The Head of the River
4.2
Excellent(629 Reviews)Inn in Oxford
1 full bed
Reasons to book
Includes essentialsGarden, Internet / Wifi, Balcony or Patio and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
About this inn
Eco-certified Oxford inn in Oxford City Centre with a restaurant
This smoke-free inn features a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a garden. WiFi in public areas is free.
Housekeeping is available on request.
The Head of the River offers 19 accommodations with espresso makers and complimentary bottled water. Flat-screen televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
This smoke-free inn features a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a garden. WiFi in public areas is free.
Housekeeping is available on request.
The Head of the River offers 19 accommodations with espresso makers and complimentary bottled water. Flat-screen televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is provided on request.
Amenities
Internet / Wifi
Balcony or Patio
TV
Garden
Map of Oxford
Available Rooms
Comfy Room
1 Double • 151 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Indulgence Room
1 Double • 172 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Cosy Room
1 Double • 129 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Family Room
1 King • 1 Sofa
Sleeps 3
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
RRRR
Reviews
4.2
Excellent(629 Reviews)4.2
We enjoyed a 2-night stay at Head of the River. Fantastic location. Restaurant/pub on site was excellent—and the included breakfast was an added bonus. Staff was lovely! Beds were very comfortable and bed linens were high quality. Loved our stay and would absolutely stay again.
4.2
Lovely stay
4.2
Lovely rooms and pub in a beautiful old building. No on-site parking is a bit of a nuisance, but also understandable given the amazing location!
4.2
Hotel and bar was nice staff helpful just a shame that other customers had to ruin the experience for us but the staff went out there way to make sure we was ok
Walls are very thin and can here other people talking /snoring
The pub garden was beautiful to sit in, with the sun
4.2
Beautiful old inn on the river, great food and nice staff
4.2
This place is lovely and very cute! It was our first trip to Oxford and the location was really convenient to the town center. The outdoor bar and restaurant is very charming and popular. The service was excellent- very friendly and helpful staff. Overall, excellent location, property and service
4.2
Clean, cosy, welcoming and full of charm. The staff were friendly and helpful. My room had beautiful views of the river and meadow. I’d come back to Oxford just to stay here again.
4.2
We stayed at the Head of the River with our kids for a few days recently when visiting schools in the Oxford area. We really liked it. The rooms are lovely and have everything you need, the kids loved the free breakfast which was really delicious. We ended up eating most of our meals there and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
4.2
Very friendly and helpful staff, high quality rooms, tasty breakfast, convenient location, would recommend!
4.2
Great location and scenery however very loud hotel and can hear others in their rooms easily. The room was not serviced for a while left in morning, back in afternoon and no toilet tissue or phone to ring downstairs. Not the typical hotel experience.
4.2
Lovely room but was a bit dusty and the bed not comfortable
4.2
Wonderful place to stay and relax
4.2
Great location. Walking distance from train. Room on top floor had great views of the river.
4.2
Stayed there for several nights. The room was very comfortable and clean. I especially liked the breakfast and very friendly staff. Plus, the location is great for seeing Oxford.
4.2
We had an overall good stay at The Head of the River. We were in walking distance to landmarks of interest and there was a lovely coffee shop across the street. The breakfast was included and was good and the staff were friendly. Overall cleanliness of the room was not up to our standards and the first evening we were there it was quite noisy. Would probably look into other options before returning.
4.2
Great location, quaint atmosphere!
4.2
Lovely view from our ridiculously tiny room-barely room to walk around the bed, no space for luggage or unpacked clothes, no desk or flat surface, tiny bathroom, extremely noisy-a very loud event underneath our window went on late into night and next night it was traffic on the street, very narrow flights of steps to reach our room. Required the white noise from the fan to sleep
4.2
Great people and good food. Terrible cleanliness standards though, there was a mouse in the restaurant!
4.2
Staff was extremely courteous and helpful!
4.2
Good rooms, good food, good beer. Requirement for pay extra for checking in at 1 instead of 3 not good.
4.2
We were very impressed with the hotel. The bed was so comfortable and the shower was amazing! Breakfast was provided and it
was delicious. We definitely would like to come back again.
All staff members were friendly and welcoming and I would recommend this hotel to family and friends.
4.2
Great location. On the River and very close to Oxford
4.2
Close to City Centre and on site pleasant pub, restaurant right at the side of the river. Quirky and comfortable room with very good tea and coffee and chocolates.
4.2
First class all the way! Amazing rooms! Great food, great service, fantastic location! We have come here in past years for food and pints but stayed this time. Great location for river walks, easy walks around town, easy cab pick ups. Big kudos to all the staff, you are fantastic and helped make us feel comfortable and safe with your professionalism and kindness! We will stay here again!!
4.2
Wonderful property. Beautiful location. Great reception. Great breakfast. Comfy rooms.
4.2
Like sleeping by a dual carriageway.
4.2
Lovely location with super helpful and friendly front desk and restaurant staff! The breakfast was deluxe! The room was nice, but next time we will request an upper floor-we were on the ground floor next to the outdoor dining area and therefore could not open the windows for air and keep our privacy as our windows opened to the tables in the dining area or the street and people could literally look over straight into our room. Other than that, we had a lovely stay and would stay there again.
