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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located in Oxford's city center, our hotel is a landmark building with elegance and charm featuring Alice Restaurant which offers an exciting experience, serving mouthwatering dishes prepared by our highly skilled chefs. Our hotel has played host to prime ministers and presidents, and our renowned Morse Bar is instantly recognizable as the watering hole of Colin Dexter's world-famous detective, Inspector Morse.
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Nestled in the heart of Oxford, The Randolph Hotel garners praise for its prime location and charming atmosphere, blending historical elegance with a touch of whimsy. While guests are enchanted by the hotel's cleanliness and stylish rooms, some have called out noise disruptions and occasional discomfort due to ineffective air conditioning.
The amenities, including plush beds and modern bathrooms, are appreciated, yet additional charges can be a sore point. Reviews on service vary, with experiences ranging from warm and attentive to lackluster, which, alongside the high costs, has led to mixed feelings about the hotel's overall value.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Stylish
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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My wife and I stayed at The Randolph for two nights. It was my first trip back to Oxford in over 25 years. This is a beautiful, luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. Perfect location. If you are driving to Oxford, they have a car park service, which is rare inside the city. I highly recommend this hotel. Thank you for a great stay!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded Sep 10, 2024
Dear guest, thank you for taking the time to write such a glowing review. I was delighted to read of your experience and was pleased to hear that my team were able to deliver warm and sincere hospitality. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best regards.
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We stayed 3 nights and the hotel and the room were very nice. Everything clean and quiet. Room: We were in 304 with views of the street, without excessive noise. The bathroom was small, but sufficient, it had shampoo, conditioner and gel from the Malin&Goetz brand, a success. You have Nespresso Vertuo coffee and water for free, every day. The mattress is a little soft for my taste. There are 2 pillows for different tastes. It was a not very large room. Hotel: It has several rooms to have a drink, and all with their aroma of history, it is worth having a coffee and enjoying the piano area, or interior rooms. Personalities from all over the world have stayed in this hotel and the door cards carry their image, we had one of Margaret Thatcher and another of Stephen Hawking. Price/Quality: It seemed a little expensive to us, although it is true that inside the hotel you only see quality. Foods: Breakfast costs £20 if you book in advance or £26 if you go directly without booking. Keep it in mind. Very good, there is a complete buffet part and if not you have avocado, ham or mushroom toast at your disposal. We also had dinner one day, the prices are according to the hotel, expensive. A cheeseburger cost us £20, it was small. Fish and chips £23. We did everything at the Alice Restaurant, where you can see commemorative paintings from the book "Alice in Wonderland."
In general, it would be a hotel where I would return whenever your visit is to Oxford, if from there you plan to go outside there are more affordable options outside the center.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Coged habitaciones lo mas alto posible para poder ver el skyline de Oxford.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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This was our second visit to The Randolph. As always the staff were professional, friendly and charming. Our room was well furnished, comfortable and a great bed with immaculate linen, also tea and coffee making facilities in the room and a safe if you required it. The location of the hotel could not be better for visiting Oxford and the area is quiet and safe at nights in our experience. We asked for the same room as last time and this was arranged and a lovely card to welcome us back. This time we had our elderly small dog with us. This was our 18th hotel stay since January this year and the dog charge was by far the highest at £40. We paid £35 as we had an email from the hotel confirming this, but the correct charge is apparently £40. We have travelled through Scotland, England, and France staying in hotels and in other UK properties we were charged also, but no higher than £25 per night and most provided everything from a dog bed and blanket to food and water bowls, treats etc and the staff were fantastic with our dog. France of course was a dream for the dog as travelling with your dog is totally acceptable there and we could take him anywhere with us. Rather oddly, I had to sign a "dog form" on arrival (again the only time I was asked to do this) and it stated that at no time could you leave your dog alone in the room. As I was also informed that you could not take the dog in the Lounge, Snug or The Alice Restaurant, I am not sure how you are supposed to eat in the hotel. As a result, we went out and found a very friendly dog cafe where we had breakfast and a couple of lovely restaurants where again the dog was very welcome. We did bring our dog into the Morse bar and he was welcomed by the bar staff and given 3 dog biscuits which was the only direct kindness to him we experienced on our stay. I think The Randolph could do a lot better for dog owners and would urge management to think about this as travelling with a dog is becoming a norm these days.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded May 6, 2024
Many thanks for the kind review. I will certainly review our pets offer with the senior team to ensure we add value for money. Come back and see us again soon.
