Formerly a corporate hotel in the Berkshire countryside, primarily used for business conferences, Oakley Court has been given a new lease of life by Alex Eagle, tastemaker extraordinaire, designer and curator of The Store, the fashion and homewares retail concept, with shops in London’s Soho, Berlin and Oxfordshire. After turning her hand to hospitality, Eagle has given the glorious Victorian property with 97 rooms a stylish makeover. Coming soon is an outpost of the Alex Eagle Sporting Club, a wellness hub offering classic British pastimes such as fencing, rowing and tennis.
The Check In
When it comes to location, Oakley Court can’t be beat. London Heathrow is a mere 20-minute drive away, so you can have a cocktail in hand less than an hour after you land. There’s also plenty of options for arriving by rail, including a lightning quick 13-minute service from London Paddington to Slough. Either way, as you pull into the gravel drive, the first thing you’ll notice are the beautifully landscaped gardens, with wildflower beds dotted with poppies, croquet mallets scattered on the lawn and a central stone fountain surrounded by hot pink roses.
The hotel is set in 35 acres right on the banks of the River Thames between Bray and Windsor, so you could even arrive by boat. However, a car will come in handy for exploring the surrounding Berkshire countryside, which offers wildlife-rich wetlands and fairytale coaching inns such as the Olde Belle in Hurley - at the age of 885, it’s one of the oldest in the world. Inside the hotel, you’re greeted by an impressive hallway with lofty ceilings and a giant velvet sofa, while the check-in desks are tucked discreetly around the corner. A make-yourself-at-home vibe continues in the reception room with chess boards set up ready to play, and record players where you get to choose the vinyl. It may be a historic property, but the atmosphere is certainly not stuffy.
The Look
Built in 1859, Oakley Court is a striking gothic mansion, complete with pointed spires, decorative turrets and arched doorways, that has been used as a setting for films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Hounds of Baskervilles. Playful interiors are the work of Eagle & Hodges, a design collaboration with The Vinyl Factory’s Sophie Hodges. The ground floor boasts an exquisite palm-filled conservatory with pistachio green walls, a tiled floor and wrought-iron pendant lights, while the numerous drawing rooms are filled with a mix of chinoiserie, chandeliers, Pierre Jeanneret chairs and boldly patterned rugs that nod to the house’s roots in the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th-century. On the walls, Eagle’s selection of art works mixes nicely with line paintings by the renowned fashion illustrator Tanya Ling and ornate Victorian panelling.
The Neighbourhood
A stay at Oakley Court wouldn’t be complete without exploring the bucolic delights of the Thames Path - a 185-mile walking trail from the river’s source in Gloucestershire, to the Thames Barrier in London - and luckily there are maps provided in each bedroom to help you find your way. To reach Windsor Castle on foot takes around two hours, but bicycles can also be borrowed from the hotel for a speedier journey (45 minutes). Keep your eyes peeled for Bray Studios, a favourite place for artists such as David Bowie to rehearse, and Eton College, where generations of British and foreign aristocracy have been educated, including Prince William and Prince Harry. For fans of wild swimming, the front of house team can organise a dip in Bray Lake which is also a short cycle away.
The Rooms
Visitors to Oakley Court can opt to stay in the original mansion house or in the Boathouse and Garden rooms. The nine Mansion House rooms are the most spacious, blending British-made fabrics and mid-century fabrics with emperor-sized beds and sweeping river views. The Boathouse and Garden rooms feature Roberts radios, red and white striped headboards and lacquered bedside tables.
Whichever you choose, you’ll find just-baked cookies in brown paper bags waiting for you, along with a minibar of free snacks and soft drinks, and Cowshed products in the bathrooms. The pièce de resistance is a drinks tray stocked with cut glass tumblers and bottles of pre-mixed Martinis and Negronis that are perfect for drinking in your bathrobe while getting dressed for dinner.
The Food & Drink
Much like at a private residence, food is available whenever and wherever you choose. The closest thing to a formal restaurant is The Parlour, which offers Italian-influenced dishes highlighting the bounty from the kitchen’s garden (a quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash or wild mushroom and gorgonzola wood-fired pizza). Breakfast features classics, including poached eggs on seeded bread with kale and homemade muesli with coconut yogurt, while the great British tradition of afternoon tea can be enjoyed alfresco on The Terrace under large umbrellas. In addition, throughout the year, Oakley Court plays host to several guest chefs; visit now and you’ll have the chance to try an incredible Omakase menu from Akira, the master executive chef of Japan House in London, served at a communal table in hand-painted Japanese ceramics.