4.2
We booked our stay through hotels.com. Check in was easy even though we arrived at 11pm.
The building is old so has a lot of character and some of the old sash windows require attention but secondary glazing made the room comfortable.
The room was fully equipped with everything we needed so no complaints.
The breakfast suited us but some may find the choice a little limited compared to a large hotel.
The main English cooked breakfast was one of the largest ever received - make sure you’re hungry- compliments to the chef!
It’s a short walk into the Center and also not far from the park and ride.
Service was friendly so couldn’t complain about anything. Would stay again 👍
4.2
Up to the third floor using a very narrow and steep staircase, no lift, to the end of the corridor, to a very small room. No fire exit, which is a risk in such an old building.
4.2
The hotel was a disappointment. I would give one star, but because the excellent breakfast, I give two stars. Other than this, lazy and unhelpful staff (with one exception), dirty room, lack of services… I would avoid it next time.
4.2
Loved our stay at Head of the River. This is a perfect place to enjoy a mini-vacation in Oxford. Great hospitality by the staff. Amazing breakfast.
4.2
Our stay was very pleasant. The place itself is fun and the breakfasts were excellent. Delicious plant cases options! We didn't realize we had to put a sign out for housekeeping and because the condensation was high from the shower, the towel never really dried out. Our room 12 was a little rough as the mirror had fallen down and wasn't removed or tge wall repaired. However, the view of the river was gorgeous and despite the fun pub downstairs, our room was very quiet. The staff was very friendly...
4.2
PROS:
*Hotel is in a good location and only a short walk from city centre.
*Good tea/coffee facilities.
*bottles of both still and sparkling water provided.
*towels and bed linen were clean.
*large TV with plenty of channels.
*good selection of toiletries provided.
*breakfast is fantastic!
CONS:
* Check-in was friendly but disorganised as they didn’t seem to be expecting us and the receptionist questioned whether we’d arrived on the correct day (which we had).
*mattress was horrendous. It appeared to be two singles pushed together to form a double, meaning a large risen up section running the entire central length of the bed. The right side of the mattress was incredibly worn & had multiple points in which it dipped considerably, making it very difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Honestly, in terms of comfort, easily the worst nights sleep I’ve ever had at a hotel.
*Dust seems to be an issue.
*very thin walls mean you can hear neighbouring rooms chitchat.
*extractor fan in bathroom didn’t appear to be working.
Overall, I’m torn on this hotel. Do I think it deserves 4 stars? No. But do I think it’s terrible? No.
I’m sure if you score the right room you’ll have a lovely stay, but for me personally, it wasn’t quite good enough and didn’t justify the price.
4.2
A beautiful looking place unfortunately, I left without staying. I’m disabled. There was no parking anywhere near( an 8 min ride by car). There was a steep set of stairs up to my room.
I was tired and in pain and decided I couldn’t handle it.
Need to make those features clear in your Ad.
I decided to eat the cost. There was no one on the desk as I left so just put my key on the desk and quietly left
4.2
What an incredible find! I loved the quirkiness of this hotel along with it's great location. I had made a reservation for the wrong date, and they STILL honored the reservation. I was only here for one night but it was memorable. The pub had great food and beer. The room was quirky but with modern amenities, loved everything about this place and will definitely return.
Staff were very, very helpful wish I had written this review the next day as I cannot remember their names .
4.2
Parking is difficult. We used the park and ride. Cheap
4.2
this is a lovely place in a lovely location.you can walk to most places and the train station is only about .7 km away on an easy walk. Christ church is two blocks . the christ church meadow is behind the Inn and a lovely walk Located right on the thames so boat rides are available. the bed was very comfortable. breakfast is hearty but i'd avoid the eggs benedict. Staff lovely and helpful.
4.2
Servicing can improve — house keeping only takes out trash and makes bed.
4.2
great staff, breakfast, comfy bed, comfy room, great location.
very dusty room and could hear the tv in the room next too us.
would stay again though
4.2
What a fantastic hotel, it has everything, location, beautiful and clean room with all facilities required, most accommodating staff who couldn’t be more helpful and wonderful pub/restaurant with homemade food and discount for hotel guests, had such a great time and would visit again and again
FAQs
How much does this inn cost compared to others in Oxford?
The average price for a rental in Oxford is R 2,887 per night. This rental is R 650 above the average.
Is parking included with this inn?
Parking is not specified as an available amenity at The Head of the River. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this inn?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this inn. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is The Head of the River pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this inn is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at The Head of the River?
We found 4 amenities for this rental. This includes internet / wifi, balcony or patio, tv, and garden.
Explore similar vacation rentals in Oxford
Explore all rentals in OxfordOxford travel inspiration
Read our blogGuides
Top Things to Do in Oahu and Honolulu
Guides
Top Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Guides
Top Things to Do in Miami: From Beaches to Culture
Guides
The Best Things to Do in Orlando: Attractions, Food, and Family Fun
Guides
Things to Do in Galveston, Texas
Guides
Top Things to Do in Myrtle Beach
Guides
Ski Trip Packing List: What to Bring Skiing or Snowboarding
Trends
VacationRenter Holiday Travel Trends 2023