Discover Local Oxford: What to Do Around Mercure Oxford

At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Oxford, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?

Oxford in 5 picks

Oxford Covered Market

A warren of independent stalls dating back to the 18th century, this is where Oxford actually eats lunch. Brown's Café, the market's original 1920s spot, bakes fresh Pasteis de Nata each morning, best around 9:30am while they're still warm.

Ben's Cookies

This is the very first Ben's Cookies shop, in the original unit where the chain started, still turning out warm, thick cookies from the same corner of the Covered Market. Turn up before 11am and there's a chance of a discounted box of yesterday's batch.

Bodleian Library

One of the oldest libraries in Europe, founded in 1602, with over 11 million works in its collections and a reading room straight out of a film set. Book a tour in advance if you want to see beyond the courtyard.

University Parks

A genuinely local spot rather than a tourist stop, this stretch of green along the River Cherwell is where Oxford students go to escape the tourist crush of the city centre. It's free to enter and a good spot for a slow afternoon.

Oxford Botanic Garden

Britain's oldest botanic garden, founded in 1621, holds over 8,000 plant species in a compact, walkable space by the river. It's one of the most diverse plant collections anywhere, and rarely crowded even in summer.

Where to eat
Skip the chain cafés on the high street and head straight for the Covered Market, where Sasi's Thai does generous curries at student prices, Sartorelli's fires wood-oven Neapolitan pizza, and Alpha Bar piles salad boxes with falafel and pumpkin seeds from £4. Arrive around 9-10am for a quiet browse, or expect queues at the busiest counters between 12 and 2pm.
A university city that still feels lived in
Oxford's colleges get all the postcards, but the city runs on the same rhythms as any market town underneath the spires. Catte Street leads up to the Bodleian, Parks Road takes you to the Museum of Natural History, and if the sun's out, the University Parks along the Cherwell are where locals actually spend their afternoons rather than queuing for a college tour.
Right outside your hotel
Mercure Oxford Eastgate occupies a 17th-century coaching inn on the High Street, directly opposite Magdalen College and overlooking the Examination Halls and Magdalen Tower. The Covered Market is a short walk away, and the hotel is roughly an 11-minute taxi ride from Oxford station if you're arriving by train.
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FAQ

Go around 9-10am, especially on a Saturday, for a quiet browse before the lunch rush, which peaks between 12 and 2pm with queues at the popular food counters.

You can see the courtyard freely, but visiting the historic reading rooms usually requires a booked tour, so plan ahead if that's a priority.

It's about an 11-minute taxi ride, or a walkable 20-25 minutes if you'd rather stretch your legs through the city centre on arrival.

Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Oxford, all within reach of these picks.

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Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Oxford, all within reach of these picks

View hotels