For our recent weekend break to Oxford, my husband, two teenage children, and I chose the Holiday Inn Oxford as our base. Our plans included a shopping trip to Bicester Village before check-in, followed by our first-ever visit to Oxford.
This is our review of the Holiday Inn Oxford.
What’s it like?
Stepping into the lobby, we were immediately impressed by the hotel’s stylish and modern look. The Holiday Inn Oxford features its brand new open lobby concept following a £1m refurbishment and it had a welcoming, bright and contemporary feel.
It was clear that the public areas had been given a significant refresh, and I particular liked the many thoughtful references to Oxford woven into the artwork and murals on the walls.
It definitely gave the feeling that this was a higher standard than your average Holiday Inn. Although there were many business people using the hotel, it very much had a family friendly feel, with free board games to choose from in the lounge area.
Arrival
Check-in was smooth and efficient, with friendly staff on hand to assist. We had booked two interconnecting rooms, a king standard room and a twin room for our daughters.
Given the sleek and modern look of the lobby, we were hopeful that our rooms would be their most recently refurbished room which was one of the main reasons why we chose this hotel, unfortunately this was not the case as interconnecting rooms are still to be refurbished.
Family Interconnecting Rooms
There are 220 rooms here, split between standard and premium rooms, some of which are interconnecting like ours, so they are a good choice for families wanting the space offered by two separate rooms.
While our interconnecting rooms were spacious and comfortable, they were starting to show their age and looking a little tired. Our room did look some modern touches however, such as plenty of electrical sockets with USB ports and cool artwork on the walls.
The twin room for the kids, in comparison, showed more signs of age than ours. It needs a refresh to bring it up to the modern standards that are available at the new rooms in their brand-new wing which are really impressive.
Despite our rooms having views of the busy A34, the soundproofing was excellent, ensuring a peaceful night’s sleep, which was needed after a busy first day exploring Oxford!
Our room had all of the standard amenities that you would expect including:
Large flat screen TV with satellite channels (but no smart TV functionality)
Air conditioning
Safe
Fridge
High speed WiFi
Hairdryer, iron and ironing board
Both of the bathrooms in our rooms could have done with a little modernisation. While functional, I’m not a fan of a shower curtain and these were present in the two bathrooms with a shower over the bath, again the bathrooms in the new wing are much more impressive.
Food & Drink
After a full day exploring Oxford, we dined at the hotel’s restaurant and opted for the three-course set menu, which offered good value for money. The restaurant’s interior design was as impressive as the lobby, and we were lucky to secure one of the cosy dining booths.
For starters, we shared loaded nachos, while our daughters enjoyed tomato and basil soup with toasted ciabatta. For mains, I had a grilled gammon steak with a fried egg and crispy fries, while my husband and one daughter chose the sirloin steak. My other daughter went for fish and chips.
Portions were generous, and if it hadn’t been a set menu, we would have struggled to fit in dessert. Instead, we shared two deserts —an indulgent triple chocolate brownie with vanilla clotted cream ice cream and a warm Belgian waffle with salted caramel ice cream and a rich Biscoff toffee sauce. Both were absolutely delicious.
Breakfast the following morning was equally impressive, with a well-stocked buffet offering both hot and cold options. The service was excellent, and I particularly loved the breakfast area’s unique interior design, featuring stylish light-box panels on the walls.
Where is it?
The Holiday Inn Oxford is in a great location, just off the A34, making it easily accessible for travellers by car, with a large car park on-site. The hotel is just three miles from Oxford city centre but one of its standout features is its proximity to Pear Tree park and ride, just a five-minute walk away.
This made getting into the city such a straightforward and stress free process, allowing us to cover all the major landmarks in Oxford over two days without the hassle and cost of parking in the city centre. Next door to the Holiday Inn is also a Welcome Break service station, with a Waitrose, KFC and a petrol station.
If you like shopping, one of the best shopping outlets in the country, Bicester Village home to more than 160 designer outlet shops is only a 20-minute car journey away and the beautiful Blenheim Palace is under a 10 minute drive.
Overall and is it family friendly?
The Holiday Inn Oxford is a well-located and convenient option for those looking to explore both Oxford and nearby attractions like Bicester Village and Blenheim Palace. The modernised public spaces, friendly service, and the restaurant were all excellent.
However, the contrast between the sleek, contemporary common areas and some of their standard rooms is noticeable. If you are making a reservation here, I would highly recommend that you request rooms in this new wing, which are modern, light and airy and align with the high-quality interiors found elsewhere in the hotel.
Despite this, we had a comfortable and enjoyable stay, and the hotel’s location made it an excellent base for our weekend adventure in Oxford.
Ready to book?
Prices at the Holiday Inn Oxford start from a very reasonable £147 in one of their new king premium rooms for a dinner, bed and breakfast rate when booking direct at the hotel.
