Dog House Hotel
Dog House Hotel descritpion
With a peaceful, rural location, just 20 minutes from the historic university city of Oxford and just 10 minutes from Abingdon, the hotel is rich in original character and traditional charm.
Situated in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, the Dog House Hotel has a traditional bar, with an original wood-beamed ceiling, a roaring fire and a patio. Food is available in the bar and in the restaurant and conservatory.
The name of the hotel has an unusual origin. In days gone by, wealthy farming gentry sent their offspring to be educated in Oxford and would arrive there complete with their horses and hunting dogs. The colleges allowed their students to stable horses, but not the dogs. With nowhere else to house the animals, the proprietor of the local inn offered an invaluable dog-sitting service and the venue became known as the Dog House.
Today, there are 20 comfortable rooms, including 2 feature rooms. Each room has a a private bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
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Facilities of Dog House Hotel
Outdoors ：Grounds
Pets ：Pets are not allowed.
Activities ：Golf Course (within 2 miles)
Food & Drink ：Restaurant | Bar
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Services ：Room Service | Meeting/Banquet Facilities | Honeymoon Suite
General ：Non-smoking Rooms | Facilities for Disabled Guests | Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)
Reviews for Dog House Hotel
Review 1：Noisy roof extractor outside room 14 Overall the hotel needs an injection of refurbishment, passion and an eye for detail from the staff
Review 2：Good location
Review 3：Unable to get in to hotel at 23.15 key would not work waited for staff in the rain shower scolding hot on lowest setting could not use
Review 4：Setting decor cleanliness
Review 5：Nothing really, as the building is old the bedroom window was very drafty.
Review 6：Staff very attentive. I asked if it was possible to have our room early on check in as we were meeting our daughter husband and 10mth old grandson.we were accomondated with this request.
Review 7：No bad experiences.
Review 8：We stay at the Doghouse on a regular basis and we are pleased to say that, since last time, many of the areas have received a make over and it doesn't look tired anymore (as it was becoming).
Review 9：Stayed Thursday night December 10th. Restaurant fully booked, had to try and eat in bar but no way to book there..lucky to get a small table after waiting. .Christmas party disco thumping through hotel til 1130pm .. then another 90 minutes of non-resident guests departing putside, shouting, singing, effing and blinding and throwing up whilst awaiting taxis. Fell asleep about 1.15 and then woken by the dustbin lorry at 6 am. Will stick to Premier Inn.
Review 10：Cosy, log fire, great room.
Review 11：The breakfast was slightly disappointing. It was cooked to order but the bacon was hard as though it had been cooked and kept warm and there were only a couple of mushrooms.
Review 12：Lovely big double room which overlooked the garden so was nice and quiet.
Review 13：We had to move rooms when we first arrived because the heating cupboard (next door to our room) was extremely loud. This wasn't then passed on to the cleaner so our room was missed out on the daily cleaning
Review 14：Loved the roaring fire in the bar downstairs Rooms were very cozy and comfortable Lovely breakfast selection
Review 15：Rooms could do with a good clean, the skirting boards and dado rails were dusty.
Review 16：Rooms were spacious, staff helpful and friendly. Breakfast and bar meals were good
Review 17：The gentleman on reception was off-hand. Our evening meal was,a little overcooked and the waitress seemed distracted.Also,as the building is of course a non-smoking establishment to would have been preferable not to see staff smoking as they walked out, particularly kitchen staff.
Review 18：Comfortable room and delicious breakfast.
Review 19：There wasn't anything really that I didn't like, apart from maybe the noise from the main road when the window was open as I wasn't used to it.
Review 20：Stayed here for my wedding, staff were really helpful and did more than I expected. They were also very friendly.
Review 21：My room was above the kitchen. The main kitchen extractor fan was outside my window, was loud & ran until late in the evening. Coupled with strong Cooking smells in my room.
Review 22：Ample car parking Modern rooms Nice food
Review 23：They denied receiving my booking. Service was appallingly slow. So called free wifi required giving mothers maiden name and other security data like date of birth!
Review 24：Price
Review 25：The staff had a 'yes, we can do' attitude; the location was out of town, but close to all sorts; the building, surroundings, bedrooms, restaurant, were all very well thought out, and clean and comfy.
