Hotel opens on site of Oxford’s historic Boswells store

A new luxury lifestyle hotel in Oxford, The Store, has officially opened, sitting in the building of the former Oxford department store, Boswells.The hotel features 101 rooms, three dining outlets and bars, including a rooftop bar, a co-working space as well as a “cocooning” urban spa. Details are said to be inspired by the “rich heritage” of the building’s former life as a historic department store. Arranged over seven floors, the hotel is the convergence of two historical buildings, which have been “sensitively” restored and designed by Urban R. Reef Groups’ team of architects and designers. The bedrooms have six district design typologies, some with plush velvet headboards, panelled walls, and art deco features, others with leafy courtyard views, and a muted palette. The site’s restaurant, Treadwell, is named after the historic Treadwell Passage. Its menu features British cuisine, using sustainably sourced produce from local suppliers. Dish highlights include ruby murray chicken pie, bangers and mash with a cajun gravy, and rosemary and thyme brined pork tomahawk. Treadwell will also serve brunch and Sunday lunch. Located on the ground floor, The Bar at The Store features a casual drinking, co-working and dining space, seating customers inside on street level and al fresco style on Broad Street. Light bites and afternoon tea will be provided here. The fifth floor of the hotel is home to a panoramic rooftop bar and terrace, The Roof at The Store, offering views over Oxford. A year-round Smokehouse serves smoked meats and cheeses, and bespoke spirits created with Hawkridge distillery will be on the menu. Finally, the Spa at The Store is a subterranean spa providing treatments created in partnership with British brand, Oskia. The spa features a sauna, steam room, private treatment rooms, holistic studio space and spa suite rooms. Local practitioners will be running a programme of yoga classes, sound baths and pop up wellness experiences. The hotel has been opened in partnership with hospitality experts, Reef Group and EQ Group. General manager Simon Drake said: “Boswells was one of the world’s oldest department stores, family-owned and much-loved by the local community. In the tradition of great British department stores, it was a place of discovery - a treasure trove of toys, cosmetics, fashion, household essentials, a haberdashery, well-known tearoom and café. “Throughout the hotel we wanted to honour this and play on the same idea of intrigue, unexpected fun, and curiosity - making an occasion out of the everyday. We can’t wait to share the new space with visitors and locals.”