Folly Bridge, St. Aldates, Oxford, England, OX1 4LB
What's nearby
University of Oxford - 3 min walk
Christ Church College - 4 min walk
Oxford Castle - 12 min walk
Bodleian Library - 13 min walk
New Theatre Oxford - 13 min walk
Getting around
Oxford (OXF) - 14 min drive
Heathrow Airport (LHR) - 63 min drive
Abingdon Radley Station - 10 min drive
Oxford Parkway Station - 11 min drive
Oxford Station - 17 min walk
Restaurants
Joe & the Juice - 9 min walk
The Place to Eat - 8 min walk
Sticks'n'Sushi - Oxford - 9 min walk
The Old Tom - 6 min walk
Curzon Oxford - 9 min walk
About this property
The Head of the River
When you stay at The Head of the River, you'll be in a fantastic location, only a five-minute walk from Thames River and University of Oxford. You can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant or wind down at the end of the day with a drink from the bar/lounge. Other highlights at this eco-friendly inn include a terrace and a garden. Fellow travellers love the helpful staff and location.
Languages
English
At a glance
Hotel size
19 rooms
Arranged over 3 floors
Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age – 18
Check-out time is 11 AM
Contactless check-out
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 8 AM - 9:30 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 11:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 18
Pets
Pets allowed*
Service animals welcome
Food and water bowls available
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms
Parking
No on-site parking
Other information
Smoke-free property
Property amenities
Food and drink
Cooked-to-order breakfast (surcharge) 7:00 AM–11:00 AM on weekdays and 8:00 AM–11:00 AM on weekends
The Head of the River – This pub specialises in British cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.
Awards and affiliations
Eco-certified property
This property participates in Green Tourism Programme – a programme that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural heritage and the local economy.
Fees & policies
Optional extras
Cooked-to-order breakfast is offered for an extra charge of approximately GBP 10.00 to 15.00 per person
Pets
Service animals exempt from fees
Pets are allowed for an extra charge of GBP 10 per pet, per night
Policies
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
This property does not have lifts.
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted.
Also known as
Head River Inn Oxford
Head River Inn
Head River Oxford
Head Of The River Hotel Oxford
The Head of the River Inn
The Head of the River Oxford
The Head of the River Inn Oxford
Frequently asked questions
Does The Head of the River offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, The Head of the River does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in, depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure that you check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Are pets allowed at The Head of the River?
Yes, pets are welcome. There's a charge of GBP 10 per pet, per night. Service animals are exempt from fees. Food and water bowls are available.
Is parking offered on site at The Head of the River?
Sorry, there's no on-site parking at The Head of the River.
What are the check-in and check-out times at The Head of the River?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 10:00 PM. Check-out time is 11 AM. Contactless check-out is available.
What is there to do at The Head of the River and nearby?
The Head of the River has a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near The Head of the River?
Yes, The Head of the River offers British cuisine.
What's the area around The Head of the River like?
The Head of the River is located on the waterfront in Oxford City Centre, a short 1-minute walk from Thames River and 3 minutes' walk from University of Oxford. Travellers say that the inn is in a great location.
The Head of the River Reviews
Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
9.0/10
Cleanliness
9.0/10
Staff & service
8.4/10
Amenities
8.4/10
Property conditions & facilities
8.4/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Exceptional
14 December 2024
Love this place, never fails.
Asha
Asha, 1-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
9 December 2024
rosario
rosario, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
8 December 2024
Verified traveller
1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
7 December 2024
Had a great stay at Head of the River this weekend. Hotel and staff were great.
LYNN
LYNN, 1-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
22 November 2024
Leonard
Leonard, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
20 November 2024
Great breakfast
Room very clean and comfortable, good view, quiet despite being next to a busy road.
Staff all pleasant and helpful.
Top quality complimentary teas and coffees. Lovely toiletries.
Great breakfast.
Would definitely stay again
Sally
Sally, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
3 November 2024
Quick but perfect stay at Head of the River!
We enjoyed a 2-night stay at Head of the River. Fantastic location. Restaurant/pub on site was excellent—and the included breakfast was an added bonus. Staff was lovely! Beds were very comfortable and bed linens were high quality. Loved our stay and would absolutely stay again.
Kelly
Kelly, 2-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
23 October 2024
Lovely
Lovely stay
Carl
Carl, 1-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
17 October 2024
Peter
Peter, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
28 September 2024
M Jane
M Jane, 3-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
24 September 2024
Graeme
Graeme, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very good
23 September 2024
Sarah
Sarah, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
8/10 Very good
18 August 2024
Sadia
Sadia, 1-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
13 August 2024
Lovely rooms and pub in a beautiful old building. No on-site parking is a bit of a nuisance, but also understandable given the amazing location!
Leigh
Leigh, 1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very good
11 August 2024
Overall good stay
Hotel and bar was nice staff helpful just a shame that other customers had to ruin the experience for us but the staff went out there way to make sure we was ok
Walls are very thin and can here other people talking /snoring
The pub garden was beautiful to sit in, with the sun
susi
susi, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
11 July 2024
Tracie
Tracie, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
8 July 2024
Beautiful old inn on the river, great food and nice staff
Stephanie
Stephanie, 2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very good
4 July 2024
This place is lovely and very cute! It was our first trip to Oxford and the location was really convenient to the town center. The outdoor bar and restaurant is very charming and popular. The service was excellent- very friendly and helpful staff. Overall, excellent location, property and service
Meena
Meena, 1-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
29 June 2024
Rebecca
Rebecca, 2-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
28 February 2024
Clean, cosy, welcoming and full of charm. The staff were friendly and helpful. My room had beautiful views of the river and meadow. I’d come back to Oxford just to stay here again.
Denise
Denise, 6-night business trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
24 February 2024
We stayed at the Head of the River with our kids for a few days recently when visiting schools in the Oxford area. We really liked it. The rooms are lovely and have everything you need, the kids loved the free breakfast which was really delicious. We ended up eating most of our meals there and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Anna
Anna, 3-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
18 February 2024
Hotel quality rooms in a friendly pub
Very friendly and helpful staff, high quality rooms, tasty breakfast, convenient location, would recommend!
Tanya
Tanya, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
17 February 2024
Razvan-Alexandru
Razvan-Alexandru, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
14 February 2024
Sophie
Sophie, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
4/10 Fair
8 February 2024
Great location and scenery however very loud hotel and can hear others in their rooms easily. The room was not serviced for a while left in morning, back in afternoon and no toilet tissue or phone to ring downstairs. Not the typical hotel experience.