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Summary of reviewsThe Vines Hotel in rural Oxfordshire enjoys a beautiful and tranquil location, ideal for guests seeking a peaceful retreat while remaining well-connected to nearby towns and attractions. The hotel's charming village atmosphere is consistently praised, offering lovely walks and picturesque surroundings. Guests appreciate the clean and comfortable rooms, adorned with modern and fresh decor, particularly in the newly renovated sections. The friendly and attentive staff contribute significantly to the welcoming environment, enhancing the overall guest experience.
The breakfast is widely regarded as a highlight, with its delicious offerings, including freshly prepared cooked and continental options. It provides great value and a satisfying start to the day. Despite some occasional shortages and slow service, the overall breakfast experience remains positive, with guests praising both the quality and variety of food.
Dinner at The Vines Hotel receives commendation for its taste and presentation, with meals described as delicious and well-cooked. However, the limited menu options, often restricted to pizzas and chicken wings, sometimes lead to guest frustration. Despite these limitations, when available, the dining experience is generally well-received, with guests appreciating the service and ambiance.
Rooms provide a mix of old-world charm and modern comforts, with many praise-worthy elements such as spaciousness, cleanliness, and comfort. The annex and courtyard accommodations feature particularly comfortable beds that contribute to restful nights. Nonetheless, there are areas needing refurbishment due to dated facilities, which could enhance uniform satisfaction among guests.
The cleanliness of the common areas, like the dining room and bar, adds to the tidy stay, although some rooms occasionally fall short, reflecting a need for more consistent housekeeping. The staff continue to earn accolades for their friendliness and excellent service, creating memorable stays for guests, despite occasional staffing challenges.
Free WiFi has mixed reviews, with some guests experiencing reliable connectivity while others encounter difficulties, particularly in certain hotel areas. Parking is appreciated for its ample space and convenience, although improvements in road conditions and lighting could enhance safety and accessibility.
Despite challenges in meeting four-star expectations, including outdated bathrooms and service lapses, The Vines Hotel provides good value for money with its charming ambiance and excellent breakfast offerings. Overall, it delivers a delightful blend of location, comfort, and hospitality for travelers. Show more
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Categories
Inn with Parking
Accessible Inn
4-Star Inn
Room Types
Double RoomSome ground-floor rooms have access to a patio area.
Twin RoomThe twin room provides a private entrance, a tea and coffee maker, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. The unit offers 2 beds.
Family Room (2 Adults + 1 Child)The family room provides a private entrance, a tea and coffee maker, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. This family room features a wardrobe, a carpeted floor, a flat-screen TV and a patio. The unit offers 2 beds.
Superior Double RoomThe double room provides a private entrance, a tea and coffee maker, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. The unit offers 1 bed.
Superior Twin RoomThe twin room provides a private entrance, a tea and coffee maker, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. The twin room offers a flat-screen TV, a wardrobe, a carpeted floor and heating. The unit offers 2 beds.
Guest Reviews
7.4
Good
Location
The Vines Hotel is nestled in an idyllic location, offering guests the tranquility of a rural Oxfordshire village while providing easy access to nearby towns and attractions. Visitors frequently describe the hotel's setting as beautiful and secluded, making it an ideal retreat for those seeking peace and quiet. Its proximity to Brize Norton and Carterton is particularly convenient for travelers, and it serves as a perfect gateway to explore the enchanting landscapes of the Cotswolds.
The quiet, cozy village atmosphere is consistently praised, allowing guests to enjoy lovely walks and explore the picturesque surroundings. The hotel itself evokes charm with its beautifully decorated main building and inviting pub. Guests appreciate the clean and comfortable rooms, complimenting the friendly and welcoming staff. A good breakfast is typically included, enhancing the overall value of the stay.
The Vines provides a serene escape off the main road, yet remains well-connected, facilitating explorations of nearby beautiful areas. Further contributing to its appeal is the ample parking, ensuring convenience for those arriving by car. Whether visiting family or exploring the local attractions, The Vines Hotel delivers a delightful blend of location, comfort, and hospitality.
