Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-location">THE LOCATION</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2560" height="1828" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-scaled.jpg" alt="Relais Henley Oxfordshire" class="wp-image-187771" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-800x571.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-1000x714.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-400x286.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/2025-04-07-18.49.05-2048x1462.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://therelaishenley.com/"><strong>The Relais Henley</strong></a>&nbsp;is a charming riverside retreat, tucked behind the arches of Henley Bridge, literally metres from the river, in the elegant Oxfordshire town of guess-where. Originally a coaching inn called The Red Lion – no surprise there when you see what&#8217;s sitting on top of the entrance, above – this historic hotel was once royal stopping point for King Charles I. Now part of the exclusive&nbsp;<a href="https://pobhotels.com/">PoB Hotels</a>&nbsp;group, The Relais Henley is gearing up for an idyllic summer, with a freshly-converted courtyard overlooking the river that’s just waiting to be filled with the sounds of laughter and the clink of wine glasses.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe-nbsp">THE VIBE&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="2560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-scaled.jpeg" alt="Relais Henley Oxfordshire" class="wp-image-187779" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-scaled.jpeg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-640x800.jpeg 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-800x1000.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-320x400.jpeg 320w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3163-1638x2048.jpeg 1638w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<p>Grande dame with a modern twist. Walking through the arched red-brick entrance is a step back in time, but quickly you notice the modern twists. Inside, oil paintings and wonky wooden beams meet comfy velvet sofas, with colour splashes, bold wallpaper and quirky objets d’art. The staff are friendly and quietly attentive and the overall vibe is quietly confident.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS4.jpg" alt="The Relais Henley" class="wp-image-182996" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS4.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS4-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS4-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS4-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The in-house restaurant is headed by Dominic Chapman, so expectations are high from this fourth-generation chef, who kicked off his culinary career in the family business (the four-star Castle Hotel in Taunton), later adding a trio of Michelin-starred restaurants – The Fat Duck, The Hinds Head and Michael Parkinson’s The Royal Oak – to his resumé.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2560" height="1707" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-scaled.jpg" alt="Restaurant Dominic Chapman crab THE RELAIS HENLEY" class="wp-image-189700" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25695-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



<p>The Restaurant Dominic Chapman offers a hearty traditional brekkie, a two and a three-course set lunch menu (great value at £20 / £25), as well as afternoon tea (£45 with bubbles / £35 without). But the à la carte menu is where Chapman really shines, taking familiar British classics and giving them a fancy twist.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1707" height="2560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-scaled.jpg" alt="Restaurant Dominic Chapman RELAIS HENLEY FISH" class="wp-image-189702" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-267x400.jpg 267w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Restaurant-Dominic-Chapman25875-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px" /></figure>



<p>Cornish Crab with celeriac and blood orange as entrée hit the mark straight off – light and fresh, the tartness of the citrus contrasted beautifully with the sweetness of the crab and the crunch of the celeriac. Mains was a flaky roasted cod nestled in a fragrant Thai green curry, on wilted pak choi. Dessert is never a hard call and raspberry cheesecake, tangy and creamy, sprinkled with freeze-dried raspberry drupelets, was a smart decision. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1200" height="1600" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake.jpg" alt="THE RELAIS HENLEY RESTAURANT DOMINIC CHAPMAN RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE" class="wp-image-189699" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake.jpg 1200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake-300x400.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Raspberry-Cheesecake-1152x1536.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure>



<p>Not in the mood for a formal meal? The&nbsp;<a href="https://henleydeli.com/">Henley Delicatessen</a>&nbsp;just off the hotel foyer sells cakes, coffees and sandwiches to take down by the river  or enjoy on the bijou outdoor terrace.  The Quarterdeck bar is also worth knowing about, especially its happy hour cocktails Monday-Friday, between 5-7pm). &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillow-talk">PILLOW TALK</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="2560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-scaled.jpeg" alt="Relais Henley Oxfordshire" class="wp-image-187774" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-scaled.jpeg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-640x800.jpeg 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-800x1000.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-320x400.jpeg 320w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/IMG_3074-1638x2048.jpeg 1638w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<p>Airy and full of light, all 40 rooms take inspiration from the river and Henley’s rich boating history (think rowing club meets English country house), and are decorated in elegant tones of cream, brick red and navy blue.&nbsp;We stayed in a spacious river-view room that was apparently once the favourite of the Duke of Malborough with cosy lounge area, huge bed and marble shower. You can go one better than us and book Room 108, where Charles I used to sleep, but hey, that&#8217;s just showing off. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly">KID FRIENDLY</h2>



