Where to stay

In Oxford, history is everywhere. See the evolution of English architectural styles and how they are harmoniously integrated in the hotels of the Oxford City Center, the best place to stay for the classic experience of the city. Feel a bit like a student with a stay in South Oxford along the river, where the famous Magdalen and Christ Church colleges are close. Leave the hubbub behind by going north to hotels in Summertown, a leafy, affluent neighborhood filled with historic mansions and art galleries just minutes from Oxford that offers quieter evenings in its chic restaurants.

With many of its residents under the age of 25, it is no surprise that Oxford comes alive on weekend nights, when pubs, bars, and clubs light up with music and dancing. Book accommodations in Jericho, the city's hippest neighborhood, to hear and see all the newest trends being innovated and spread by Oxford's students. Get a hotel in Cowley Road for a taste of cosmopolitan Britain's eclectic mix of cultures and influences, with well-priced bars and restaurants. There's a different appeal to a stay in sleepy Wolvercote, whose village pub culture is nonetheless a great way to spend a Saturday night.

On the border of the Cotswolds, one of England's best-known pastoral areas, Oxford is just as much a gateway to the countryside as it is a bustling city. Stay a bit outside the city to spend the evenings listening to the wind in the trees and the day experiencing all Oxford has to offer. Right outside the city ring, Headington's hotels and inns feel completely integrated with their residential neighborhood. Go for a walk through the parkland each evening by getting accommodations in Grandpont or New Hinksey, both on Abingdon Road. Disconnect from the world completely with a spell in a charming country hotel in Sandford-on-Thames, still easy to get to from Oxford.