The Randolph; A 5-star experience at MacDonalds - no fries included! (Macdonald Randolph Hotel (Oxford))

Member Name: koshkha

Product:	Macdonald Randolph Hotel (Oxford)
Date:	13/10/09 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's just gorgeous. Like staying in a museum

Disadvantages: It's not cheap and the parking's a mess

As a student at Oxford University in the late 1980s, the Randolph seemed like the physical embodiment of the class divide that seperated poor kids like me who came from state schools and got full grants (remember grants?) from the much wealthier students who took the affluence and grandeur of the city's finest hotel entirely in their stride. I'd never been in such a grand hotel and the closest thing to a grand building in my home city was the local branch of Lloyds Bank.

My flat mates' parents would arrive each term and take us out to the Randolph for rather staid Sunday lunches in the spectacular high ceilinged dining room where we'd sit and watch the world cycle by through the tall windows. By contrast my parents would visit bringing a bag full of fish and chips or a Chinese take-away. I can't really say that we enjoyed the Randolph that much more than a take-away and at least nobody had to stand on ceremony with my folks.

It seems strange from the 2009 perspective that in the 1980s the accountancy and management consulting firms were fighting tooth and claw for Oxford graduates, trying to out-do one another in putting on lavish receptions to try to persuade future graduates to choose their firm ahead of any other. If they wanted to impress, then they hired a ballroom or large conference suite at the Randolph and we'd turn up with no intention of following such a career but in the full knowledge that in return for listening to 45 minutes of presentation about accountancy or actuarial something or other we'd be rewarded with lot of free booze and snacks.

Despite representing a world I didn't think I could ever share, I loved the Randolph on sight, with a visceral affection and longing that surpassed even the fanciest of the university's grand buildings. The Randolph was really something special.

At that time there were no other top notch hotels in the centre of Oxford and visitors had to choose between the glories of the Randolph or a B&B on the Iffley, Cowley, Woodstock or Banbury Roads. The Randolph stood alone in its magnificence but has more recently been joined by arrivistes such as The Bank and Malmaison, the latter housed in the old Oxford Prison prompting lots of suggestions to be sure to ask for 'porridge' at breakfast. A few years ago my husband and I wanted to attend a ceramics exhibition in the city and I was lucky enough to get a really outstanding bargain deal at the Randolph. For only a few pounds more than a grotty B&B, I could finally get to stay in my dream hotel.

I love high Victorian architecture and the Randolph is a fine example. It was built in 1864 at a time when no architect could resist sticking just one more bit of ostentatious ornamentation onto every door, window, staircase or ceiling. Victorian Gothic Revival is probably one of the cheesiest architectural styles but one that I fall for every time. The University's natural history museum on Parks Road is another fabulous example and if you want to try Gothic revival crossed with red-brick kitsch, then Keble College is the place for you.

The Randolph stands on a corner plot on St Giles, with the Martyrs' Memorial to one side and the awesome Ashmolean Museum directly opposite. From the moment you step through the rather small and understated entrance with its canopy to protect you from the rain and the doorman to greet you, you know that you're in for a treat of Victorian design. If you've arrived by car, you could be in for a nightmare though unless you took care to pre-book your parking space at a whopping £25 per 24 hours. The garage is small and you don't get to park yourself as they need to squeeze in as many as possible. The nearest public parking is equally shocking in price but less secure and somehow it doesn't seem right to stay in the best hotel in town and park your car on the city's outskirts in the Park and Ride; it's just not 'appropriate' to take the bus to the Randolph!

But lets not dwell on the parking at a hotel that predates the motor-car. We checked in at the reception, admiring the high ceilings and the gorgeous staircase. I'd prepaid so only needed to leave my credit card details in case of extras. I'd booked one of the cheapest rooms which was on an inner corridor so there were no wonderful views but it was extraordinarily quiet so much so that we didn't even wake up until 10.30 in the morning because the inside location and the deep carpets in the corridors meant we got total silence. The room wasn't very big but wasn't cramped either. The furnishings were quietly understated and of good quality. There was a double bed, side tables, a television and tea/coffee tray and an easy chair. The bathroom was small but spotlessly clean and well equipped. I don't think we had a minibar because I remember putting the bottle of champagne we'd brought with us on the windowsill to keep cool whilst we headed out to explore.

We didn't eat in the Randolph on this occasion. Since I'd spent too much on the room (even at a bargain rate) we popped out to eat in local bars and cafes instead, but I can certainly recommend lunch in the restaurant as a real treat. Sunday lunch is a set price and whilst it's not cheap, it's worth a little extra for the grandeur of the setting. There are two bars, one with a lovely open fireplace. There's a spa and a small gym (really small) but generally you don't go to the Randolph to exercise!

For those with special needs, I'd suggest that the Randolph isn't the most accessible of hotels. They do have some wheelchair accessible rooms and I am sure they do their best but the age and design of this grand old hotel wouldn't be compatible with it being really easy to get around. Guests with dogs can take them for a small daily supplement and kids are well catered for with welcome packs, cots and high-chairs and a babysitting service.

In terms of what to see, the Randolph is perfectly placed in the city centre really close to the main shopping streets and many of the colleges. You really couldn't pick a better location from which to explore the city.

Summary: Nobody will persuade me there's a better hotel in Oxford