<p>The hotel welcomes children, though there’s only one family room, so plan ahead if you’re bringing them with you.&nbsp; </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-friendly-nbsp">DOG FRIENDLY&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The accessible rooms are dog friendly, as is the bar area and the conservatory section of the restaurant.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accessibilty">ACCESSIBILTY</h2>



<p>The restaurant, downstairs loos and stand-alone rooms across the courtyard are all fully accessible. There’s also a lift between the floors.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parking">PARKING</h2>



<p>There’s no parking on site, but ample spaces at the nearby Henley-on-Thames train station (drop your bags first, then it’s a six-minute stroll back to the hotel).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about-nbsp">OUT &amp; ABOUT&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS.jpg" alt="The Relais Henley" class="wp-image-182995" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/THERELAIS-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Henley is my secret ‘wish I lived here’ town because there’s so much going on – it’s perfect for a night or weekend away. It really comes to life over spring and summer, with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrr.co.uk/">Henley Regatta</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://henley-festival.co.uk/">Henley Festival</a>, the 80s-tastic&nbsp;<a href="https://rewindfestival.com/">Rewind Festival</a>&nbsp;and the hugely popular&nbsp;<a href="https://henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk/">Henley Literary Festival</a>&nbsp;taking us through to autumn.</p>



<p>Quite aside from the busy official calendar, retail-wise there are some lovely indie shops in the town amongst the high street staples of Whistles, Mint Velvet and Space NK. You can hire boats from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hobbsofhenley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hobbs of Henley</a>&nbsp;and cruise around this gorgeous stretch of the Thames, or walk the tow-path and the locks for miles in each direction. Henley has an excellent park for kids too, just outside the family-friendly&nbsp;<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/river-and-rowing-museum-henley/">River &amp; Rowing Museum</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="563" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583-1000x563.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-153662" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583-1000x563.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583-400x225.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583-900x506.jpeg 900w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/parterre-cliveden-1558583.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cliveden, Buckinghamshire. Photo by Hugh Mothersole</figcaption></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greys-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greys Court</a>, one of my favourite National Trust properties, is a smidge outside this riverside town (go in the spring for the extraordinary bluebell woods) and 850-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stonor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stonor Park</a>, with its house, gardens and playground is another great day out. The grand and gorgeous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cliveden</a>&nbsp;is also well worth the 15-minute drive (walk from the National Trust car park following the river up to the house for a stunning approach). Reading is your closest big town at 15 minutes, but you’ll have to go 45 minutes to experience Oxford’s iconic spires.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>GOOD FOR:</strong>&nbsp;Quiet couple getaways, sophisticated weekends with friends, family breaks with older or adult children.</p>



<p><strong>NOT FOR:</strong>&nbsp;The party crowd. This is more ‘Pimms as the sun sets’ rather than ‘tequila shots ‘til dawn’. Families are welcome, but young kids probably won’t appreciate the serene vibe and olde-worlde charm.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>THE DAMAGE:</strong>&nbsp;Pretty reasonable for this part of the world: Rooms start at  £160 per night for a double, £200 per night for a Deluxe Room, up to £260 per night for a Riverside Superior Room.&nbsp;Word of warning, is your stay coincides with Henley Regatta and Henley Festival expect to see those rates soar. </p>



<p><em><a href="https://therelaishenley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Relais Henley</a>,&nbsp;Hart St, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2AR</em>. <em>Tel: 01491 523288.</em></p>


Review: The Relais Henley – a riverside bolthole with a foodie rep

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