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Whately Hall Hotel

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Traveller (334)
Room & Suite (98)
Dining (27)

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About

#9 of 11 hotels in Banbury
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
3 star hotel offering 69 ensuite rooms in an idyllic 17th Century setting where Jonathan Swift wrote Gulliver's Travels in 1723. Ideal as a base for exploring the Cotswolds region, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, Woodstcock & Warwick. 10 minutes from Banbury railway and coach stations, 30 miles (50 km)from Birmingham Airport and easily accessible via Junction 11 of the M40. Features 7 meeting rooms accommodating up to 120 delegates, Swifts & Berkeley Restaurants and Hornton Bar. 24hrs room service and free car parking.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Restaurant
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
24-hour front desk
Paid public parking nearby
Secured parking
Wifi
Breakfast available
Breakfast in the room
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Outdoor furniture
Express check-in / check-out
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
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Room features
Desk
Housekeeping
Room service
Telephone
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Flatscreen TV
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Iron
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
3.0 of 5 stars
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Charming
Languages Spoken
English
1,253Review10Q+A100Room tips

Reviews
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H W wrote a review 11 Mar
19 contributions2 helpful votes
+1
New ownership and management- hope they turn it round. We booked because we needed to be close to elderly family for a couple of days. In the past we have used the Premier Inn, but for whatever reason that was oddly expensive for the days we needed, so we decided to give Whately Hall a try based on price and convenience. It didn’t disappoint. We booked a superior room and we were kindly upgraded to a suite. It was spacious and comfortable with an excellent super king sized bed. It was in the historic part of the hotel and this is a bit of a rabbit warren and creaky floorboards - but that’s what you expect in an old building. We didn’t eat in the hotel, so I cannot comment on the food and beverage offering. What could they do better? Housekeeping is a bit hit and miss - there wasn’t a spare toilet roll as you might expect and the hospitality tray was not replenished after the first day, but reception gave us more milk when requested. The towels are very small and one whilst obviously laundered had old stains and should not have been used again. There was no hairdryer but again, one was supplied by reception on request. If the hotel wants to score better, they need to address these points. A big bonus with a town centre hotel was the free parking albeit through a narrow archway. I hope the new owners can steer this lovely old building into a successful future
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 5 days ago
Dear 199hw, Thank you for your comments and I apologise for the issues you have encountered. I have since changed our towels to large Bath Sheets and spoken with our laundry company about the condition of our laundry. They have assured me they have put in place a strict stain check in place going forward. Please be assured all your comments will be addressed and are appreciated in helping us become a 5 star. We look forward to welcoming you back. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Mark wrote a review 8 Mar
Wendover, United Kingdom6 contributions2 helpful votes
The hotel itself is very nice with very helpful staff. Very historic building wooden beams and stairs but nice quite modern rooms. Our was spacious with a very nice new bathroom. Shower pressure could have been better but , in my experience, larger hotels often suffer that. Hotel looks like it is undergoing a decor uplift which is good. So would have been a 4 out of 5 but for below. The breakfast was awful. Not a buffet as we thought it was but , and i hesitate to say it , cooked. We went for full English. All but the eggs, which were swimming in grease and had to be mopped up with a serviett, were obviously pre cooked and left hanging around for orders. Bacon and sausages hard and beans had a hot film on them. All totally overcooked. Coffee was cold. We decided there was no point in complaining about it as the wait would have been far too long to start totally from scratch. Really don’t understand how a chef could send food out like that. Debated whether we should have eaten in the restaurant on arrival but really glad we didn’t. Stay there but eat out is my advice.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 5 days ago
Dear Tred234, Thank you for leaving you review on your stay with us. I am bitterly disappointed to read your comments as great food is what I would like our property to prides itself on. I've shared your comments with my Head Chef who's put in an action plan in place and discussed your feedback with his team. Please be assure that this will be reviewed and remedied. Accept my sincere apologies and I do hope we can welcome you back Kind regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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NonnyKS wrote a review Feb 2024
5 contributions1 helpful vote
I was looking forward to visiting the re-opened hotel for our Valentine's dinner and we weren't disappointed. The menu wasn't extensive but there were a couple of interesting choices for my veggie husband. Our food was served in good time and was fantastic, and my husband said how great it was to eat such an imaginative and delicious vegetarian meal. There were a couple of things (overhead lights were too bright and the restaurant was very warm), but they didn't spoil our evening. We're really glad to see the hotel open again. I hope the management make a success of this new chapter in the Whately Hall's story - it's such a beautiful building in the heart of Banbury.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 4 weeks ago
Dear NonnyKS70, Thank you kindly for dining with us in our Berkeley Restaurant. It has been great to be part of the team that has re-opened the doors to the general public. You feedback is key to our success and will help us with all the planned works we have planned moving forwards. Do visit again especially as works take place. Kind regards Leigh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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DM892 wrote a review Feb 2024
Oxford, United Kingdom11 contributions3 helpful votes
The reception was clean and well decorated. We were on the third floor and it took a bit of time to find the room as there were lots of little corridors and stairs up and down. The room initially seemed clean and the sheets and towels were clean. We discovered a previous guest had left food in the fridge and the was rice and cellophane wrapping on the floor suggesting it hadn’t been hoovered. The room was incredibly hot and we couldn’t get the radiator to turn off. There was also only hot water out of the sink tap despite it showing a hot and cold side. We picked the hotel as we needed somewhere town centre with parking but i wouldn’t stay there again.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 4 weeks ago
Dear DM892, Thank you for your review on your stay with. Disappointed to read the comments regarding items from a previous guest being left in the room. I have shared your feedback with my housekeeping manager to ensure that this does not happen again. Again, thank you for your feedback which will all be fully addressed. Kind regards Leigh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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lizzieled wrote a review Feb 2024
