The Feathers in Woodstock - A Very Special Hotel

UK Oxfordshire Woodstock Hotels and Reviews
The Feathers in Woodstock - A Very Special Hotel

Guests at The Feathers in Woodstock in Oxfordshire will be charmed by their unusual surroundings into which they will be warmly welcomed by the friendly staff.

This lovely hotel has been creatively fashioned out of four seventeenth century cottages and a butcher’s shop. The old shop is home to the reception area, the restaurant and the bar. Throughout the hotel narrow corridors and staircases lead to the pretty bedrooms, each with its own unique style. There are twenty-one bedrooms and five suites. I stayed in one of the suites and what a delight it was to be there. I had a large bedroom, a sitting room and a spacious bathroom with a claw-footed bath and a separate shower.
Suite 3 at The Feathers in Woodstock 9301455
A Suite at The Feathers in Woodstock

Guests can relax inside in the snug lounges or, when the weather is warm, take advantage of the sheltered Courtyard Terrace at the back of the hotel. There is nothing nicer than a refreshing gin and tonic at the end of the day. Although making your choice of gin may take some time as the hotel’s Gin Bar has no less than 400 different gins from around the world. It was the first to be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for offering the greatest selection of gins on the planet.
The Courtyard Terrace at The Feathers in Woodstock 9301464
The Courtyard Terrace at The Feathers in Woodstock

The hotel’s restaurant offers an interesting combination of gourmet dishes and traditional cuisine. I started with a delicate, beautifully presented smoked salmon starter. For my main course I chose the steak and ale pie accompanied by mashed potato and fresh green vegetables. It was cooked really well, creamy mashed potatoes, perfectly cooked vegetables and tasty slow-cooked steak under a crspy, pastry topping. It did not leave much room for a dessert but Antonio, an enthusiastic and friendly waiter, persuaded me to have some fresh fruit on a mango couli surrounding a scoop of raspberry sorbet especially created for me by the head chef, Ben Pullen. It was the perfect end to a lovely meal.
Steak and Ale Pie at The Feathers in Woodstock 1987
Steak and Ale Pie at The Feathers in Woodstock

The Feathers is conveniently located in the heart of Woodstock and close to the attractions in the town including two museums, the church that Henry II built and some lovely shops. It is just a five-minute walk to the Town Gate of Blenheim Palace.
The Town Gate in Woodstock  9301486
The Town Gate in Woodstock

I was sorry I had to leave the next morning but, fortified by two perfectly boiled eggs for breakfast it was time to go, albeit reluctantly. Mandy was on reception that morning and not only did she help me plan my onward journey even took the time to show me how to use the sat nav on my iPhone. She also told me about an entrance to Blenheim Park that I would pass on my way out of town. I did stop there for a last glimpse of Blenheim Palace.
Blenheim Palace in Woodstock   9301720
Blenheim Palace in Woodstock

How to get to Woodstock

Woodstock is well-connected by road as it is linked to the M40 by the A44 dual carriageway. There are regular trains from London Marylebone and London Paddington to Oxford. There is a regular bus service from Oxford Railway Station to Woodstock operated by the Stagecoach Bus Company

This article was based on the personal experience of Valery, an ExperiencedTraveller.