford's spires. A tiled, vaulted spa offers pampering treatments designed to ease those travel-related aches. 

Chic interiors characterize this city-center boutique hotel that's a luxurious alternative to Oxford's more historic properties, offering not only first-class service but also a more contemporary approach to design, drinking, and dining. Rooms are airy, finding a balance between heritage and boutique modern with their soft, pale tones and wood floorboards. The stunning spa, Treadwell restaurant, rooftop terrace, and lobby bar will provide tempting distractions from the rest of Oxford's pleasures.