Double Room, Ensuite

Reviews of The Ridings Guest House

3 out of 5
The Ridings Guest House
280 Abingdon Road, Oxford, England

Reviews

6.4
Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 166 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 47 out of 166 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 47 out of 166 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 30 out of 166 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 17 out of 166 reviews" "

6.8/10

Cleanliness

6.8/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

6.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Owner changed property last minute
I can’t actually comment on the Ridings Guest house as I didn’t stay there At 4pm on the day I was due to check in I was phoned by the owner & asked if I would go to their ‘twin guest house’ instead I was texted an alternative address & stayed in a place called White House View instead
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021

8/10 Good

B

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Response from Tony on Dec 11, 2019
Thank you for taking the time for your feed back and look forward to welcome you again

6/10 Okay

Miss T

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from Tony on Dec 11, 2019
thank you for your feedback and look forward to see you again in the near future

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Staff Helpful but room unappealing...
The staff were very helpful and accommodating as I needed to arrive later than advertised - efforts were made to communicate with me which was greatly appreciated. The bedding and bathroom were clean enough, but the building was a bit seedy, and room was smelly with old carpets and an alarmingly cracked ceiling. On first telephone discussion I had in advance, I was told only continental breakfast was available and included, but on the morning of my stay I was told my tarriff did not include breakfast at all, so information was inconsistent and could be made clearer one way or the other, plus I noticed full breakfast was available - but clearly not for me, so I had the added expense of finding and purchasing breakfast as an extra in the City Centre which I had not been expecting so disappointing.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
great location only a 20 minute walk into Oxford. Pleasant room.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Tony on Aug 13, 2019
Hello Thanks for staying at the Ridings guesthouse and look forward to welcome you again in the future.

8/10 Good

Cassie

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from Tony on Aug 13, 2019
Thank you for staying at the Ridings Guest House and look forward to welcome you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Caroline

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Comfortable and relaxing room
Very welcoming and lovely clean room.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Tony on Aug 14, 2019
Hi Caroline Thank you for staying at The Ridings Guest House and welcome your feed back and look forward to see you again in the future. Best Wishes

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
The house is a satellite and the staff are based at another house nearby so you have to text them to come over. There's parking for three in the front and house does not have a lift. The room was tight but the bathroom was excellent. It's half way between the town centre and the Park and Ride, so there was a lot of walking. Good services in the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Tony on Aug 13, 2019
Thank you for staying with us and would to say we have a resident staff on the premises not based at another house. we welcome your comments.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The owner was friendly and accommodating. Bed was comfortable.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Tony on Aug 13, 2019
Thank you and look forward to welcome you in the near future.

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
So sorry to have to leave this review, but our stay was exhausting and uncomfortable from the start. The guy who let us in was polite enough, but that was the last we saw of him. Constant traffic noise, inconsiderate and noisy guests, late at night. Beds extremely squeaky, lumpy, uncomfortable. Bedding dirty, dried food on spread, blood stains on the quilt cover. Towels unwashed, dirty and smelly, which would have been obvious to the management. Shower mouldy and tiles loose, need grouting, hot water tap cold, curtains not well fitting, let in light. Heating sporadic and not individually controlled. No room service, even though it's stated in the literature, no breakfast available either, unless you want to walk 15 minutes down the road to another venue, which wasn't an option for us as my mother has limited mobility. Fridge in the common room was full of mouldy food, 'tea and coffee facilities' consisted of two tea bags, two cups and a kettle. Broken lamp, wall plaster cracked in need of repair, heavy dust on all horizontal surfaces, filthy mirror. TV over head end of single bed was not safety chained to the wall, my mother had to sleep on the mattress on the floor as was fearful of it's robustness - at least it stopped the squeaking portable bed frame. Smoke alarms bleeped constantly, cigarette burns, mould on the net curtains, mould on the window mastic, windows stiff, some with broken handles. Dangerous extension cable to kettle. They did however empty the bins daily.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Tpny on Apr 27, 2019
Hello Thank you for staying with us and look forward to welcome you again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Definitely recommended. Lovely public rooms downstairs, with comfy sofas, large TV, bookcase, also conservatory to sit in. My room both scrupulously clean, well provided incl kettle etc. and deliciously warm, as was shared bathroom with good power shower. Courteous and helpful welcome from owner, incl. offered to carry in my luggage - not many places still do this! House itself was quiet and peaceful. My room faced Abingdon Road (constant traffic) which doesn't bother me at all, but others might like to know to ask otherwise. Property still undergoing refurbishment on stairs and top floor, so will be even better soon. Beyond the property: bus stop into/from town v nearby, or about 20 mins wallk to Cornmarket. There is parking in front for up to 4 cars. At worst you can park at Redbridge Park & Ride and walk 12 minutes. I had dinner at the Duke of Monmouth a few doors down, really good steak & salad where they catered brilliantly for my allergies. There's also a Tesco Express within walking distance for ordinary food shopping. The Ridings overall: a modest place to stay but has everything you need including cleanliness, and at an excellent price for near-central Oxford.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Stefanos

