Wersha Bharadwa of Wedding Ideas, nicknamed ‘the city of dreaming towers’, checks into a dreamy suite at Oxford’s Vanbrugh House Hotel, perfect for a UK honeymoon – discovering Oxford’s heady mix of history, culture and famous landmarks along the way.

There’s never a dull moment in Oxford – get behind the tourist souvenir shops and you’ll see a range of creative concept pop-ups and independent shops, including vintage bookshops selling their own barista coffees, with cool bars to take you along mesmerizing cocktails and rooftop terrace views. All of this combines to form the perfect honeymoon destination in the UK.

Wind your way through one of the pretty cobbled streets and lanes near the Cotswold stone faced Vanbrugh House Hotel (and in and around the 17th 21st century cottages at large). Discover below why the Vanbrugh House Hotel is the perfect choice for honeymoon in the UK.

Honeymoon Hotel in United Kingdom: Vanbrugh House Hotel, Oxford

location

Without a doubt, legions of fans return to the Vanbrugh House Hotel for its beautiful, elegant rooms. You also return to the award-winning, discreetly situated Georgian town house with an unbeatable location on St Michael’s Street in the heart of Oxford.

Almost every inch of the city center can be explored on foot from the hotel entrance. Oxford University Christ Church, the Bodleian Library, the Museum of Natural History and the Westgate Shopping Center are all at your feet.

First impressions

Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh (the architect behind Blenheim Palace up the road) it has a lot to boast about. The street-level reception lobby is covered in old-fashioned elegance from head to toe, with chandeliers, wood paneling, exposed brick walls, and gilded mirrors. Josh at reception is the consummate host, greeting guests with the warmest of welcomes upon arrival before effortlessly taking care of your luggage, showing you to your room and arranging breakfast.

A keen hiker and travel enthusiast, he also offers truckloads of the best advice and tips on getting around the city and visiting times for places of interest. The whole place feels more like a home than a hotel and you quickly feel like a fashionable city dweller as there is no ritual check-in. Just drop your bags and you can hop in and out of the house as you please.

Suites at Vanbrugh House Hotel

Rooms are designed to linger, with TVs on consoles at the end of super-king beds adorned with crisp Egyptian cotton and thick, spongy rugs on the floors. Sky TV is included and there are plenty of USB ports. Nespresso machines and fresh milk come standard, while designer desks and nightstands are topped with glossy magazines.

For the ultimate romantic getaway, head to the bridal suite. A private entrance and a bathroom with two opposite freestanding bathtubs are worth the booking alone.

Garden Rooms — like the Honeymoon Suite — overlook the hotel’s pretty courtyard, filled with flowers, trellises, and chirping birds. Bathrooms are immaculate with heavy doors, walk-in rainfall showers, and are stocked with The White Company toiletries.

The beauty here is the friendly, unassuming team of staff who are eager and knowledgeable guides who can take you to the best tables in town. Luggage is quickly carried to your room or stowed away if you arrive before check-in and want to tick a few sights off your bucket list. High quality soundproofing designed around the boundaries of the listed building also means you are guaranteed a peaceful night’s sleep even on busier nights like New Year’s Eve.

to eat and drink

Although there is no formal restaurant, breakfast is still an incredibly generous and superlative romantic hamper of muffins, cakes and croissants brought each morning from a local independent bakery down the street.

Coffee and hot chocolate are made to order and you’ll find Frobisher’s excellent mango, cranberry, apple and orange juices, fresh fruit, creamy organic Greek yoghurts, locally made jam and honey, plenty of English cheeses and charcuterie to match the portions Toast, warm rolls and the tastiest almond biscuits ever.

The picnic baskets themselves are so pretty; Take them outside for an al fresco breakfast picnic in one of the scenic college parks or on the lawns of Christ Church.

For more information and to book your stay at Vanbrugh House Hotel, visit www.vanbrughhousehotel.co.uk, email [email protected] or call 01865 244 622. Rooms start at £160 per night.

Things to do in Oxford on honeymoon in the UK

Three of Oxford’s best restaurants

Sticks n Sushi Oxford

Undoubtedly one of the most stylish restaurants in town, Sticks n Sushi masterfully serves the highest quality sushi, sashimi and yakitori in experimental flavor and texture combinations while offering stunning views over the Oxford rooftops.

Inside, dark leather and Japanese noren curtains to separate guests are offset by soft lighting and warm, rustic tables.

Perfect for a romantic as hell evening in the coolest hangout, you will love watching chefs prepare your food in a theater style kitchen.

The Ivy Oxford Brasserie

Have lunch the long and lazy Oxford way at The Ivy Brasserie. Located just off the High Street in a neo-Gothic building that used to be a bank, the restaurant combines friendly neighborhood with romance.

The look is classic Art Deco, with marble floors, tobacco-colored benches, grassy potted plants, and lots of artistic glass and mirrors. Artworks on the walls all reference the world famous local museums and of course Oxford University and Literature. Cozy, candlelit booths and elegant, widely spaced tables draped in white crisp linens overlooking the 1920’s style bar are made for romantic dining with added privacy.

Book the upstairs private dining room for a very special honeymoon or pre-wedding treat where, despite the chatter in the downstairs restaurant, you will literally feel like just the two of you in your own beautiful and private world. The space is also suitable for intimate receptions (or upscale hens) for up to 35 guests.

Winner, Oxford

When booking, half the work is already done for you – Victors is undoubtedly one of the hottest and prettiest pubs in town.

Show you’ve got the task under control by sipping pre-dinner cocktails and watching the moon rise over the city’s dreamy spiers.

The service is courteously good and the menu combines Mediterranean and Asian flavors; You’ll enjoy delicious small plates of sea bass and scallop ceviche, crab and yuzu tacos, and beef tataki, as well as sushi and sashimi (all immaculately presented).

Where to visit in Oxford

Christ Church, University of Oxford

Little time? A visit to the stunning and aristocratic Christ Church offers serious rewards (and not just for global Harry Potter fans, who flock to the Bodley Tower Staircase and the ancient Cloisters that served as filming locations for selfies).

It is a six-minute walk from Vanbrugh House, the largest of all Oxford colleges, spread over 45 buildings in the city, and also the most famous architecturally. There are plenty of courtyards to stroll around and fountains and hidden monasteries for that extra honeymoon.

Blenheim Palace

Just 30 minutes from Oxford, the stately 18th-century palace – commissioned by William III. – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and probably one of the most enchanting places to celebrate a honeymoon in style in the Cotswolds.

After touring the palace’s state rooms and library, relax in the bright and elegant conservatory and be fed delicious mini-bites like pea confit, mint and shallot tarts and puff pastry sausage rolls.

Blenheim’s piece of resistance is, of course, the dreamy Marlborough Maze, where you’ll spend hours getting lost in one of Europe’s largest mazes. The two-mile circular maze was planted in 1991 with 3,000 yew hedges.

Bodleian Old Library

Still a working library and one of the oldest in Europe, most of the building is closed to the public.

Join the guided tour for access to Duke Humphrey’s medieval library and the Radcliffe Camera, or book tickets and marvel at the inspired interiors of The Divinity School.

For more information and ideas, visit Experience Oxfordshire at www.experienceoxfordshire.org or email [email protected]

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