Hotel of the week Hawkwell House Hotel Oxford

WHERE AND WHY

Just minutes from Oxford’s Mini factory, but a world away from robots and rubber, lies this recently refurbished elegant house hotel.

Nestled in leafy residential streets in the sleepy village of Iffley, it’s based in the 19th-century manor where all-round plucky chap Francis Howard Bickerton – frequent polar explorer, soldier, flyer in both world wars and movie-maker – was born in 1889.

Hawkwell, now cleverly styled in a homage to classic Oxford tailoring (shoe lasts as hooks, lamp shades of buttoned cuffs, brogues everywhere), manages to be both sedate and busy at the same time.

The location is superb, just minutes from Iffley Lock and the Thames towpath, which will get you into Oxford in 30 minutes, or quicker by bicycle. The stroll is very Endeavour/ Inspector Morse, as in agreeable pubs, not overly complicated murders.

The four-star hotel has 77 bedrooms, with air-con and big TVs. We stayed in a large and well-equipped Privilege double room (fridge, coffee machine, ironing board, bathrobes) with a big bed.

ON THE MENU

The Hawkwell has a good-sized terrace overlooking the lawn where you can take dinner, or in the comfy bar. There’s a barbecue and a pizza oven for summertime, too.

Dinner choice ranges from classic beefburger (£13.95) to mushroom risotto with truffle oil (£12.95) and even a breakfast pizza (sausage, bacon, mushroom, fried egg, (£11.50). Wash them down with the house cocktail, Shackleton’s Revenge, in honour of Bickerton’s involvement in the Endurance expedition. Breakfast is a buffet affair, with proper sausages and bacon, and all the fruit, yogurt and cereals. The coffee machine makes a perfectly acceptable brew.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

Take a walk into Oxford or, if you are lazy, just down to Iffley Lock where you will find the

Isis Farmhouse pub a mere two minutes on. Oxford can be like Tokyo in the rush hour at times, so the river route is a nice escape.

From the Hawkwell you are 20 minutes drive from Blenheim Palace, 55 minutes from the picturesque Cotswold town of Bourton on the Water (they have an annual football match there – in the river), half an hour from the shopping extravaganza of Bicester Village and 45 minutes from Jeremy Clarkson’s farm shop, if you really must.

WAKE UP CALL

Rooms start from £99 a night. all.accor.com