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The Head of the River

4.0 star property

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for The Head of the River

Exterior
Front of property
Exterior
Exterior
Cosy Room

Reviews

8.6 out of 10

Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
    Bar
  • Pet-friendly
    Pet-friendly
  • Free WiFi
    Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
Folly Bridge, St. Aldates, Oxford, England, OX1 4LB
  • University of Oxford
    3 min walk
  • Christ Church College
    4 min walk
  • Christ Church Cathedral
    6 min walk
  • Oxford (OXF)
    14 min drive

Room options

View all photos for Comfy Room

Comfy Room

Comfy Room

  • 14 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Indulgence Room

Indulgence Room

Indulgence Room

  • 16 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Cosy Room

Cosy Room

Cosy Room

  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Family Room

Family Room

Family Room

  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed

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About this property

The Head of the River

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.

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.

Our customers tell us they can't get enough of the helpful staff at The Head of the River. During your stay, you're just a quick walk from Thames River. Free WiFi in public areas, a restaurant, and a bar are available. This property offers pet-friendly amenities like food and water bowls.
  • Free WiFi
  • Enjoy British cuisine while dining at The Head of the River
  • Cooked-to-order breakfast served daily for a fee
  • Amenities include a terrace
  • Guests have great things to say about the location and the helpful staff
  • Steps from Thames River and 3 minutes by foot from University of Oxford
  • Pets welcome for a fee
  • Pet-friendly amenities are available, including food and water bowls
There's a restaurant on site. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. Public spaces have free WiFi. The eco-certified The Head of the River also features a terrace and a garden.

This 4-star Oxford inn is smoke free.

For a fee, guests can enjoy cooked-to-order breakfast on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM and on weekends from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
The Head of the River - This pub specializes in British cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.

Awards and affiliations

Eco-Certified Property
This property participates in Green Tourism Program, a program that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural-heritage, the local economy.

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and public transport

  • No on-site parking available

Food and drink

  • Cooked-to-order breakfast available for a fee 7:00 AM–11:00 AM on weekdays and 8:00 AM–11:00 AM on weekends: GBP 10.00-15.00 per person
  • 1 restaurant
  • 1 bar

Restaurants on site

  • The Head of the River

Guest services

  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Housekeeping (on request)

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • This property does not have any lifts
  • Front entrance ramp
  • Handrails in stairwells
  • Stairwell handrail height (centimetres): 89
  • Lever door handles
  • Step-free path to entrance
  • Tile flooring in public areas
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Visual fire alarm
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible public bathroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk height (centimetres): 107
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bed sheets
  • Heating

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hairdryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • Digital channels
  • Flat-screen TV

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Espresso maker
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8 AM - 9:30 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 11:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • Pets: GBP 10 per pet, per night
  • Food and water bowls are available
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: approximately GBP 10.00 to 15.00 per person
  • Pet fee: GBP 10 per pet, per night
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
The front desk at this property is open daily from 8 AM - 9:30 PM.
Guests arriving after 11:00 PM must make advance arrangements by contacting the property using the information on the booking confirmation. Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival.

Property is also known as

Head River
Head River Inn
Head River Inn Oxford
Head River Oxford
Head Of The River Hotel Oxford
The Head of the River Inn
The Head of the River Oxford
The Head of the River Inn Oxford

The Head of the River Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 302 out of 630 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 230 out of 630 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 56 out of 630 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 35 out of 630 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 630 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Sadia

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Leigh

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

susi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Overall good stay
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
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tracie

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful old inn on the river, great food and nice staff
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Meena

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
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
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca, Norman

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Denise

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anna

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tanya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel quality rooms in a friendly pub
Very friendly and helpful staff, high quality rooms, tasty breakfast, convenient location, would recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Razvan-Alexandru

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sophie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

4/10 Poor

Gulten

Business traveller
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
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.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Karen

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely room but was a bit dusty and the bed not comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

veena

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful place to stay and relax
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

James

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ian

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location. Walking distance from train. Room on top floor had great views of the river.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Extended work stay.
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.
Stayed 13 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Leanne

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
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.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jules

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

vasvi, Scottsdale

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location, quaint atmosphere!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

6/10 Okay

Eric

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
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
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Aitch

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Great people and good food. Terrible cleanliness standards though, there was a mouse in the restaurant!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

M

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023