Five star service but at five star prices! (Macdonald Randolph Hotel (Oxford))

Member Name: kingfisher111

Product:	Macdonald Randolph Hotel (Oxford)
Date:	18/01/09 (387 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: wonderful hotel, excellent service

Disadvantages: expensive

We recently returned from a wonderful night staying at the Randolph Hotel (part of the McDonald group) in Oxford. It was the hotel where my husband's work was holding its post Christmas event and we decided to treat ourselves to an overnight stay in the hotel. It was a lovely occasion and I came home feeling thoroughly spoilt.

The Randolph is an old hotel in the centre of Oxford. It was actually built in 1864 and although it has been recently refurbished it still retains a lovely old fashioned feel to it. I was surprised to see when I looked at the websites that it has 151 en-suite rooms because it really does not feel that big. Having said that though, we had to go along a couple of rambling corridors on the third floor to get to our room, and it did feel like a bit of a warren so I guess there were lots of areas of the hotel I was not aware of.

The room had all the facilities you would expect in a five star hotel. It wasn't huge but was spacious enough for the two of us. There was a good sized double bed and we had a TV and a CD player. There were a couple of comfortable chairs and also a writing desk with materials provided. There was a trouser press and an iron (very useful) and I also made use of the hairdrier provided. The bathroom had a very luxorious feel and had al the usual things provided - foam bath, shampoo, conditioner, mending kit, soap. The bath was a reasonable size and could also be used as a shower. I preferred to make use of the bath and had a wonderful soak before getting ready for our evening.

The room felt very fresh and clean. We were even visited by a housekeeper making sure that everything was as it should be. When she left she also gave us a couple of chocolates!

At first we thought that there were no tea or coffee making facilities in the room and that we would have to use room service. When we looked at the room service menu we were slightly aghast to discover that a cafetiere of coffee for one or a pot of tea for one each cost £4.50. We did think that was quite a lot to charge but while we were debating whether to splash out or not, we did discover a kettle with everything we needed hidden away in a cupboard. There was also a mini bar but we didn't make use of this!

In the morning after an excellent night's sleep we had a wonderful breakfast in the restaurant. There was an extraordinary array in the buffet as well as an excellent cooked breakfast. I don't normally go for the cooked option, but I just fancied it this morning, and I have to say that it was one of the best cooked breakfasts I have had in a hotel. The breakfast was included as part of our package but I did notice that breakfast normally costs £17.50 per person which does seem just a tad expensive for breakfast!

I cannot comment on the evening meals in the restaurant but the food that we ate at the function we attended was really good. And if you bear in mind that there were 190 people attending, the service was really sleek and amazing. I couldn't fault it at all.

I think that the thing that stands out about the Randolph is the attention that you are given from all the staff that makes you feel really special. From the concierge staff who took care of our car, to the reception staff who booked us in, to the restaurant staff who served us breakfast, they were all very polite and attentive. They were also all impeccably dressed which was lovely to see too.

We didn't have time to use it, but it is worth mentioning that the Randolph also has a spa if you fancy a little pampering. You can also, while you are staying, visit the steam room, bio sauna, rock sauna, hydrotherapy jacussi, ice fountain, sensation shower or mini gym just for an extra £15. I just wish I had had time because it all sounded very tempting!

This is an expensive hotel to stay at though with double and twin rooms starting from £140 per night! That's also the price for a room without breakfast. If you want to book a double or twin with breakfast it's actually £170 per night! We were very lucky to pay much less through my husband's company especially as our deal included breakfast.

I do think the rates are expensive but then it is a five star hotel and you definitely receive five star treatment. I really recommend it for a special occasion or indeed if you are very rich. I loved it but I guess we won't be going there again too often!

Summary: A great place to stay for a treat!