This Oxford hotel is a classic, and the ideal place to take a date for dinner (if the snogging couple were anything to go by on our visit) or your mum for lunch, either way it ticks all the boxes. With low ceilings, beams, cosy fires and deep red walls it’s atmospheric and kinda smouldering. Large fish mounted on the walls sit between old portraits and book shelves, so if you’re bored reach for one (a book not a fish).

We perched at the bar and hit the Champagne cocktails (warning these can be dangerous if you’ve got a long night ahead), the Rossini was especially memorable. They have a good cocktail list and a large selection of wine, perfect if you are longing out a lunch of their enticing and seasonal food.

Book the private dining room for 20 or so and kick back in relaxing surroundings, and afterwards head upstairs to bed in one of the pretty rooms. We think it’s worth staying just for the old school brown basket bikes that you can take full advantage of, might as well do the Oxford thing properly.