Review 26：My steak was inedible as at least half of it was fat and gristle which a chef should have been able to see. Waiting staff did not check back to see that everything was OK so I had to attract their attention. I was not offered anything such as a complementary drink even though my glass was empty. On check-out I was not asked if I had enjoyed my stay.
Review 27：Sitting in the beer garden on a summer's evening watching a hot air balloon take off was very pleasant.
Review 28：we needed three adult sized beds and the only room there is is a "box room" No 6, which is far too small for three adults to walk around, you had to sit on the bed if one wanted to go to the bathroom, nowhere to put your cosmetics although there would have been space for a unit and nowhere to put your wet towels, as it is the box room, it is located above the kitchen and you know what smells and noises there are in a busy restaurant environment, fans in kitchen didn't shut off till after 1 am and also kitchen staff smoked outside the windows to the box room and we got that first hand all evening. to top it all, the bins were outside as well and Monday morning the bottles were collected at 7!! That room shouldn't be allowed as a guest room and definitely not worth the money at all, property is also next to a busy road (weekdays)
Review 29：The building itself was quite historical and the grounds were good
Review 30：I would like to say thankyou to the staff. They were amazing. The service at breakfast and the evening meal whilst i was there. By the two young female staff. Was the best i have anywhere. I would love to stay again. Sorry i didnt get their names.
Review 31：We wanted a double bed and what we got were two single beds put together which dipped in the middle. The shower leaked water. In terms of the staff, we were informed on arrival that cooked breakfast was available until midday. We came down at 11am and the staff seemed very put out. We found the staff to be generally 'cold' and quite unfriendly. They were brisk and unwilling to do more than the bare minimum in terms of service. we expected a more helpful and smiling attitude. We had a meal at the restaurant and the food was very average.
Review 32：I liked the location. It was easy to find and a quiet rural area. It was an attractive and clean building. It had a traditional homely feel which was appealing.
Review 33：appreciate that there was a wedding to fascilitate, but service in restaurant was poor. No dessert menu or coffee offered, despite catching waiter eye . Waited 20 minutes then left
Review 34：Would have been nice to have been pre warned about the wedding reception. The music was loud and people were very vocal until midnight. Not ideal, when we take a holiday for some peace and quiet.
Review 35：Service especially from waitress was perfect
Review 36：Didn't register for wifi as the process was too long winded and required giving too much personal information. Obviously going to get lots of spam if you register.
Review 37：Lovely facilities and very helpful staff.
Review 38：Very busy on a Sunday night Rather corporate - definitely not a mom and pop
Review 39：Location - in the country, but very convenient to Oxford Updated rooms - all you'd want in an old pub
Review 40：Disappointed with dinner. One meal good, the other very poor. Lunch, which we took on the Tuesday was very good.
Review 41：Attractive location, freshly refurbished comfortable accommodation.
Review 42：All hotel beds we find are too hard - this hotel had the most comfortable hotel bed we've ever slept in. Bar and restaurant area were very tidy and welcoming (we were told it had just been refurbished). Highly recommend and would certainly stay again.
Review 43：personnel is not particularly friendly. There was a loudspeaker on the terrace, blaring music. They turned it off on our request though, at 10.30 pm
Review 44：the rooms are comfortable
Review 45：Service at the restaurant was abysmal. Having booked a table for 8pm it took 5 minutes to find a place, a further 15 minutes for the waitress to come to take the order, only to be told there would be a further 40+ minutes wait before any food could be served.
Review 46：Room was comfortable and all as expected
Review 47：Couldn't get me a plug to fit my basin over a 3 day stay. Poor Wifi coverage. Room was quite dark.
Review 48：Pleasant pub environment Nice food plenty of parking.
Review 49：Wifi was a little erratic to connect, and lack of good phone reception meant getting online was a problem.
Review 50：Really excellent shower, good breakfast selection.
Review 51：The ambiance was fabulous - our room was comfortable and clean. The first hotel we had stayed in that had decent sized bath towels instead of the postage stamps in other establishments. The meals were generous and of great quality. Staff friendly and extremely helpful
Review 52：Position of room, overlooks yard and rubbish bins. Noise from extractor fan to kitchen units during night and when activated first thing in the morning. Birds visiting rubbish bins early morning.
