As the city of dreaming spires, Oxford naturally draws one’s gaze upwards to rest in awe upon the steeples and towers of its ancient buildings. The Netty, a new subterranean boutique hotel in the middle of the city, invites us to turn our attention downwards instead for a different perspective on the city's history.
If you are not familiar with the slang of north-east England, you may miss initially that the hotel’s name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to its beginnings as a pair of Victorian public toilets. Interior designer Rachael Gowdridge was tasked with transforming the spaces into two inviting suites that could persuade a visitor to spend a night or two below ground. Glass blocks cleverly embedded into the pavement diffuse natural light into the rooms, while lighting the interior was more about ‘playing into [the fact that it is underground] and making it feel cosy,’ says Rachael, who was instantly intrigued by the brief from the owners. The resulting effect is a warm glow that contributes to the room’s cocooning feeling.
The suites are filled with imaginative and playful nods to the hotel’s origins and the surrounding city. A beautiful tapestry made by French heritage brand Pinton 1867 hanging above bed was inspired by examples hanging in the Ashmolean Museum (just across the road on Beaumont Street). Similarly, a 19th-century lithograph of the ancient yew trees in the Oxford Botanic Gardens inspired the bespoke bathroom tiles, while weighty Pierre Frey curtains at the entrance to the shower pay tribute to the iconic Oxford Playhouse. ‘Something we always like to do is just put these little easter eggs throughout the design’ says Rachael. ‘It's all about that kind of storytelling.’ Storytelling is most certainly a well-chosen word here. The underground element gives the prospect of a night at the Netty a sense of adventure, but there is also plenty of romance that emerges from the interiors.
It is an interesting sensation to realise you are in the middle (quite literally: you emerge from each suite into a traffic island in the middle of St Giles’) of what is considered Oxford’s most touristy corner, when the room with its vintage-inspired glamour engenders the opposite feeling. With no reception and no concierge (check-in is handled over the phone by sister hotel The Galaxie), the suites are accessed by a steep staircase where vines descend over the cast iron railings to frame the checkerboard-tiled entrance.
Walking through the bold red front door gives the feeling that you are entering your own apartment, tucked at the end of the road in some upscale neighbourhood. If you ignore the milk pods, it is hard to imagine the space was ever anything other than a living space. Although it might be a touch toasty in the summer (it was the middle of August when I stayed, and I was provided with a fan), it would be wonderful to retreat into the suite's warmth in winter to escape the chill.
And if, like me, a not-insignificant portion of your idea of Oxford was built from the 1981 Granada television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, the Netty is ideally situated for you to begin exploring. The city centre’s main thoroughfares, lined with ancient colleges, are a stone's throw away. The Oxford Botanic Garden, founded in 1621, is a 20 minute stroll and offers lovely views of Magdalen Tower. If you’re willing to take a day trip, Blenheim Palace is about 45 minutes away.
While tea and coffee were provided, guests have to venture out for breakfast and dinner. Being so centrally located, the Netty is surrounded by a good variety of pubs, restaurants, cafes and bakeries. For breakfast, we recommend Knead bakery for their light, buttery croissants. A short walk from Magdalen bridge, the Cowley and Iffley roads offer celebrated pubs and restaurants such as The Magdalen Arms and Michelin star awarded tapas restaurant Arbequina. It's the perfect base to explore everything this historic city has to offer.
For more information visit thenetty.co.uk