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From the moment you walk across the welcoming entrance steps of this iconic Oxford hotel (now owned by Hilton), you feel transported back in time. Everything in the design and atmosphere of the interior of this remarkable building oozes history at its finest. Famous names like Oscar Wilde and J.R.R. Tolkien once patronized this one and a half century old Victorian Gothic style building. Among others, it features a bar named after Inspector Morse, famed by the 1990s television series. The reception staff are extremely professional, check in is a very pleasant experience, making you feel welcome and special, from the first instant. The reception counter is set in front of an impressive grand staircase that illustrates the historic identity of the building, a true sight to behold. And to walk on, for that matter. Rooms are in a similar historic and classic design, very comfortable, with lots of classic design wooden furniture and long drape curtains that grace the tall window frames. Thick flower design carpet covers the cracking wooden floors, a feature that characterizes the charm of a classic building such as this. The high bed with its thick mattress is very comfortable, with an array of different pillows to doze off on. Bathrooms are an amazingly huge space, a dwelling place on its own, with a very large shower booth and heated towel rack. Breakfast is served at the Alice, a superb dining experience in a stylishly furnished hall, also a great setting for afternoon tea. Service is impeccable, with every staff member upholding the highest standards of customer service and professionalism. The only minor drawback we found at this hotel, is that it is hard to find parking space if you’re driving here by car. Oxford is generally not very car friendly, and parking near the Randolph is no exception. We made use of the hotel’s valet parking service, which is a welcome solution, but comes at a significant charge. Staying at the Randolph is an exceptional experience, truly suited to families staying for special events such as university graduation events. A highly recommended experience when staying in Oxford.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Prepare for car parking constraints.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded Sep 10, 2024
Thank you so much for your review. It sounds like you got to experience the true Randolph hospitality. The team work hard to create a unique experience where guests can feel as they would have in the hey day of this beautiful old hotel. This building certainly has its unique quirks but in my opinion that's what makes the hotel so special. Please do come and see us again soon.
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We went for afternoon tea yesterday and were extremely disappointed. The sandwiches were dry and the cake selection was the worst we have ever been served for an afternoon tea. Especially one which cost £40 each. Two of the cakes were not cakes but were basically a chocolate and a jelly sweet. Also we were asked if we wanted still or sparkling water when we sat down as if it was part of the tea. We were not told this would be charged for. The food we were served was not what was advertised online or outside the hotel on the afternoon tea menu. Overall very poor and would not recommend to others.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent afternoon tea experience. We're truly sorry to hear that it was so disappointing, especially given the cost and your expectations for such a special occasion. We appreciate you taking the time to highlight the specific issues you encountered, from the dryness of the sandwiches and the underwhelming cake selection to the unexpected charge for water and the discrepancies between the menu you saw and what was served. We take all comments extremely seriously, and we're particularly concerned to hear that your experience fell so far short of what we aim to provide. We understand your frustration, and we want to assure you that we've been actively working to address the concerns you and other guests have raised. We've already developed a completely new afternoon tea menu, which will be launching in March. This new menu has been carefully curated to offer a more exciting and refined selection, with freshly made sandwiches, delectable cakes and pastries, and a greater attention to detail in both flavour and presentation. We've also reinforced our communication protocols with our team to ensure clarity on pricing, particularly for beverages, and to guarantee that the menu presented reflects exactly what is being served. We sincerely hope you'll consider giving us another chance to demonstrate the improvements we've made. We're confident that the new afternoon tea experience will be a vast improvement, and we'd be delighted to welcome you back and provide you with the exceptional service and quality you deserve.