Breakfast
At The Vines Hotel, the breakfast experience is generally positive, with most guests enjoying their morning meals. The overwhelming sentiment is that the hotel offers a delicious breakfast featuring both cooked and continental options, all prepared fresh to order. The quality of ingredients is often highlighted, with particular praise for the full English breakfast and the freshly cooked eggs. Guests appreciate the variety available, with options like toast, yogurt, fruit, and cereals readily available to accompany the cooked dishes.
The dining room itself is described as large, accommodating, and modern, with delightful paneling that adds to the charm. Guests find the breakfast both plentiful and satisfying, providing a great start to the day. The staff at breakfast are frequently mentioned for being friendly, helpful, and efficient, ensuring guests have an enjoyable experience.
However, there are some reports of inconsistencies, such as occasional shortages of popular items like eggs, bacon, and mushrooms when demand is high, and a few mentions of breakfast service being slow due to staffing issues. Despite these minor hitches, the overall impressions of breakfast at The Vines Hotel remain largely positive, with its value for money and the appealing offer of breakfast included in the stay being well-received by guests.
Dinner
The Vines Hotel offers an array of dining experiences that reflect a mix of high-quality execution and some limitations in menu choices. Guests frequently commend the food, describing dinner as super, lovely, and above average, often noting the delicious and well-cooked meals with sizeable portions. The restaurant food is frequently praised as exceptional with a high standard and great presentation. Many guests enjoyed the food in the bar, citing excellent service and the pleasant atmosphere of both dining and lounging spaces.
However, the menu for evening meals tends to be limited, often restricted to options such as pizza and chicken wings. This limited variety sometimes leads to frustrations, with some guests having to seek dining alternatives elsewhere or contend with the lack of a full restaurant facility in the evening. Situations where dinner was unavailable due to kitchen staff shortages have also been reported, causing disappointment over having no food served in the evening.
Despite these limitations, when meals at the hotel are available, the overall dining experience garners positive feedback for its taste and quality, leaving guests content with what is offered. Improvements in the variety of evening meals could significantly enhance the appeal of dining at The Vines Hotel, making it even more desirable for travelers seeking a convenient and enjoyable culinary experience alongside their stay.
Rooms
The Vines Hotel offers a blend of old-world charm and modern comforts, with guest reviews highlighting a range of experiences. The rooms are frequently praised for their cleanliness, warmth, and comfortable beds, often described as lovely, spacious, and well-equipped. Many guests have enjoyed newly renovated rooms, which feature a modern and fresh decor in line with expectations. The staff consistently receive high marks for their friendliness and attentiveness, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere.
For those staying in the annex or courtyard accommodations, comfort is a notable feature, with some of the most comfortable hotel beds making guests' stays memorable. Additionally, rooms in the main building have garnered positive feedback for their recent refurbishment, offering a contemporary and inviting experience. Excellent room facilities, including large showers and plush bedding, cater well to guests’ needs.
Despite these positives, certain areas reveal an opportunity for improvement. Some rooms, particularly those positioned closer to the car park or out in the chalet blocks, show signs of age and could benefit from redecorating. Issues such as outdated bathrooms, mismatched decor, and sporadic cleaning lapses detract from an otherwise pleasant stay. Rooms that are particularly dated or small might not meet the expectations set by advertised images.
Overall, The Vines Hotel provides a solid foundation for a comfortable stay, with its clean and attractive rooms, welcoming staff, and tasty breakfast offerings. For future travelers, seeking rooms in the newly refurbished areas or thoughtful annex spaces might enhance the experience, allowing them to enjoy both the hospitality and charm the hotel has to offer.
Beds
The Vines Hotel is often praised for its comfortable accommodations, particularly when it comes to the beds. Guests frequently describe the beds as comfortable and clean, with many using adjectives such as "super comfy" and "extremely comfortable." There are reports of some rooms featuring high-quality, large beds that have been likened to some of the most comfortable hotel beds experienced. Cleanliness generally accompanies comfort, with spotless linens contributing to a pleasant sleep environment.
However, not all experiences are flawless; a few guests have encountered issues such as mattresses that are either too thin or not supportive enough. While some note broken bed brackets or outdated twin room mattresses, others mention double beds that are smaller than expected.