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Position of the hotel and hospitality
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2019

2/10 Terrible

J

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really hate leaving bad reviews particularly as the main owner who greeted was very pleasant but this had to be my worst guest house experience in a long while. Smoke alarms kept bleeping (low battery voltage?) dreadful mattresses, room bin hadn’t been emptied, shared bathroom dingy, shower head broken, filthy toilet...the list goes on...not great particularly when you have to get up the following morning to give a music recital - I was exhausted! It’s such a shame as this could be a really, really nice place
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2018

6/10 Okay

A

Liked: Cleanliness
Walking distance to Oxford but a very basic hotel. This hotel is super basic. The bathroom is shared and had mould in the corner. Fine for a night in a pinch, but just be aware.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
Very disappointed and will not stay again.
The manager was very pleasant however, I booked this guest house for free parking to realise that there are only 3 spaces of which the manager parks in one. First night i was lucky enough to have a call from him when he arrived to move his car. The next night, I return at 8 to find no spaces and had to park on side road. £75 per night, no breakfast, no en-suite and had to park on the road. Don't advertise free parking if you can't deliver. I got a much better hotel for next week in Oxford with Ensuite and breakfast included plus a big car park for just £10 extra per night. Also, breakfast only availabe from 8:30. If you can afford another £10 stay somewhere else.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Don't go there
Disgusting bathroom, no ventilation (scaffolding blocking windows), uncomfortable bed, the feel of a by-the-hour premises and people sleeping in the breakfast area. We left after the first night by 8:30 am. Felt dirty and cheap. But the charges and the misrepresentation on Expedia was most disappointing. Don't go there.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

4/10 Poor

lynsey

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wouldn't stay here again
Nowhere to park on arrival and had to sit outside with hazard lights on until a car moved. Only 3 spaces for a 8 room hotel???? No bath towels or hair dryer in room as expected and had to ring hotel to get them as staff could not be found anywhere. After nipping out for some food we arrived back in our room to the smell of sewage. It was coming up out if the shower drain. The manager came and gave it a quick clean but we spent the night with an awful smell. Couldn't open the windows either, except one a tiny bit (and it was a 27° day) because of scaffolding outside. Surely this is a health and safety risk? Woke up to the continued smell and a shower cubicle full of smelly water with bits in! I managed a quick shower once I got it to drain away but it filled up so quickly again my daughter couldn't shower. To top it all off the bathroom was grubby with brown stains on the wall by the toilet and scum around the shower. There was a damp stain on the bedroom wall too and little holes in the ceiling which made me rather uncomfortable as I can't figure out why they are there. All in all a horrible experience after a very long day that I could have done without. Not impressed at all.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

4/10 Poor

Michael

Disliked: Cleanliness
Good and Bad
Bathroom was disgusting - mould, sink plugged, toilet often impossible to flush. Rest of the place was ok,
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Tamara

Ok
As another guest stated, one night was enough. You must pay extra for breakfast, but there was a spot to park. It’s about 25 minutes to Christchurch College. Very basic, but good nights sleep.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Dinah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
The guest house was easy to find and access was fine as I communicated with them in advance. The house is on a busy street and 30 min walk to downtown-driving is virtually impossible due to a severe lack parking. The room was very dated although it seemed clean . The bed was ok but not great. There is scaffolding on the building and workers were there by 7:30am on a Saturday.The owner did allow me to park there until 2:00pm on departure day.
Stayed 1 night in May 2018

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We did not end up staying at this hotel as all the windows were blocked by scaffolding, There was black mold around the window and in the bathroom. We requested a refund due to unsafe conditions. Requested a refund and asked for Expedia to assist with this, however to date have received nothing and no communication from Expedia. Can not believe a building that is unsafe to stay in is able to advertise on Expedia
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018

4/10 Poor

andrew, birmingham

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Cheap and cheerful
Very basic But what you’d expect for the price It’s half the price of anything else
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018

8/10 Good

Armand

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017

4/10 Poor

Christopher

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Cheap and cheerful
Basic but clean and warm. Road very noisy but close enough to town and amenities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017

4/10 Poor

Kerry

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not the best
Tv didn't work, shower not very clean, no hand towel and big towel smelled. No parking as advertised
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

JD Engineering NW

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pleasantly surprised
The bed and comforter were insanely comfortable! I am very picky about where I stay but I was pleasantly surprised by the service to help accommodate for our late night arrival. Great shower and lovely view out our window. Nice and quant. Definitely worth staying at again.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Good basic hotel
Basic hotel that we used for 1 night. The bathroom was quite small but was neat and clean. Staff friendly. Parking availability is a plus.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

