HOTELS IN OXFORDSHIRE

From the hordes of tourists who descend on Oxford every year, you could think that a short break in Oxfordshire must consist of a stay in Oxford - and nothing else. However, spend all your time in the city of Dreaming Spires and you'll miss out on beautiful countryside, pretty villages - and some great food!

In Oxford, 'town and gown' exist side by side. The famous colleges line cobbled streets, their massive wooden gates revealing tantalising glimpses of the hallowed world within. Meanwhile, the rest of Oxford gets on with being a great city both to explore, and to shop in! Stay in a central Oxford hotel and you'll be in the heart of all the sites, near the circular Bodelian library, the Ashmolian Museum, and the Grand Hall of Christ Church College, the inspiration for Hogwarts’ own hall. At night Oxford's bars and restaurants are alive with atmosphere, and there is always live music or theatre happening somewhere in Oxford.

Beyond the city, Oxfordshire takes on a more relaxed feel. Cotswold bed and breakfasts tempt you to stay and linger amongst the honey-coloured stone towns of Chipping Norton and Burford. Most hotels in Woodstock are just a short walk from the impressive Blenheim Palace, built for the First Duke of Marlborough, and once home to Sir Winston Churchill.

If all Blenheim's grandeur makes your credit card itch, head for the Bicester Outlet Village, where dressing like a Duke will cost you less! Then relax in your Oxfordshire accommodation and reflect that, on your short break in Oxfordshire, you've only scratched the surface of this varied county.