Review 53：The room and Restaurant
Review 54：Nothing to dislike
Review 55：Situated in a tranquil setting with good facilities and helpful staff. Our room was comfortable and the decor was in keeping with the cottage style building
Review 56：Check in time is 2pm. We arrived at 2.30 and had to wait until 3.30 for the room to be finished which was too late to get ready for the wedding. My husband was the wedding car driver and they offered him to change in the toilets! There was no acknowledgement of the problem or attempt to resolve the issue to reasonable satisfaction.
Review 57：It was a lovely venue for a small wedding and parking was good. Breakfast was fair but we expected better for the room tariff-better breads, more buffet selection and better quality breakfast sausages.
Review 58：This is not a complaint, as previous people have stated it could do with a face lift , this is now in place as it closed on our last day for a month to be up dated, Will be good to go back and see the new place
Review 59：All the staff were very helpful breakfast was great and evening meals were good value for money, the room we had was very large and comfortable, if we visit Oxford again will stay here, hope all the staff are the same. Thank you all for a enjoyable 2 day stay
Review 60：We knew The Dog House was in need of renovation, which starts tomorrow, but still excellent value for money! The staff were all so accommodating and the breakfasts were out of this world!!
Review 61：didn't know when we booked the hotel was closing on 20th April for refurbishment. Several items off the menu because of the closure. Bedroom and en-suite very tired and shabby, wallpaper hanging off the ceiling. happy to return after refurbishment
Review 62：good for getting to the places we needed, plenty of parking.,good size room
Review 63：For us the mattress was a bit too soft and cause a bit of discomfort to our back.
Review 64：Great food was served here, we thoroughly enjoyed a lovely meal in the evening and breakfast was more than we expected. Helpful staff and lovely ambiance.
Review 65：nothing to add
Review 66：very friendly staff - really relaxing atmosphere. Don't go here if you are looking for 5 star luxury. It's just a country Inn - a bit frayed round the edges but great to relax and feel at home.
Review 67：Upon arrival we were told that there were no dogs allowed in the family room. The manager did allow us to use it as confirmed in our reservation but it should be sorted out with the booking company. The bathroom was a little tired.
Review 68：We were traveling with our mother and our little dog and the family room was perfect. There was a nice place for the dog to run.
Review 69：Some areas are now looking a little tired and each room should be checked regularly to find problems rather than wait for guests to supply the information (broken light bulbs, cobwebs etc).
Review 70：We always stay here when visiting relatives and suits us as wildlife watchers as well.
Review 71：Bathroom in need of refreshment
Review 72：Helpful and efficient staff who accommodated our (peculiar) travel timings without fuss Good, and good value, food Good real ales
Review 73：Appalling food, near burnt on the outside, uncooked on the inside but all I got were apologies and still had to pay full price. Tired bedrooms and cracked tiles and sink in bathrooms.
Review 74：Contemporary style furnishings in bar. Hot chocolate sachet in room.
Review 75：Warren of bedrooms and our room although marked superior had nothing much to prove it. Needs a makeover/redecoration
Review 76：Food was very palatable: service good. Wines less attractive.
Review 77：Was in room 6 which was a family room. Although comfortable not a very quiet room with a constant drone all night at various levels from possibly an extractor fan. Also above the bin collection point, very noisy collection early on the second morning.
Review 78：Nice to be able to stroll downstairs and not be ripped off with excessive pub prices. Breakfast lovely and more than ample. Evening meal was good.
Review 79：not a bad experience but food was nothing special - we've had much better curries elsewhere and curries were main promotion on night we stayed
Review 80：Old style atmosphere and character
Review 81：Room 5, view from room three feet away from a wall, very noisy heating pipes, had to turn the radiators off to get to sleep
Review 82：Location, food, staff, selection of beers, log fire, settees
Review 83：room was a bit run down with peeling wallpaper, rubbish shower and the water pipes/central heating was just too noisy plus the walls to other rooms a bit thin.
Review 84：nice pub area and food was budget but perfectly fine and staff all very helpful although a little short handed in the morning
Review 85：Main car park is across a busy main road which wasn't ideal at night with baggage
Review 86：Food was fantastic - great value evening meal and terrific breakfast Spacious room and bathroom - very clean and tidy
Review 87：main carpark across quite a busy road when leaving in the morning
Review 88：Very good atmosphere - friendly and welcoming with an open log fire. Also great menu with a good range of dishes available
Review 89：I had to book superior rooms at £120 / night and they were worth about £50. The wall paper was coming off the ceiling, lamp shades were missing, scum behind the toilets, bathroom shelves missing! If this was the superior room I wonder what the standard rooms were like! I was also travelling with a German colleague, he felt it was overpriced as well....won't return. The pub and restaurant was good!
