Express By Holiday Inn, Oxford

I stayed here for a few nights in October 2007 whilst visiting Oxford.

The parking lot is large, providing more than ample space even during a fully-booked night. Being right next to the Kassam Stadium, this hotel is super for those wanting to partake in watching Oxford United.

Check-in was very fast and efficient; the staff were very welcoming and polite. Our rooms were on the third floor which was just a short elevator ...
...were spotless. Nicely arranged, with a good sized sofa bed in the room too. The bathroom area was incredibly clean and modern. No bathtub is provided, but the power showers are excellent. Plastic cups, shower caps, soap, face towels are provided in the bathroom. A nice touch: if you forget any bathroom items then you can ask reception for complementary replacements.

Within the room you get basic tea/coffee making facilities which ... more

I stayed here for a few nights in October 2007 whilst visiting Oxford.

The parking lot is large, providing more than ample space even during a fully-booked night. Being right next to the Kassam Stadium, this hotel is super for those wanting to partake in watching Oxford United.

Check-in was very fast and efficient; the staff were very welcoming and polite. Our rooms were on the third floor which was just a short elevator ride from the lobby.

The rooms themselves were spotless. Nicely arranged, with a good sized sofa bed in the room too. The bathroom area was incredibly clean and modern. No bathtub is provided, but the power showers are excellent. Plastic cups, shower caps, soap, face towels are provided in the bathroom. A nice touch: if you forget any bathroom items then you can ask reception for complementary replacements.

Within the room you get basic tea/coffee making facilities which include the same items as the other hotel chains in this category. A telephone is provided within the room, which is really handy if your party has more than one room booked - calls between rooms are free.

The temperature of the room remained pretty constant throughout the night, unlike a lot of hotels. Other similar places I've stayed in either cool down dramatically or stay incredibly hot. The bed was extremely comfortable, allowing for a very good night's sleep.

I can't comment on the noise level when a football match is in-progress, but you'll find it a very quiet hotel otherwise. Even on a fully-booked night, hardly any noise was encountered.

The nice thing about this chain is that they provide a complementary breakfast in the morning. This includes muffins, french pastries, cereal, fruit, toast, fruit juice, hot drinks, and a copy of the 'Independent' newspaper. Certainly a nice touch to wake up to - it saves you having to drive off looking for somewhere to take breakfast each morning.

The local area has one restaurant: Frankie and Benny's. This one was very, very busy when we dined there and the service was consequently rather rushed and minimal. However, there is a Hollywood Bowl and a movie theatre (all three within the same complex) nearby - about 1 minute's drive from the hotel. This place is very easy to get to from the Oxford ring road, and we found it very quick to travel into Oxford from this location. (Either by the nearby Park and Ride or by driving).

Overall, a very pleasant stay with a few extras (compared to, say, a basic Travelodge) which makes your stay very enjoyable. I've knocked off one star due to the lack of places to go to for an evening meal within the vicinity. I'll definately be going back to this place! 

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