Oakley Court

The Rooms

Rooms in the main house have the proportions and character you would expect from a Victorian country mansion — high ceilings, tall windows, period features softened with contemporary fabrics and furnishings. Some overlook the Thames; others face the gardens and the ancient trees. The newer wing rooms are quieter and more modern in feel, but the main house is where the magic is — the turret rooms in particular, with their curved walls and river views, are unlike anything you will find in a conventional hotel.

The Grounds

Thirty-five acres of landscaped gardens running down to the Thames. Ancient cedars, specimen trees planted in the nineteenth century, manicured lawns and wilder areas where the garden blurs into the riverbank. There are walking paths along the water, benches placed at exactly the right points, and a sense of space that makes the hotel feel like a private estate rather than a commercial property. In summer, the gardens are extraordinary. In autumn, with the leaves turning along the river, they are arguably even better.

The Restaurant

The Botanica restaurant occupies a light-filled space overlooking the gardens, serving modern British cooking that draws on seasonal and local ingredients. The kitchen works with nearby farms and suppliers, and the menu changes regularly to reflect what is best. Sunday lunch here, with the afternoon light coming through the windows and the gardens beyond, is one of the most civilised meals in the Thames Valley. The terrace, open in warmer months, is the place to be for a long lunch with a bottle of English sparkling wine.

The River

The Thames is not a backdrop at Oakley Court — it is a participant. The hotel has its own riverfront, and there are boats available for guests. Rowing upstream on a summer evening, with the house receding behind you and the willows trailing in the water, is one of those quintessentially English experiences that sounds almost too perfect to be real. But it is, and it is available to anyone who asks at reception.

Windsor

10-minute drive

The castle, the town, the Great Park. Windsor is one of the most historically significant places in England, and the castle — the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world — is extraordinary at any time of year. The town itself has good independent shops, excellent pubs, and a riverside promenade that connects to Eton across the bridge. Windsor Great Park, with its Long Walk and deer herds, is one of the finest landscapes in southern England.

Bray

5-minute drive

The tiny Thames-side village that is, improbably, one of the great restaurant destinations in the world. The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn — both with three Michelin stars — sit within minutes of each other. The Hind's Head, Heston Blumenthal's pub, is excellent for a more relaxed meal. The village itself is charming — half-timbered cottages, a Norman church, a quiet green. An extraordinary concentration of culinary talent in the most unlikely setting.

Henley-on-Thames

25-minute drive

The regatta town, a perfect Georgian high street running down to the river, lined with independent shops, galleries, and some excellent restaurants. The river walk from Henley to Hambleden Lock is one of the most beautiful in the Thames Valley. In July, the Royal Regatta transforms the town into a spectacle of rowing, Pimm's and blazers. The rest of the year, it is simply a lovely English market town with an exceptional setting.

Cliveden

15-minute drive

The National Trust estate on the cliffs above the Thames, a grand Italianate mansion with formal gardens, woodland walks and one of the most famous views in England — the terrace overlooking the river bend. The gardens alone are worth the visit. The parterre, the water garden, the Long Garden — each one is immaculate. Combine it with a Thames-side walk and you have one of the great afternoons in the Home Counties.