Shopping, An English Manor Stay & Medieval City: The Ultimate 3-Day Oxfordshire Road Trip

Drive an hour northwest out of London and you’re in Oxfordshire, a county that promises a picture-perfect English countryside getaway, that’s like something right out of the movies. Flanked by the city of Reading to the south and the historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon, known as Shakespeare’s birthplace, to the north, Oxfordshire’s draws are all within easy reach, making it perfect road trip material for a weekend. Spend a day shopping at the upscale Bicester Village, learn about Oxford’s rich Medieval history through the eyes of some of its prestigious university’s brightest residents, stay at fairytale manors and tuck into candle-lit feasts at centuries-old British pubs. The county is also the gateway to the picturesque Cotswolds villages, to be explored from the back of an offbeat tour guide’s vintage Rolls-Royce.

Day 1:

Get The VIP Shopping Experience At Bicester Village

As a Londoner whose adopted home city has been Paris for over a decade, I hadn’t been back to Bicester Village in England for a while. The last time, it was winter and I distinctly remember the aroma of mulled wine wafting through the crisp countryside air, the pre-Christmas cheer almost palpable as shoppers scurried around the village of designer stores inside smart white clapboard houses decorated with twinkly lights. Fast-forward to spring 2024, and, except for the change in season, my memories of the village feel intact.

On my latest visit, I leave the London city bustle behind at Marylebone train station. Under an hour northwest, where the scenery gives way to vibrant rolling green fields tethered to great big oak trees, I arrive at Bicester Village, which has its own station. I pick my way through the flower-planted lanes, and arrive at The Apartment, where I had arranged to meet my old university friend for our three-day road trip. Inside, a butler greets me, unburdening me of my bags and jacket before whisking me up an elevator and through an open plan living area with gabled ceilings, and adorned with handpicked art works hanging above plush pastel velvet settees. Console tables are curated with books about fashion and design, and decadent floral arrangements sit in oversized handmade ceramic vases.

We arrive at a personal shopping suite, where my friend Jessica is waiting, a glass of chilled champagne in hand, as our stylist runs through racks of clothes picked out especially for us. Our reunion was off to a good start, the glint in Jess’ eyes told me as we hugged hello. Living in two different countries and now having our respective families, makes spending time together too rare an occurence, so needless to say that a child-free weekend feels like a very special treat.

After playing dress-up, we were let loose in the village to explore British heritage brands like Burberry, Alexander McQueen, and Vivienne Westwood, as well as other big names like Dior and Celine. The big draw at Bicester is being able to shop for designer apparel at a fraction of the price, as well as spot the latest season’s non-discounted items.

The first outlet village of its kind to open in 1995, the Bicester Collection has since grown and counts 11 offshoots around the world, offering discounted prices with elevated shopping experiences and top-end services and facilities like good dining options.

At Bicester Village, we’re torn between sitting down to lunch at the Ottolenghi offshoot and the Soho House-owned Cecconi’s. We settle on the latter, for its cozy interiors of duck-egg blue fluted banquets and sunlight streaming in through the glass ceiling.

After an overdue catch-up over crunchy Milanese escalope with buttery mashed potatoes and puttanesca artichoke tortellini, we pick up our bags at The Apartment, where we say our goodbyes to the cast of personable staff before setting off for our hotel.

Design-Forawrd Estelle Manor, The County’s Hottest Stay

We drive through the glorious Oxfordshire countryside, where rivers crisscross meadows and are straddled by bridges leading to hamlets of Banbury ironstone houses that could be right out of a fairy tale. Half-an-hour later, we pull up at enormous gates where security personnel buzz us through. Our tires crunch as we continue onto the driveway. We gasp in unison as the handsome Jacobean Revival manor set in 3,000 acres of grounds pulls into sight. Estelle Manor‘s been the talk of the county since it opened last year as part of the Ennismore hospitality group belonging to hotel conglomerate Accor.

Formerly known as Eynsham Hall, some parts of the building date back to the mid-1800s. During World War II, it was used as a maternity ward for London evacuees and served as a rest site for US Army Air Corps officers. Since it was snapped up in 2018 as the Mayfair members’ club countryside offshoot, the interiors were entirely transformed. Rich fabrics, contemporary artworks scattered throughout, handpicked flea market finds, impressive hand blown glass ceiling chandeliers, and bespoke furniture come together in a magical setting.