Review 90：The Restaurant and Pub area was very cozy.
Review 91：Countryside location but very close to Botley Park and Ride which made it perfect for our visit to Oxford. Staff were extremely friendly, as was whole atmosphere of pub with lovely wood fire.
Review 92：Parts of the hotel are a little tired. The bedroom and dining areas were fine but the stairs and corridors need new carpet and a lick of paint.
Review 93：The dog house is ideal for those wanting to spend time in Oxford during the day without having to pay the elevated prices. The value is good with ample parking and good food. The superior bedrooms were a good size.
Review 94：Decor was a bit dated and could do with a refresher; More coathangers in the wardrobe; Cleaning utensil for the toilet was missing and there was no shower cap; TV was okay but the 'teletext' didn't function properly; Very noisy radiators
Review 95：Staff were excellent & very attentive at meal times; Good size room , & the ensuite had both a shower and bath; Good choice of food for both breakfast and evening meal;
Review 96：The state of the bedroom!!... even though it was clean (???) the condition of the room was a disgrace, especially for the money. Tiles smashed and missing in the bathroom, mould everywhere. The whole room stank of something putrid and whoever had been contracted to paint the walls, should be sued. Really disappointed with it as it was supposed to be a real treat.
Review 97：All staff were very attentive and helpful, front of house was very nice and breakfast was good.
Review 98：I had the room next to the boiler room and there was no way to get the heating turned down, even with windows wide opened it was unbearable.
Review 99：Staff were nice and the breakfast was lovely
Review 100：didnt like the fact that we paid a lot of money for a decent room and were put opposite the toilets (across the corridor) on the ground floor. We could hear every time the door opened for a bar customer to go to the toilet. On two occasion when we exited the room we had to move out of the way whilst locking the door to let a bar customer go to the toilet.
Review 101：We like the staff, we like the food, we like the location. We have stayed there several times in the past however second thoughts are creeping in.
Review 102：The bathroom, whilst providing everything necessary, had black mould on the ceiling and was in a poor state of repair.
Review 103：The room was spacious, well furnished and warm.
Review 104：Nothing really, it was all fine. It's not the Ritz ... but I didn't pay for the Ritz.
Review 105：A lovely wood fire greeted me in the morning. THAT's the sort of detail that makes staying at a country inn worthwhile. Everything was satisfactory. The new manager was friendly and very helpful as were other staff.
Review 106：Bathroom look a bit tired in room 8.
Review 107：Cosy place, real fire, comfortable bed, good beer and food, country views, quiet room.. can't ask for much more if you have to stay away from home with work, will be back. Beats staying at a Premier/Travel Inn/Best etc with views of the ring road or roundabouts.
Review 108：Nothing
Review 109：We were travelling from Norfolk to the West country and decided against doing it in one go as we usually did, The Dog house seemed to be located in just the right area for an overnight stop. When we arrived in late afternoon we were allocated our room and went upstairs to rest before having a meal. The hotel is quite quaintand characterful, the staff very friendly and helpful. We went down for a pre-meal drink and I was introduced to a lovely real ale - Cornish Knocker. Our meal was lovely and included a bottle of wine for an offer price, eedless to say We both enjoyed a good nights sleep before enjoying a lovely cooked breakfast. All the staff we encountered were very helpful and looked like they enjoyed their jobs. A great place for a night stop.
Review 110：I loved the friendly, family feel of the hotel and pub. It was so nice to be able to walk downstairs for meals and relax in the homely bar on a comfy sofa. Staff were friendly and polite and happy to help.
Review 111：The bathroom needed some refurbishment. Flushing the toilet was an adventure (room 10).
Review 112：Hotels in Oxford are real expensive, Dog House was less priced, but still expensive, I guess hotel rates in the UK are fairly high compared to NL. When you have your own transport Dog House is ideal to visit Oxford. Mattresses were excellent (room 10), so night sleep was perfect. Lot's of choices for breakfast and also evening dinner great.
