Hotel du Vin Henley
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom[view map]
Local restaurants
The Three Tuns pub on Market Place (+44 (0)1491 573260) won’t let you down for a lunch or dinner of modern British cuisine. Villa Marina (+44 (0)1491 575262), on the riverside, is a great Italian. Grab a table in the far corner for fantastic views of the river.
Worth getting out of bed for
Take to the river – you can pick up boats and oars from Hobbs Boatyard (www.hobbs-of-henley.com). There are plenty of non-aquatic diversions to be had round Henley, though: there are historic homes such as Stonor (www.stonor.com); butterfly-magnet Warburg Nature Reserve (www.bbowt.org.uk); plus top-drawer alco-palace, the Chiltern Valley Vineyard and Brewery (www.chilternvalley.co.uk).
For more tips on great activities in the region, see our destination guides to Oxfordshire, Berkshire and the Cotswolds.
Diary
End of June is Henley Regatta (www.hrr.co.uk), then Henley Festival (www.henley-festival.co.uk) kicks off a week later with concerts in marquees along the river, and fireworks every night. For more details, see our European events guide Smith 52, or buy the book for the full insider lowdown.