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Pros: The hotel reception, dining rooms and common areas were beautiful! I stayed in one of the king rooms and the decor was fantastic. Cutest decor ever and the bathroom was beautiful. Also very central to Oxford - close by to malls, restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, etc.
Cons: Walls are extremely thin. If you are a light sleeper or sensitive to noise, I do not recommend staying here. You can hear every door on the floor open and shut, housekeeping tending to other rooms, people above you walking or moving things. I unfortunately stayed in this room during one of the jazz nights. I took a nap and was woken up in the evening to the band playing - I think they were in the dining/common area and I was on the 3rd floor but I could feel the vibrations in my room and loud music for 1.5-2 hours. There is also no air conditioning starting October-ish. Which generally makes sense, but for this hotel, there is barely any circulation and the room gets stuffy quick. I stayed in October and I was sweating in my room. Luckily there was a dyson fan in the closet that I used at night, but it was still pretty warm. Also, windows barely open. There was one pane that opened a few centimeters and that's it. I also ordered room service, so I cant comment on the actual dining experience downstairs, but the room service food was meh. Obviously overpriced food because it is room service, but food was nothing special.
Maybe the experience is better in one of the nice rooms? Not sure, but overall I wouldn't stay here for a long trip - maybe 2 nights. I realy wanted to like this hotel because the decor and aesthetic is so nice but comfort-wise, it was poor.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded Nov 19, 2024
Thank you for the balanced review, I appreciate you taking the time. Apologies for the noise issues, I will be sure to investigate this with the maintenance team immediately. If I can be of any further assistance or can help with a future booking please don't hesitate to contact me.
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On a rare visit to Oxford our son wanted us to have some luxury. We came to the conclusion that this hotel is one big rip off. A so called luxury room did not even have bedside tables, dim lights, the television could not be viewed whilst in bed, the wardrobe was full of a very heavy radiator we had to manhandle out to put our clothes inside and the plug sockets were not uniform therefore modern plugs did not fit all of them. After complaining, they reduced the price and moved us to a better room however this was still not worth the money and the lighting is so incredibly dim making it impossible to read after dark. On complaining they changed one light bulb on the desk and said we had to sit there to read - not read in bed! The breakfast buffet had pieces of brie cheese that were sweating as were the pieces of smoked salmon. There was no "spread" alternative to butter. ~Some of the croissants were stuck to the board they were on. All in all it was a very big disappointment. The only points in it's favour was the position and the good pillows. On checking out we were told that the amount owing had been deducted from our card. We had to ask how much and to be allowed to view the bill! Liza
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Date of stay: March 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff were very nice and rooms comfortable but there were a few issues.
In the rooms there were only Nespresso coffee pods which I find annoying as they're very wasteful so I won't use them.
The spa was closed and when we got there we found out even if it wasn't there was an extra charge to use it as well which is unusual (also there's no swimming pool in case you weren't sure)
When we were waiting to be served at the bar we had to attract the not busy bartender's attention. Despite this a a glass of apple juice from a carafe cost £4 AND a service charge was added on even though we ordered the drink at the bar and we were told we couldn't remove the service charge as it's automatically added on
The breakfasts cost £28. We weren't told where to go to get the breakfast until we asked. We weren't offered tea or coffee. When we caught their attention and ordered one we had to wait over 15 mins AND had to remind them. Other people around us had the same experience.
The breakfast was delicious apart from that - but a bit cheeky to charge so much when you can't manage good service
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:As it's town centre be prepared for traffic and other noise late at night / early morning. The...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded Nov 19, 2024
Many thanks for taking the time to write your review. I note your comments about the spa and to add value to the experience, the £20.00 entry does include branded flip flops and tote bag for you to take away along with towels and robes. Thanks again for the balanced nature of the review, this certainly does help us improve.
