The village of Stadhampton is perhaps best known for Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary, where lots of cats, dogs and rabbits are well looked after until they are found a permanent new home.
A short distance away, just off the main road, and close to a farm shop is a very different beast – the Crazy Bear hotel, which has been welcoming guests since 1993.
There is also a Crazy Bear hotel in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, so guests can choose either town or country for their stay.
We chose to check in at the Crazy Bear in Stadhampton as it is just a few miles from where we live.
The hotel complex features 18 distinctively decorated bedrooms, a 16th century pub and a Thai restaurant.
With a London bus at the reception and koi carp in the pond, you immediately get the feeling you are staying somewhere special.
If you are staying overnight, a visit to the hotel’s Thai restaurant, which can be accessed via the historic pub, is definitely recommended.
Delicious dishes are served in the Crazy Bear Country Pub, which focuses on Thai cuisine, with British pub classics also available on the menu.
Fish and chips at The Crazy Bear hotel (Image: Andy Ffrench)
We sampled the vegetable Thai wok and curry (£16) and the beer-battered haddock with Nam Jim Sauce and Lime (£18).
All the dishes in the restaurant were promptly served and tasted delicious.
It’s an intimate space, with low lighting and subtle mood music – it’s probably best to book a table.
The pub itself is frequented by villagers and guests at the restaurant.
Florentina Ionta, a member of staff at The Crazy Bear hotel (Image: Fortitude Communications)
Outside, there’s a terrace, woodland garden and BBQ area for long lunches, summer parties and lazy afternoons.
The hotel complex is an ideal location for weekends away, weddings, parties, meetings and events and sometimes hosts community events.
Once you have finished your meal, you can complete your evening with a drink in the pub before retiring to one of the hotel’s striking luxury bedrooms.
Inside the restaurant at The Crazy Bear hotel (Image: Andy Ffrench)
The outstanding feature in our room was a free-standing gold bath, while the decoration included plush red velvet walls.
We weren’t used to such colourful decor for a hotel bedroom but it didn’t disturb our sleep at all as the king size bed was so comfortable.
A bedroom at The Crazy Bear hotel in Stadhampton (Image: ANDREW GALE)
Breakfast is served in a wood-panelled dining room and there’s plenty of choice – try the continental breakfast or enjoy a full English, or a simple sausage sandwich.
The staff team at The Crazy Bear work incredibly hard to ensure that their guests enjoy a relaxing stay in luxury surroundings.
Increasingly the management team is lining up special events, including Ibiza-style discos to attract visitors from across Oxfordshire, London and beyond.
A dining room at The Crazy Bear hotel in Stadhampton (Image: Andy Ffrench)
But it is also a venue reaching out to local residents, with family days and community events.
We only stayed one night but we would definitely have enjoyed a longer stay at this quirky luxury destination where you are guaranteed delicious food and the most colourful room for the night you have ever seen.
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