Old Parsonage Hotel

Worth getting out of bed for

Get away from it all in the light-filled library – claim one of the high-backed sofas and a book from the shelves, or order up drinks and a bite to eat from the bar. The black-and-white photographs of 1960s Oxford that line the library walls were taken by Paddy Summerfield and, like all of the works in the hotel, are part of the owner’s extensive private art collection. Don’t miss the decadent afternoon tea – there are three pinky-lift-worthy options to choose from: a tiny-cake-laden high tea, a savoury afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and blue-cheese scones, and a celebration tea with champagne for special occasions (or to make any old Tuesday extra sparkly). 

The Pitt Rivers Museum is five minutes away on foot – natural-history buffs (and little Smiths) can take a gander at the standing exhibit that Lewis Carroll gleaned inspiration from. Make your way to the blue gates of Trinity College to embark on a walking tour of the town – take your pick from history, literary or haunted highlights of Oxford. For a birds-eye-view of the city centre, climb St Mary’s Tower. Art enthusiasts can check on the latest installation at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology or Modern Art Oxford and bibliophiles can peruse the stacks of multi-level bookshop Blackwell’s in search of a scholarly souvenir. Visit the Bodleian Library and Christ Church College for centuries of scholarly history and a peek at a handful of Harry Potter film sites.

Local restaurants

Book a table in the glass conservatory at Gee’s for breakfast or weekend brunches of crashed eggs with chorizo, morcilla and scrambled eggs on Pugliese toast or poached egg favourites. Save room for breakfast dessert – prettily plated home-made banana bread. Need a sweet treat while exploring the city? Swing by G&D’s on Little Clarendon Street for made-in-house ice creams. The flavour list changes daily, but the blackcurrant and honey Black Beauty and chocolate-laced Dimebar crunch are steadfast favourites. On warm summer days, walk along the river to The Trout Inn, a 17th-century pub with a sprawling riverside terrace just north of Oxford. Settle in for drinks and leisurely lunches of classic pub fare. For dinner in Oxford’s pretty city centre, make your way to the hotel’s sister restaurant Quod. Start with potted crab on sourdough toast or the risotto of the day before moving on to mains of Hereford steak, classic pizzas or ginger-topped cod.

Local bars

Literary references abound at Oxford’s drinking establishments. Trundle down the street to the Lamb & Flag pub – where Thomas Hardy wrote the bulk of Jude the Obscure – or drink like an ‘Inkling’ at its across-the-street-neighbour the Eagle & Child, the iconic Oxford pub where Tolkein and Lewis reportedly each kept a spare pair of slippers. Cocktail bar The Duke of Cambridge is a graduation cap’s toss from the hotel, down Little Clarendon Street, and trendy Raoul’s is a few shops down the road in Jericho.