Spontaneous trip to Oxford

So another long weekend has sprung itself upon us yet we didn't really have anything planned until Saturday night after a few drinks my boyfriend and I were browsing hopefully through www.laterooms.com and decided to book a hotel for Sunday night in Oxford. Neither of us had been before but a friend of mine went to University there and only had good things to say! Being only about an hour drive from London it's the perfect get away for a couple of days. 

We stayed at Hawkwell House Hotel in Iffley, about a 30 minute walk from the centre or a 10 minute cab ride. The hotel is a large manor house style building surrounded by beautiful gardens, tucked away on a quiet road. The staff were all friendly and helpful and the rooms were clean and modern, we even got a cute view of the garden :) 

www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk

View from our room

Garden 

Patio area

Conservatory and bar

Main Hotel

With no idea where to eat for dinner we took a recommendation from our taxi driver and headed to Al Andalus - a tapas bar on Little Clarendon Street. Just a few minutes walk from the high street on a quiet one way road. Having not booked and it being bank holiday it was very busy but we were more than happy to knock back a couple of drinks at the bar and only in fact had to wait 10 minutes before being lead to a window seat (the beauty of turning up out of the blue without a reservation at a restaurant not in London! Although I love it!) we ordered 5 tapas to share and it was amazing! The staff were super nice too and even ordered us a cab! 

www.tapasoxford.co.uk

On Monday we headed back to the City Centre to tick some touristy activities off our list! We began by going punting at the Magdalen Bridge Boat House. After watching a guy (desperate to prove his manliness to his other half) attempting to paddle his own boat and nearly fall in we decided to opt for a chauffeured punt for £25 for half an hour. 

Our chauffeur was a charming Oxford born man called Phill who knew the City like the back of his hand and had many stories and facts for our trip. (For example how 38 colleges make up Oxford University!!!!) We punted (I don't actually know if that's a term?) around a man made island and took in the beautiful waterways of Oxford and even fed some ducks along the way! 

www.oxfordpunting.co.uk

Cute little baby ducklings! 

To end the day we took a walk around the University Park which was stunning, it had the prettiest, quietest little walkways and footpaths. Perfect for a picnic! 

I hope you enjoyed the bank holiday as much as I did! If not no worries as another one is just around the corner, why not take a trip to Oxford! 

Lexie

xxx