Malmaison Oxford

About Malmaison Oxford

Malmaison Oxford is built into A Wing of the old Oxford Prison, which closed in 1996 and now forms part of the Castle Quarter development beside the mound of the Norman castle. The Victorian wing has been kept largely intact: you walk in under the original iron galleries, look up through three storeys of landings and netting, and find your room behind a heavy door on a walkway. It is theatrical, and the hotel knows it.

Most of the 95 rooms are made from two or three knocked-together cells, which produces deep, narrow spaces with very thick walls, small high windows and better soundproofing than any modern build. The decor is dark and clubby rather than institutional, with big beds, baths and power showers. There are also rooms in the former governor's house and the House of Correction, which are conventionally shaped and better for anyone who would rather not sleep in a cell, and a handful of suites at the top of the wing.

Chez Mal Brasserie occupies the vaulted basement and does grills and classics; the bar spills into the courtyard in summer, where there are usually a few outdoor tables and, in the surrounding quarter, several other restaurants and the Oxford Castle and Prison visitor attraction. Practically, this is one of the best-placed hotels in the city for arrivals by train - the station is a seven-minute walk - and Westgate shopping centre, the Covered Market and Carfax are all within five minutes on foot. Parking is in the adjacent public car park rather than on site.