Oxford’s Malmaison Hotel is a hotel with bags of character and a colourful history. For those unfamiliar with its history, this stunning, award-winning boutique hotel is actually a former prison. Following the closure of the prison in 1996, the site provided the backdrop for a number of film and TV series.
When we were asked to review one of the hotel’s suites, we jumped at the chance to get ‘locked up’ for the night in, arguably, Oxford’s coolest hotels.
We checked in and made our way to the ‘Thomas Lowton Robins’ suite, named after a former Prison Governor, and located within the converted Governors quarters. As we entered the room, our combined response was, simply, ‘wow’. The suite is decadence personified, decorated in a modern, yet classic style over two floors. It consists of a living room with its own Victorian bath; bedroom, complete with Bose iPod dock and speaker system; and luxury bathroom, with walk in shower and full range of Malmaison toiletries (soap, shower gel, conditioner, body lotion, massage oil and bath oil). But the highlight of the suite, for myself and my partner, was the room’s own private cinema, complete with surround sound.
After checking out the delights of the suite and squeezing in a little film time, we made our way to the Brassiere in the basement of the hotel, which boasts a menu of sumptuous dinning, made from only the best local ingredients. It took us some time, and much drooling, to make our choices, but I can truly say that we were not disappointed. The food was simply delicious, and the service, exceptional.
Before retiring to our suite (sorry, I couldn’t resist!), for a late night screening in our private cinema (oops, there I go again!), we visited the hotel’s opulent bar, to sample the delights of the prison themed cocktail menu, prepared by one of the hotel’s talented ‘mixologists’. I can thoroughly recommend ‘Doing Time’!
Our stay at Malmaison was, frankly, our idea of heaven, but it is not just in the suites where you can experience the hotel’s unique architecture and luxurious interior. The hotel’s standard rooms are equally impressive, many of which are located in the original prison cells, although nowadays your room is built within the footprint of three cells, rather than just one, and the rooms still have the cell doors in place. To think nine men shared the same space!
Staying at Oxford’s Malmaison is an experience that would be hard to match, just make sure you don’t find yourself spending the night in the padded cell, or running into one of the prison’s former residents, rumoured to still inhabit the hotel.
