Old Parsonage Hotel , Oxford

Anyone who lives in London is duty-bound to make at least one pilgrimage to Oxford, something that we, rather embarrassingly, had never undertook. Spending a weekend wandering around the oldest, most esteemed university in the western world is certainly a nice way to unwind after a week of chasing your tail in the Smoke, and there are plenty of great options for food and drink if you tire of college tours and punting. We booked ourselves in for a weekend at the Old Parsonage Hotel, which just so happens to be one of the two best spots to stay in The City of Dreaming Spires. The other is The Old Bank Hotel, near the town centre. The common denominator? Both are owned by millionaire art collector Jeremy Mogford, who has built a tidy little empire in Oxford.

Built in 1660, the Old Parsonage Hotel exudes all the brown leather opulence of a private members' club. As we arrived, there was a wedding reception taking place in the front courtyard which we were tempted to crash. Reception displayed tip-top professionalism, whisking our bags to our rooms and us on a whistle-stop tour of the property. Guests enter the hotel by wending their way through the bar (we stopped off to order an excellent bloody mary) and the slick, lavender-washed dining room to enter the hotel. Upstairs you'll find The Library, a private room available only to guests that boasts its own terrace (we chose to imbibe our cocktails here).

Our room was sinfully comfortable. The bed was like a Venus fly trap, very difficult to extricate oneself from. There was an adjoining den where you can watch television or enjoy breakfast, and a small terrace facing on to a verdant stone courtyard with a pergola in its centre. Designed by Sally Conran, wool, linen and velvet are put to use with a purple and grey colour palette. One of the nicest touches was a list of nearby pubs to visit. During an early October evening of scattered showers, we were really happy to nurse a couple of frosty pints in The Bear, a worn wooden public house that dates back to 1242. Afterwards we went to Gee's, a glasshouse restaurant also owned by Jeremy Mogford - tipped by many to be the best restaurant in town. It was delicious, but we were very excited to head back to our room and enjoy room service desserts with a takeaway bottle of Sauternes.

The Old Parsonage is one of those spots where the ownership has covered all of the angles of what guests could possibly want. Visitors are offered access to vintage-style bicycles to peddle around town, guided tours of its many colleges and cathedrals, umbrellas for inclement weather, et al. Staying at The Old Parsonage feels like you're given the keys to the city. It's a great way to kick back for a weekend, and, in our opinion, the only place you'd want to stay in Oxford. Visit any of Jeremy Mogford's spots - whether it's Quod, the Old Bank, Gee's or the Old Parsonage - and you can be sure that you're in good hands.

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