Despite these occasional drawbacks, the overwhelming sentiment from guests suggests that The Vines Hotel offers restful nights thanks to its cozy beds. This contributes to a positive overall experience, complemented by friendly staff and good food options.
Cleanliness
The Vines Hotel in rural Oxfordshire offers a mixed experience when it comes to cleanliness. On the positive side, many guests find the rooms to be very clean, bright, and comfortable, often describing them as spacious and modern. The ambient atmosphere complements the idyllic location, making the setting quite peaceful. The staff frequently earn praise for their friendliness and helpfulness, which enhances the overall welcoming vibe of the hotel. Common areas like the dining room and bar are often noted for their impeccable cleanliness, contributing to a tidy stay.
However, some areas require attention. While many rooms are described as clean and well-kept, there are instances where bathrooms were lacking in cleanliness, with reports of cobwebs and outdated, unclean facilities. Some guests noted issues such as stained carpets, chipped sinks, and dusty conditions in certain rooms, with feedback suggesting a need for refurbishment and more consistent housekeeping. The breakfast area, similarly, reportedly fell short in terms of cleanliness, affecting the overall satisfaction of some visitors.
Overall, The Vines Hotel accommodates guests with clean and comfortable room options in a charming location, although improvements are needed in specific areas to enhance the guest experience uniformly.
Staff
The Vines Hotel stands out for its exceptional and accommodating staff. Many guests have praised the team for their friendliness, flexibility, and helpful nature, making stays memorable and pleasant. The management, including the charismatic Sarah and Joseph, along with the owners, are noted for their welcoming and polite demeanor. The staff consistently go above and beyond to ensure guests feel valued and comfortable, providing excellent customer service whether it’s at the front desk, bar, or restaurant. Regular visitors appreciate the team’s ability to handle requests efficiently, including accommodating early or late check-ins. The hotel staff's commitment is evident throughout, ensuring that every aspect of the stay is smooth and enjoyable. Despite the occasional mention of staffing limitations or the need for small improvements, the overall impression is overwhelmingly positive, highlighting exemplary hospitality and a warm atmosphere.
Wi-Fi
The Vines Hotel offers guests a mixed experience when it comes to WiFi connectivity. On a positive note, some visitors have praised the WiFi for being fast and accessible, enhancing their overall stay. However, many have reported challenges, particularly in certain areas of the hotel such as the annexe. In those parts, connectivity issues have made streaming radio and other online activities difficult, and at times, frustrating. Additionally, several guests mentioned the complete lack of WiFi during their stay, noting the inconvenience this caused for communication and leisure. These varied experiences suggest that the WiFi service may be inconsistent across different parts of the hotel, which could be important to consider for those planning a stay where internet access is essential.
Parking
The Vines Hotel offers guests the convenience of ample and free parking, a feature that many found to be a significant advantage. Situated in a location that ensures easy access, the parking facilities are described as spacious, providing more than enough space for visitors. Many guests appreciated the ability to park right outside their rooms. However, some noted the need for improvements, citing deep potholes and uneven road conditions in the car park that could pose hazards, particularly at night due to insufficient lighting. While the fundamental convenience of plenty of parking is evident, some areas, especially those affecting safety and accessibility, would benefit from further attention.
4 Star
The Vines Hotel, despite its claims, struggles to meet four-star expectations according to numerous guest reviews. Visitors have expressed disappointment over the hotel's rating, pointing out discrepancies between advertised standards and actual experiences. The facilities, particularly the bathrooms, have been compared unfavorably, with some guests likening them to public pool restrooms rather than those expected in a four-star establishment. Service levels have also been criticized, with some reviews suggesting a lack of attentiveness and responsiveness from the staff.
However, not all feedback is negative. The hotel is praised for its excellent breakfast offerings, which cater well to fussy eaters in a pleasant dining setting. Furthermore, guests have found the hotel to offer very good value for money, enhanced by the charming village ambiance surrounding the property. Despite these positive aspects, the perception of the hotel as a four-star venue remains contested among its guests.
No, The Vines Hotel doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at The Vines Hotel.
No, The Vines Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at The Vines Hotel.