A Slow Stay
Oakley Court is a Victorian Gothic house on the Thames at Windsor, built in 1859 and operating as a hotel since 1981. The architecture is theatrical — all pointed turrets, lancet windows and elaborate stonework — and the hotel leans into it rather than apologising for it. This is a building that knows what it is.
In the 1960s and 70s, when the house stood empty, it was used as a filming location for Hammer Horror productions. You can still feel something of that atmosphere in the main staircase and the corridors after dark — which is, on balance, more interesting than not.
Built in 1859 for Sir Richard Hall-Say, Oakley Court is a high example of Victorian Gothic romanticism: pointed turrets, lancet windows, carved stone detailing and a site on the Thames that catches the morning light along the water. The hotel’s interiors embrace rather than suppress the drama of the architecture — deep colours, heavy fabrics, a sense that the house is entirely comfortable with its own history. The renovation kept the theatrical quality intact and added comfort without softening the character.
118 rooms across the main Victorian house and modern extensions in the grounds. The rooms in the original house have the best architecture — the ornate ceilings, the stone window surrounds, the views of the Thames through pointed arched windows. Request one of these. The extension rooms are more conventional in their setting but share the same level of comfort. All look onto the river or the grounds.
A private boathouse on the Thames, available for guests to take punts, kayaks and electric launches onto the river. The Thames at Windsor is at its most beautiful in early morning before the pleasure boats begin — the water is still, the air is cold, and Windsor Castle towers above the town on the bend. There are also estate bikes for exploring the towpath towards Bray and Cookham.
The main dining room occupies the original Victorian reception rooms — panelled walls, Gothic windows, the Thames below. The cooking is modern British, executed with care and a particular attention to Sunday lunch. The bar, set in what were the Gothic drawing rooms, produces cocktails that match the architecture: elaborate, dark and very good.
Windsor Castle is five minutes by car — the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, and more interesting than the queues suggest. The town itself, once past the tourist strip, has good independent restaurants and a covered market. Bray, home to Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck and the Waterside Inn, is ten minutes along the river. Henley-on-Thames is thirty minutes and at its best in the weeks after the regatta. London is fifty minutes by train.
Indicative rates — vary by season and availability. Breakfast typically included. Confirm directly with the hotel for current pricing.
Reserve at Oakley Court