Coventry, United Kingdom18 contributions13 helpful votes
Absolutely brilliant stay at Whateley Hall. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and helpful. When checking out we were told about the great history The place has. The room was beautiful, brand new bed and bathroom. We'll definitely be back. Thank you 😊
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 4 weeks ago
Dear Lizzieled, Thank you kindly for your amazing review and appreciating the history that comes with the Whately Hall Hotel. We look forward to welcoming you back again. Kind regards Leigh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Karen h wrote a review Jan 2024
8 contributions2 helpful votes
+1
I’m glad I hadn’t read all of the negative reviews before going as we had a wonderful time. On arrival our room was upgraded, The bathroom looked brand new & the bedroom looked like it had been refurbished. We stayed in the main building, which I would recommend. It is a lovely old building full of character( the newer part didn’t look as nice but I can’t comment on the rooms) The staff were amazing ( especially Kayleigh ) nothing was too much trouble for them & they were really helpful recommending places to go, eat etc. We had breakfast included in our stay, there was a continental buffet but also a full English breakfast was cooked freshly for us both days. There is also a nice bar & lounge area. I would definitely go back but would make sure I was in the main building.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Great location, everything in is in walking distance ( shops, bars, restaurants)
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 5 Feb 2024
Dear KarenhB95TJ, Thank you for leaving your comments on your stay with us. I will be sure to pass your comments on to my team, most notably Kayleigh who will be delighted to read this. I do hope your consider staying with us again. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Michael G wrote a review Jan 2024
Backnang, Germany20 contributions
The hotel was closed for more than a year. We stayed here just after the reopening. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Nit everything worked perfectly but it was a great experience. Prices for the room….great. The bar lady fully dedicated to make our stay an experience.
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Leigh Gerard, General Manager at Whately Hall Hotel
Responded 5 Feb 2024
Dear Michael G, Thank you for leaving such a wonderful review on your stay with us at Whately Hall following our re-opening. I do hope to welcome you back soon and show you what works have taken place on improving the property. I will share your review with my team who will be delighted. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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John K wrote a review Jul 2023
15 contributions3 helpful votes
I had the same experience as others here - we were booked in to the Whately Hall Hotel for 2nd Dec 2022 and were cancelled at a few days notice without explanation. We had booked through the Accor website, but the cancellation came by email from Countrywide Hotels, who I had never heard of. I presumed some sort of scam and checked with the Accor helpdesk, who told me that my reservation was still valid. It's a good job I checked further because we had in fact been cancelled and had to find alternative accommodation at very short notice. I could only get any further by getting in touch directly with Countrywide Hotels themselves, but on an obscure business number rather than a hotel booking number, and they confirmed the cancellation was legitimate. They were pretty shifty about the whole thing, and were clearly uncomfortable about talking to me. What annoyed me as much as the cancellation is that the Accor helpdesk were still accepting bookings for the hotel for after the cancellation dates, were telling me we were OK, and clearly hadn't been informed that the hotel had closed to bookings after December. This is very unprofessional of the hotel administration process. I'm writing this review now because I have recently started getting promotional emails from Mercure. I wouldn't book with them again, because there is no guarantee that the same thing wouldn't happen again and I feel we have been treated quite shabbily. I feel that their organisation can no longer be trusted, and surely that cannot be good for their business? It's a great pity because this particular hotel is within easy walking distance to my son and his young family and is ideally positioned for us.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2 Helpful votes
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Otto668 wrote a review Dec 2022
Harrogate7 contributions13 helpful votes
Booked for a short UK sightseeing break for my wife and I. The hotel cancelled the booking with very little notice or apology. No reason given as they “were not at liberty to say”. A look on social media seems to indicate that they prefer prepaid “foreign travellers” now. As with those in Skegness, this hotel should be boycotted. Very, very disappointing.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
9 Helpful votes
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Jason T wrote a review Nov 2022
Banbury, United Kingdom10 contributions17 helpful votes
We just had a stay cancelled for my wife's birthday at the last minute as the hotel is "closed to the public" for at least a year. No explanation given, I called to ask if it was renovations but they just said they weren't at liberty to say. Absolutely terrible service, will never attempt to book there again.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
10 Helpful votes
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PRICE RANGE
£59 - £84 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
accor whately hall hotel
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Mercure Banbury Whately Hall Hotel
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandOxfordshireBanbury
NUMBER OF ROOMS
69
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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WHATELY HALL HOTEL - Updated 2024 Reviews (Banbury)

Frequently Asked Questions about Whately Hall Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Whately Hall Hotel?
Nearby attractions include St. Mary's Church (0.06 miles), Fine Lady Statue (0.07 miles), and Peoples Park (0.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Whately Hall Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at Whately Hall Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, breakfast, and an outdoor dining area during their stay.
Is parking available at Whately Hall Hotel?
Yes, free parking, paid public parking nearby, and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Whately Hall Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include White Horse Banbury, Pizza Calzone, and Zushi Japanese Restaurant.
Is Whately Hall Hotel located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.4 miles away from the centre of Banbury.
Are any cleaning services offered at Whately Hall Hotel?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Whately Hall Hotel offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Are there any historical sites close to Whately Hall Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Canons Ashby (9.9 miles), Sulgrave Manor & Garden (7.4 miles), and Farnborough Hall (5.7 miles).
Is Whately Hall Hotel accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.