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This will be long, so bear with me. I used to stay at 5 star hotels regularly when travelling for business, but that was 20 years ago so my judgement is based on what I'd expect given advances in technology and customer feedback. The basics were spot on. No complaints about that. The finer things that make for a memorable stay were missing. When I checked in then I mentioned that I was visiting to attend a funeral. That's not a big deal in itself, but apart from sympathy from the front desk there was nothing. I thought that maybe a 5 star hotel would do something, but I don't know what. Maybe a free biscuit with "Sorry" iced on it. I wasn't really impressed by the shower in my room, since it could have been mounted higher to accommodate normal people. I'm 6ft tall and would have liked to have stood underneath the shower rather than in front of it, necessitated by the fact that the vertical rod to wall distance didn't allow enough room to point the shower head down and the rod was mounted too low for anyone my height. Maybe you should describe it as a "Horizontal water experience". The lift announcements are great but too loud, given the assumption that blind people aren't also deaf. I stepped out from the lift on my floor for the first time after the barrage of announcements pinpointing my floor location and door status to think that the poor sod who was in the room almost directly opposite the lift was going to suffer for his choice. That room turned out to be mine. The concierge was good but didn't offer useful advice concerning changing old pound notes to the new plastic abominations, but luckily I'd Googled the process and went to the Post Office with my passport and exchanged my old crinkly notes for the new plastic abominations. Lastly, since I understand that the top two floors had burned down a couple of years ago and had to be refurbished then the attention to detail was a tad lacking. Apart from the shower then given there was no room for a bedside table then a bedside shelf would have to suffice. Understandable, but it was just the right size for a mobile phone to be rested on ready for the morning alarm, but no room for anything else of note. I wear glasses so the choice was to balance my glasses on top of my mobile or somehow balance my mobile on top of my glasses knowing that in both cases when my alarm went off then my glasses would fall into the gap of despair between the wall and bed. Lastly (I can hear the sighs of relief from here) then when I asked the front staff to recommend a Thai restaurant then they recommended the nearest one, Thiakun, rather than a good one, I'd eaten at three Thai restaurants on my trip and Thaikun was by far the worst since they expended more energy into the name and decor than the food. Anyway, a 5 star hotel needs to impress by going above and beyond the standard AA requirements, which were met, but I was a tad disappointed. I hope this helps.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Philip Lewis, General Manager at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, A Graduate By Hilton
Responded Jan 11, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to write your review. I was delighted to ready about your experience and pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Oxford. I note your comments regarding your the service which I'll be sure investigate with the senior leadership team. Come back and see us again soon.
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The Randolph is everything you expect from an English country Hotel (yes I know its in the heart of Oxford)
Perfectly placed to explore and with an abidance of restaurants, theatre and cultural events within a very short stroll. The Hotel exudes old fashioned charm, staff are attentive and helpful and common rooms are comfortable where you can easily find yourself slipping in to a mid afternoon nap as you're sipping cocktails by open fires. If you're arriving by car there is valet parking and the doormen will have your luggage in a jiffy.
We stayed in room 272 which was beautifully appointed. The bed was gloriously comfortable with a quilt (such a plus over sheets and blankets) with Egyptian cotton sheets and sumptuous pillows.
The bathroom is definitely an art-deco vibe, ample towels and first class toiletries, as you would expect in a high end hotel.
However the shower was a disaster. Water pressure and temperature were excellent but the cubicle size is ridiculously small even for my petit wife. I however am 6 foot plus and when I say it was a struggle to get in and out it really was almost comical. Moreover the way the shower head is fixed makes it almost impossible to shower normally and we had to resort to holding the head and hose in one hand. Had we of stayed more than one night I would have asked to change rooms sadly.
Not withstanding our shower, which most probably is not the sane for all rooms, this is a fabulous hotel with a great history and the staff make it a delightful stay.
It is not however a cheap place to stay or eat and drink so if you are conscious of your budget you may want to consider dining out or taking advantage of the numerous and excellent pubs all around.
Our room (Friday night) £258 (Breakfast not included) Bar Bill (8 drinks- 4 people) £154 Valet Parking £25
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Oxford area.
PRICE RANGE
C$294 - C$473 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
macdonald randolph oxford, hotel macdonald randolph, randolph hotel oxford
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandOxfordshireOxford
NUMBER OF ROOMS
151
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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