6/10 Okay

Robyn, Australia

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Walking distance to Oxford City
Room was satisfactory though the bed was uncomfortable and 1 coffee for 2 coffee drinkers was disappointing. Ensuite very small but functional.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Don't recommend
I wouldn't return to The Ridings. It isn't your usual b&b where the proprietor is on site. When we arrived the front door was locked and there was a note in the window to call about rentals. Because I didn't have an international phone plan, I had to wait until someone else came along who called the proprietor for us. Strike one. We had booked a room with two twin beds - instead it had one full bed and a cot. Strike two. We didn't get clean towels once over our four night stay and the room was only made up twice - once because we specifically asked. Strike three. If you plan on visiting Oxford (I was in town to visit a friend there) the location isn't bad. It's a mile walk to Christ Church College and a little further to city center. There are buses if you're not a big walker.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

4/10 Poor

Mark, Norwich

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Poor night's sleep
Having a skylight in the room is fine, but at 4.30am it wasn't so good! It would make for a better night's sleep if the owner put in a blind. Also even though the place was clean, which I would expect as standard, some sink unblocker would be appreciated in the bathroom. A simple thing, but it's usually the simple things that mean the difference between a good stay and a poor stay. The shower was weak but bearable. Also there was a TV in the room, but the reception was so poor that it was not worth watching. The swan-shaped towels were a nice touch but I would have preferred a good night's sleep! Also, I hadn't booked breakfast, but I noticed a breakfast room set up with cereal. So, I asked if we could have breakfast, but was told they didn't serve breakfast at that guest house and that we would have to go further up the road to another property. Very strange! I said we would pick up breakfast in the city. Overall, a disappointing experience.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2017

6/10 Okay

Holly

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

James

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

6/10 Okay

Avril

Really convenient location, however accommodation in need of a little upgrade. Ensuite shower cosy.....not much room to move. Bed not very comfortable although served our purpose. Only 3 car parking spaces. That aside very pleasant owners and amazingly quiet.

8/10 Good

Nicholas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Just passing through so can't really say much but it had everything you need in a guesthouse. Few minor nitpicks like slightly awkward layout and a bit of a walk from the city but basically a very satisfying place to stay.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth the price
Fairly central location, only a 20 min walk from central Oxford. Friendly staff. However very disappointed at the cleanliness of the room - dust everywhere, hair on the bed sheets to the point we needed to take antihistamines to stop the sneezing and itchy eyes. And check-out at 10:30 am? Seriously? All of this for £65 a night...

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Gab, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice staff
Really good place to stay when you passing for Oxford. Place is really cosy and the stuff is lovely.

6/10 Okay

Patricia, N.E. London

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Very well placed for Oxford City Centre. Bus Stop.
On main road and only parking for 3 cars [including the owners]. Parking available in side roads. Friendly host who worked hard to provide good service. There were plumbing difficulties in our ground floor room. Our room was warm and bed comfortable.

4/10 Poor

Dan

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
No staff on duty, had to phone a number to be told how to get in. The room was clean but a leak from the toilet soil pipe had made the bathroom floor slippery. The booking confirmation says a free breakfast was included but in the morning there were no staff to be seen and I had to call a number to find out when breakfast might be served to be told I hadn't ordered breakfast but they could send someone to cook if I could wait. Had to settle for a quick coffee in my room but the kettle was filled with a brown fluid that looked like weak tea and there was a lot of grit and limescale in the kettle. Had to rinse it out in the wash basin which I left for the cleaner to sort. the hotel is on a busy main road and my room fronted on to this. I'm not used to being 3m from traffic going past all night and slept poorly. If there were actual staff on duty and breakfast was delivered as promised with a non leaky soil pipe and clean kettle all in a room at the back of the hotel then I think it would have been a pleasant stay for the weary business traveller.

6/10 Okay

B, yorkshire

Liked: Cleanliness
The room was very small and bathroom even smaller!

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Cheap and Convenient
My partner and I decided to book this guesthouse on a spontaneous, last-minute trip to Oxford. For the money we paid it was good value. A bit dirty in places and with a rather impractical, galley-shaped ensuite (carved from the bedroom by an internal wall), there was room for improvement. But it had good wifi, a TV and was conveniently located within walking distance of the historic city. You get what you pay for. Overall we were fairly satisfied.

4/10 Poor

Malcolm

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Rather basic hotel, would not use it again.
Difficult to get access as owner was not in the property twice.

2/10 Terrible

C, London

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Poor room condition
The room itself stank of mold. The sink in the room was blocked and also stank. There were tiny flies in the room which kept on appearing after I killed many, and this is with the windows being closed, so they were coming from elsewhere. On numerous occasions I went looking for the owners but couldn't find them, even though they have security cameras in the hall way. Only when it was time to check out did they appear when I came downstairs! They were reluctant to discuss any kind of compensation also.