Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Local restaurants
The Leatherne Bottel in Goring (+44 (0)1491 872667) serves fantastic food on the river. In Oxford: Gee’s (+44 (0)1865 553540) for Mediterranean cuisine. Branca (+44 (0)1865 556111) for Italian food. The original Brown’s (+44 (0)1865 511995) for Sunday lunch. Le Petit Blanc (+44 (0)1865 510999) serves Modern French brasserie food. Crazy Bear (+44 (0)1865 890714) has an exceptional traditional English and a Thai restaurant.
Local bars
In Oxford: the bar at the Old Bank Hotel (+44 (0)1865 799599) on the main street gets lively. Freud’s (+44 (0)1865 311171) is in a converted church and has live music at weekends. The Bull (+44 (0)1844 279726) for a pint. In Oxford: the Turf (+44 (0)1865 243235), a trad pub on a cobbled backstreet, for mulled wine on a winter evening. The Perch (+44 (0)1865 728891) is by the river.
Worth getting out of bed for
The Raymond Blanc Cookery School is the only school in the world where you can watch and learn in a two-Michelin-star kitchen. Shooting, horse-riding, fishing and golf can also be arranged by the hotel, as can a chauffeur for a trip to Blenheim Palace or Warwick Castle.
Diary
June Henley Royal Regatta (+44 (0)1491 572153; www.hrr.co.uk). July Garsington Opera at Garsington Manor (+44 (0)1865 361636; www.garsingtonopera.org). October The hotel stages Le Festival aux Quat'Saisons. December Christmas carol concerts at the hotel.