Review 113：Poor internet which is very difficult to connect to. Bring opera glasses to watch TV in your room, far too small and awful sound quality. No toiletries provided or available from reception. Next to a very busy and noisy road.
Review 114：Good food. Location close to Frilford Heath GC. Staff were very helpful and cheerful. Not charged extra for early check-in and late check-out.
Review 115：Slow, lethargic waiting staff In The breakfast room. Took a good 10 mins for a waitress to come over to us.
Review 116：We stayed with you for the night of our wedding. The room was beautiful, unfortunately the toilet wouldn't flush. The man on the desk was very nice and polite, I found the breakfast waiting staff, slow and seemed to be half asleep. We booked the superior room and I personally felt it was good value for money. It was a shame we couldn't stay longer.
Review 117：Nothing!
Review 118：The location was great. Bus to Oxford 5 minutes away. The convenience of the dining room was good and the breakfast was awesome. Most of all, the staff were the best especially in the Dinning Room.
Review 119：Our room was in desperate need of a complete refurbishment . The furniture was old and tired and although there was evidence of repainting elsewhere in the hotel it needs more than a lick of paint. You can't charge £100 a night for this standard.
Review 120：Pleasant helpful staff.
Review 121：I arrived with my elderly father to stay in a twin room behind the pub near the toilets. It was grotty -- mold in the bathroom, worn and shabby, didn't feel clean. No way I was going to spend the night there. The receptionist was apologetic and said I hadn't been charged, but now I'm in a fight with the hotel to get my money refunded. I presume some rooms are ok from the other reviews, but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
Review 122：Nothing. I would vist this hotel again.
Review 123：I would recommend this hotel either on business or leasure. Excellent location to vist Abindon and yet quiet and relaxing for those afetrwork moments.
Review 124：Not a lot ........struggling to find any criticism at all !!
Review 125：1) Dog friendly 2) Excellent food , mixed grill was perfectly cooked! 3) Friendly , attentive staff 4) Quiet , peaceful location
Review 126：Food below average Obviously money is not being spent on maintenance, e g. wallpaper peeling off, cracked tiles in bathroom. cracked bath panel. furred up extractor fan.
Review 127：Nice kippers at breakfast
Review 128：The sleigh bed, not too good if you are taller than average,was small for a double. For an upgraded room it was quite basic
Review 129：The restaurant and lounge bar comfortable
Review 130：The decor was very dated. The mountains of exposed wiring on the outside of the building spoiled the over all look. The double bed was two single mattresses which made sleeping slightly uncomfortable
Review 131：I loved the beautiful location of the hotel the room was spacious and the breakfast was excellent.
Review 132：Wi FI - Gave up trying to log in to the 'Free' wifi as it required me to register my personal details to gain access. Not prepared to do this on a shared public system.
Review 133：All aspects were very good, very comfortable bed, room was spacious clean well laid out with on suit facilities. Food and drink were sensibly priced, Super breakfast and the staff were excellent throughout.
Review 134：Hotel a little tired. Breakfast waitress didn't want us to sit at different table to her choice ("this one is laid up for you") but once I insisted she was friendly enough. Bit of traIning in allowing customer choices would help
Review 135：Friendly good breakfast value for money
Review 136：Window catches broken in the room, wallpaper hanging off, cracked tiles in the bathroom, very poor painting in the public areas, scuffed and worn carpet on the stairs
Review 137：Location was good, room had a very nice bed
Review 138：The kitchen extractor fans (or similar) being outside the window. The door having a big gap under it so the landing light poured in (unless you stuff a spare pillow up against it) The tired and grim bathroom
Review 139：The pretty building & gardens The extensive food menu The price when booked through Booking.com rather than directly
Review 140：Slightly faded interiors, nothing disastrous but keep doing what you are doing, the effort shows. Digger in the garden one evening. Noisy Americans!
Review 141：Friendly staff, outdoor eating / drinking areas. Care taken to place guests not attending wedding reception well away from the party area. Efforts to smarten the accommodation.
The Fine Print
Dogs are allowed in the bar and garden areas and in selected rooms only. Please notify the hotel if you are considering bringing a dog. This information can be added within the Special Request box when booking.The hotel hosts functions most weekends.Please note that full payment is taken at the time of booking.