For some serious shopping, I always rather like to make a weekend of it. In the UK, one of THE places to shop is Bicester Village, with its beautiful lanes filled with designer outlet stores. Where better to stay when visiting than the nearby Bicester Hotel, Golf & Spa.
Why We Love This Hotel
Aside from its proximity to Bicester Village, the four-star Bicester Hotel, Golf & Spa, as the name suggests, combines two key attributes needed for that all-indulgent weekend away: a golf course and a spa. Gender preferences aside, it is possible that half your party will head one way and the other the very opposite when faced with these two options! Meeting up to share a drink and to dine, what a perfect weekend!
Location
The hotel is located just 2 miles from Bicester and 9 miles from the popular stately home, Blenheim Palace, in rural Oxfordshire in the UK.
Best Time To Visit
While the golf course is undoubtedly best enjoyed in the warmer months, seasoned golfers will know that nothing need stop play. Bicester Village is fabulous all year round, of course, I personally recommend that awkward change of season time when your wardrobe is crying out for fresh inspiration.
How To Get There
The central location makes this hotel extremely accessible. You are near the M40, which is easily reached from both London and Birmingham.
Style & Character
Your surroundings are a huge part of a stay here. With some 130 acres of rolling Oxfordshire countryside and 11 lakes, you can’t help but soak up the blissful scenery when you stay here. As you arrive, you drive down a beautiful tree-lined road we visited in autumn, and the colors gave an extra stunning welcome. The hotel itself is contemporary in style both inside and out, and the purpose-built resort-style buildings allow everywhere to feel extra spacious. Our room was huge, and all the communal areas were too!
Service & Facilities
The exceptional 18-hole Bicester Golf Course features both a putting green and a driving range and wraps around the hotel, giving you beautiful views of the greens from inside. Another treat awaits in the Forest of Wellbeing Beauty Spa. You pretty much need a whole spa day to make the most of these facilities. There are six luxurious treatment rooms, two pedicure rooms, and a spray tanning room. It also includes a 20-meter swimming pool, a hydro spa, spa pool, sauna, steam room, foot spas, experience showers, and a private spa garden. The health club also features a gym, aerobics and yoga studios, four outdoor tennis courts, and outdoors you’ll find a 200-meter open water swimming lake and a challenging assault course! A wide range of body, face, and beauty treatments are available, predominantly using the acclaimed Elemis and Jessica Nails product ranges. There are also meeting, and event spaces for up to 250 guests, and free parking is available on site. The staff were helpful throughout. The spa staff especially stood out with their very cheerful welcome. They even offer you a 10% discount voucher to use at Bicester Shopping Village!
Rooms
There’s a charming view to be had from all 52 contemporary-styled rooms. They either overlook the golf course or the interior courtyard garden, so you really can’t go wrong. Choose from Classic, Superior, and Feature Rooms as well as Junior Suites. There’s a good amount of flexibility with the option to have double or twin rooms, and also several of the rooms are interconnecting, perfect for traveling families. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee-making facilities, and Wi-Fi. Many also have terraces or Juliet balconies. The little extras really made our stay; complimentary bottled water, USB charging points, and a large collection of complimentary toiletries.
Best Rooms
We found our Feature Room was perfect for our family of four. The sofa bed was pre-made up as a double bed, and there was still an extra seating area! The room was huge, with plenty of space for us all to spread out. The golf course view was beautiful too. The Junior Suites look stunning, too, so discerning guests should definitely consider these.
Food & Drink
There’s a range of eateries depending on both time of day and your mood. Breakfast is taken in a casual brasserie; it includes a range of hot and cold items and is more than sufficient to set you up for the day. If you can squeeze an Afternoon Tea into a day packed with shopping, golf, and the spa, then Grays Restaurant, which overlooks the golf course, is the place to go. For a relaxed drink or a burger, Bar 19, a sunny sports bar, has a large terrace right by the putting green. The smaller Portrait Lounge offers a more intimate feel next to the main bar and serves bar meals. We dined at Grays in the evening and had a wonderful evening. The service was delightful, the a la carte menu boasts local produce with classic English dishes, and it was evident why the buzzing restaurant was such a popular choice.
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