We stayed in one of the 34 manor house rooms, which are less streamlined than the rest in the former stables and out-buildings. Adjoining the manor terrace is an outdoor heated pool that looks out onto the acres of peaceful parkland. There are also two restaurants, a breakfast room in a light-filled greenhouse, an elaborate kids’ club and a state-of-the-art gym where a coach is on hand to devise private fitness programs for guests.

Day 2:

An Offbeat Guided Tour Of Oxford And Beyond

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast in the manor greenhouse, Jessica and I travel to the nearby city of Oxford. Although both born and bred in England, this was a first for us both, and being university friends, exploring the university city and its heritage together, brought back memories of our own, making the weekend even more special. Founded in the 8th century, it is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world evidenced by references of teaching as early as 1096.

Oxford’s museums and 43 colleges, chapels, halls, libraries and residences are the top attractions for their magnificent and varied styles of architecture, however, it’s also more generally a wonderful city to walk around for its Medieval setting of cobblestoned lanes and grand hotels like the dazzling Gothic Revival style Randolph Hotel, built in 1866. It’s here that we meet William Thomson. A former member of the Clés d’Or concierges, he decided to go it alone and launch Ask William, his own concierge business post-pandemic, where his network of in-the-know concierges allow him to organize top-end stays for clients anywhere the world.

That morning, we sit under a green vaulted ceiling, having cups of hot milky tea in the hotel’s wood paneled Morse bar, named after a well-known English television series which was filmed here. He’s organized a tour of the city for us with a student from the university for a behind-the-scenes take. “I’ve got a surprise lined up for you after lunch,” he tells us, with a wink.

The next three hours zip by in a flash as our guide Uri walks us through the city’s gems, unpacking the significance of key details in the evolution of Oxford, and pointing out fun trivia like two coffee shops that have been battling it out for the title of the oldest coffee shop in town. We even get to have a quick peek inside halls of residence, as well as a bookshop with a Guinness World Record for holding the most books in a single room.

After a quick lunch at a local gastro restaurant, we’re met by our guide Jonathan Sayers behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith. A man of an imposing size, he wears a three-piece pinstripe suite, complete with a pocket watch and cap. “I’m your surprise,” he smiles, waving us into the vintage car. We squeeze onto the leather seats, windows rolled down, listening to Jonathan, a former history teacher, as he recounts tales of how Oxford came to be and its link to Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, during the Second World War and in the fifties, and who was born nearby at Blenheim Palace, now a museum open to the public.

As we leave the city and drive through picture-perfect villages, passerby wave to us, making us feel like royalty sitting in a carriage parading through the streets. We reach a no-frills church at the end of a small residential lane. It’s here that Churchill was laid to rest. A modest affair, we’re, surprisingly, completely alone. The rest of the afternoon is spent zipping through the Cotswolds’ villages of chocolate box houses and handsome English pubs lined up along rivers that run all the way to the open countryside.

Just before sundown, we return to our manor quarters for a quick change before dinner at the much acclaimed The Bull in the nearby village of Charlbury, a 15-minute drive away. Reopened last year by the duo behind popular London pub The Pelican, it has a moodily lit beamed dining space adjoining a big garden, open in the warmer months. Elevated British classics like the housemade pie and hake fish with mashed potatoes, are whipped up using the wonderful local Oxfordshire produce, from lamb and beef reared in neighboring fields to vegetables plucked from eco-conscious farms nearby. In winter, there’s a roaring fire burning in the stone fireplace, creating the perfect warm English pub setting. For diners who want to stay on, there are a handful of cozy rustic chic rooms upstairs.

Day 3:

Kicking Back At Estelle Manor And Soho Farm House

The next say, we wake to birdsong and the aroma of fresh coffee wafting up the creaky mahogany staircase of the manor’s main hallway, from the large open plan breakfast room downstairs with teal blue velvet banquettes curving around marble tables. Before checking out, we take a dip in the outdoor pool, a slab of turquoise water lined by potted trees and deck chairs laid out under smart candy red and white striped umbrellas. The pool is the best vantage point from which to really take in the manor’s grandeur.

Our next and last stop, is Soho Farmhouse for brunch and a treatment at their beautiful Cowshed spa set up out on the banks of a lake planted with tall wispy grasses where guests get to unwind in hot tubs sunk into wooden decks. Inside an old barn, the sprawling members-only hotel is surrounded by 100 acres of countryside. The shabby chic spin on the English countryside retreat makes us question whether or not we should be making Soho Farmhouse our go-to for future getaways. While we ponder the question, we settle a little deeper in day beds at the water’s edge, pulling our fluffy white robes around us, and begin plotting our next get-together.