The Luxurious Randolph Hotel Is the Most Iconic Hotel in Oxford, England, for a Reason

26.02.2024 - 20:08 / matadornetwork.com

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Oxford, England, is not your average college town, to say the least. Oxford, home to the eponymous and prestigious university, is full of architectural masterpieces, from the rotund Radcliffe Camera to Magdalen College to Christ Church Cathedral, among many others. The entire city center is a maze of centuries-old churches, colleges, towers, houses, shops, and civic buildings that seem to try to outdo each other in their historical beauty. The Randolph Hotel, by Graduate Hotels is no exception.

The facade of the Randolph, Oxford. Photo: Steve Freihon

Built in 1866, the Gothic Revival pile, listed as a significant historic building on the National Heritage List for England, has always been a luxury hotel. Why else go all out with hundreds of Gothic arches, oriel windows, and wrought-iron details if not to attract rich VIPs? While the hotel has changed dramatically in its 150-plus years of existence, its outer and outer beauty, its legendary reputation, and its five-star status remain intact and are all reflected in the price of spending a night there — although it is more accessible today than it was in the past if one is willing to stretch the budget a little and, like this writer, book the cheapest room possible.

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While the appeal of The Randolph does not primarily lay in its location, it’s hard to ignore the fact that it’s in the heart of the action. It is located on Beaumont Street, across from the deservedly famed Ashmolean Museum and the Martyrs’ Memorial. It’s also just a few minutes’ walk away from the legendary Blackwell’s Bookshop, the Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church Cathedral, and St Michael at the North Gate’s Saxon Tower, ie. the oldest surviving building in the city. Basing yourself at The Randolph means that you’ll walk everywhere without much effort, and won’t need to ride a bus, taxi, or even drive your own car to get to all the places that matter.

The Lobby of The Randolph, Oxford. Photo: Steve Freihon

Without a doubt, The Randolph’s biggest asset is the way it looks, on the outside and on the inside. The exterior, with its symmetrical facade, its pointed arches, and oriel windows, is imposing and grand, and the flying Union Jacks above the main entrance add an air of prestige. The interior, however, is another story entirely. While the outside has remained more or less the same since the hotel’s opening, the inside has undergone many transformations, the latest of which was spurred by the American chain Graduate Hotels purchasing the establishment in 2019. The complete