Romance in the city | three romantic hotel breaks in Oxford

The Randolph has been an Oxford institution for 150 years. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t entranced by its grand entrance and its swaying British flags above the door. It’s one of those hotels I used to wander past as a child, thinking: “who gets to stay there?”. Well, you can, and it’s the ideal place to splash out and splurge on a special trip for two.

Sitting opposite the grand Ashmolean Museum (one of my favourites) The Randolph provides five-star luxury from the off, with architecture that wows even amidst this iconic part of the city. Inside is just as glorious, the gothic design continues with a stately staircase and high ceilings; the Randolph is exactly what you’d expect from an ancient Oxford icon.

Oxford’s High Street runs from the medieval Magdalen College to the heart of the city, and is where you’ll find one of my favourite places to stay in Oxford, The Old Bank hotel.

Set in, you guessed it, an old bank building, this elegant hotel provides a dreamy location amidst some of Oxford’s most famous landmarks. Opposite you’ll find the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library, with All Souls and Merton colleges on either side together with a collection of cute cafes and boutique shops on the High Street.

A romantic weekend in Oxford doesn’t have to break the bank, with plenty of budget hotels and B&Bs that still offer pretty settings along the city streets. The Oxford Townhouse is one of those hidden gems.

It may be a ten-minute walk from the centre, but what a walk it is. Wandering into town will take you over Folly Bridge, where you can stop for a waterside drink at the Head of the River pub, or you can divert through Christchurch Meadow with its huge swathes of green and riverside paths. If you’d prefer not to walk around the city, you can even jump on a boat at the bridge and punt your way romantically past the very best sights.