River Hotel

Hotels
8.2 (1018 reviews)
17 Botley Road , Oxford , gb

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Children allowed

Facilities

Electric bicycle charging station
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Family rooms
Luggage storage
Safety deposit box
Non-smoking throughout
Private check-in/check-out
Shared lounge/TV area
Board games/puzzles
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Great location
Cons:
Rooms need improvement
Some construction noise

Categories

Cleanliness
7.84
Clean and comfortable, but some reports of paint issues.
Service
8.62
Staff were friendly and helpful across reviews.
Location
8.35
Great location, convenient for city access.
Room Quality
7.6
Rooms need some TLC; generally comfortable.
Amenities
8.33
Honesty bar appreciated; basic amenities well-reviewed.
Value for Money
7.99
Good value considering the location and amenities.
Food and Beverage
8.84
Excellent breakfast offerings and quality.
Overall Experience
8.01
Enjoyable stay with minor issues noted.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 00:03

Property Description

Individually Designed Rooms
Each room at River Hotel is uniquely designed, offering a cozy stay with essential amenities such as a desk, WiFi, and a flat-screen TV. Select rooms even provide a picturesque view of the garden extending to the serene River Thames.

Scenic Dining Experience
Start your day with a delightful English breakfast at the hotel's restaurant while overlooking the tranquil River Thames. Whether you prefer a traditional English meal or have specific dietary requirements like vegetarian, the hotel ensures a satisfying dining experience for all guests.

Convenient Location
Situated near renowned landmarks like the University of Oxford and Ashmolean Museum, River Hotel offers easy access to explore the cultural gems of Oxford. With the Museum of the History of Science just a short distance away, guests can immerse themselves in the city's rich history.

Book your stay at River Hotel for a memorable experience in Oxford.

Important information:

Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a family member.

Breakfast and parking included, except in 'room only' rate.

When booking 5 rooms or more, different policies and additional supplements may apply.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: LHR

Property Policies

  • Groups

    When booking more than 4 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Parking

    Private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed) and charges may be applicable.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 4 years old stay for £10 per person per stay when using an available cot.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 1018 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.84
Service: 8.62
Location: 8.35
Room Quality: 7.6
Amenities: 8.33
Value for Money: 7.99
Food and Beverage: 8.84
Overall Experience: 8.01
A
Andrew • couple • gb
10
Spotless, comfortable, friendly and excellent VFM
Pros:

Friendly, efficient & polite staff. This is a very well run independent hotel. Very comfortable bed & everything spotlessly clean. Love the honesty bar, offering a very wide choice of drinks. Breakfast takes the form of a choice of cereal & fresh fruit and a choice of cooked stuff, all cooked to order & tasted like it was from fresh ingredients. Great car parking. Easy walk to Oxford city centre.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-02-11 • via Nuitee
S
Stephen • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-01-29 • via Nuitee
J
Janet • family_with_children • au
9
Top Stay
Pros:

Great value with parking and breakfast included.

2026-01-27 • via Nuitee
L
Luke • solo_traveller • gb
8
Lovely little hotel close to the station.
Pros:

Stayed here for work and found the hotel to be lovely and homely. The staff were so friendly and welcoming, and helpful around late check in. The breakfast was great too.

Cons:

Nothing.

2026-01-26 • via Nuitee
S
Sawaros • family_with_children • th
8
Plesant
Pros:

I like the location of this hotel which is near the train station, even though the railway bridge on Botley Road is closed during our visit in January 2026 (it will be closed to vehicle access until August 2026). This probably made the area around the hotel much quieter. There is a lounge/ bar for anyone to sit in and enjoy the drinks (with extra charges, paid when checking out). The staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast was delicious. We enjoyed a 1-night stay here.

Cons:

As we travelled as a group of 3 people with large luggage, the room was a bit too small. We could open only one luggage at a time. The room was warm and cosy, but there were no radiators in the bathroom, making it a bit cold.

2026-01-26 • via Nuitee
K
Karl • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Very good

2026-01-25 • via Nuitee
F
Frank • solo_traveller • nz
9
Would stay again
Pros:

Great breakfast, location and bed was very comfortable.

2026-01-22 • via Nuitee
J
Jana • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
A
Anthony • couple • gb
8
Great! Cant wait to return.
Pros:

Great hotel. Staff all brilliantly weird! Top stuff.

Cons:

Ice and lemon for the gin and tonic in the honesty bar.

2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
C
Crawford • solo_traveller • us
8
A great value
Pros:

Just what I needed.

Cons:

The construction nearby

2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
O
oznur • family_with_children • tr
10
2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
R
Rachel • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
S
Stephen • couple • gb
9
Pros:

This hotel may not be modern in appearance but l can say it had everything you need thank you river hotel well done

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
N
Nicholas • couple • us
10
Pros:

Outstanding breakfast with table service. One of the best I have had. Beautiful grounds with space to relax right on the river. Very scenic and relaxing. Great quiet location, but within a few minutes walk from the city center.

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
T
TAKAHIKO • extended_group • jp
6
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
A
Aaran • solo_traveller • gb
10
No drama. Quiet. Comfortable
Pros:

Bed was comfy and quiet. There was a little bar you could help yourself to. Didn't use it but it seemed like a nice touch. Short walk from the city centre. Complimentary bottled water which i did appreciate after a night out. Friendly staff. Clean. Quiet.

Cons:

Didn't affect me but i did hear the window whistling with the wind at one point. It was quite windy so it was fairly loud. As i say, didn't affect me because it wasn't at night but it does need sortin for future guests, ideally.

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
J
Judith • family_with_children • us
5
Disappointing. We won’t return or recommend
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Staff. Quality of bedding. Breakfast.

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
P
Peter • solo_traveller • us
9
Charming B&B in the middle of town
Pros:

Very close to city center. Breakfast was large and tasty. Staff was attentive to my needs (put a fan in my room without even me needing to ask because it was hot).

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
A
Amelia • family_with_children • us
9
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
J
Julie • couple • gb
10
Great, thank you.
Pros:

Hotel was just a short walk from the station, which was ideal. Staff were so friendly and accommodating and it was brilliant we could leave our luggage before and after check in. Great cooked breakfast in the morning too.

Cons:

I would of liked a walk in shower but was aware of that when I booked.

2026-01-15 • via Nuitee