Ramada Oxford M40 — Hotel in South Oxfordshire

Very modern....... if you’re still living in 1993. I arrived at the property after a 12-hour shift at work followed by a three hour car journey to be told by receptionist that the kitchen was closed ‘for several weeks’. So no food available at all. My room was a good 6 or 7 minute walk from my car (no elevators) so had to make a number of journeys just to get all my stuff from the car to my room. This took about half an hour. Whilst taking a shower I noticed the shower curtain was smelly and somewhat dirty. I removed it, folded it and left it outside the room due to the smell. The following day I requested a replacement shower curtain, that was noted by the boy on reception for housekeeping to provide when they next attended the corridor my room was in. This didn’t materialise however, and I then had to call reception again a number of times the following evening because the girl there was working alone and wasn’t able to leave the front desk. Once I explained it was urgent due to needing a shower in order to be somewhere at a particular time, she did then arrive with a number of very clean shower curtains and offer to hang it for me, and was very polite. It is definitely not the fault of the reception staff that this took so long, but I think they are under-staffed especially at night when there is only one person working. I would suggest Ramada provide more adequate lengthy training for their employees, as one of the boys on reception did struggle a bit with some of my requests and he did confirm that he had just started working there. Again, not his fault if inadequate training is being provided by Ramada. He was very polite and apologetic during our interactions. The overall condition of the room was not great. There was a large burn mark on the carpet by the bed (about the size of a dinner plate), the toilet seat and lid was loose / wobbly, I didn’t notice the extractor fan come on once during my three nights there (bathroom fills with steam when showering, and unpleasant smells when using the toilet), and two of the three worktop surfaces were heavily dusty with a few unknown marks on. As I am someone who does a lot of cleaning at home anyway, I always carry anti-bacterial wipes with me so I was able to give the room a good clean whilst there. I was expecting (or at least hoping) there would be a USB input on one of the plug sockets for me to charge my phone (as I had my cable from my car charger but had forgotten to bring my plug adapter), however this was not available, and I know it is quite common nowadays in a number of modern hotels. I ended up spending over £30 on fast food (which I don’t really like) in the adjacent food hall building due to the kitchen being closed, which was a real disappointment. At just over £150 for a three night stay, I would expect a higher standard of both cleanliness and facilities / amenities. In summary, I wouldn’t recommend this hotel unless you’re really in critical need if somewhere to stay...

This was the worst hotel I have ever stayed in! I chose a smoking room which overly smelt like stagnant cigarette smoke, I expected a slight smell but this room was that bad that upon arrival the room door was left open to air it out! The whole corridor smelt! They must have put me in the smelliest room! I complained and wanted to change to a non smoking room but they told me they were fully booked. After coming back late from work I showered and got into bed which I found to be soaked through! The underside of the duvet and mattress was soaked! I jumped out and pulled back the covers and found that there was a huge wet patch in the bed! I was furious! I called down to reception who eventually came up to have a look (after another call) as it was about midnight and I was really tired and just wanted to get in a bed and sleep. He decided to put me in an executive room for the night which I was fine with, although what a palaver it was moving rooms at midnight! The next morning I was rudely awoken at 7am by a call from reception which I ignored thinking they were giving me a wake up call by mistake! I was then called again about 10 minutes later so this time I answered to which I was told I had to leave the room immediately as it was booked that day by another guest and that there would be another room ready for me! Besides the fact that check in is after 2pm and they wanted me out before 8am I hadn't even showered and they literally woke me up, how rude! I quickly got all my belongings together to leave the room and when I got to the front desk I was told that I had no room to go to! This was absolutely disgusting! They kicked me out of a room before 8am without me even showering and left me with nowhere to go! I could not believe the service I was subjected to and I was extremely cross, not to mention how rude the receptionist was. An old lady maybe called Judy or something. I then demanded having the key back so I could go and get showered which she reluctantly gave me back. After all of this I later seen the hotel manager, a foreign lady who was extremely rude to me and took no responsibility of what I had just endured over the last 24hours! I literally felt like crying. This was awful. I am a young female travelling alone who had received terrible customer service and a terrible experience with absolutely no remorse or empathy from none of the staff, including the rude, abnoxious hotel manager! I would not recommend staying here! Awful staff, awful service, a night from hell! If I was able to post this review with minus or even negative stars...

A Step Up from the Absolute Budget, But Not Worth the Premium The Ramada by Wyndham Oxford, conveniently located right off Junction 8A of the M40, offers a functional stopover for travellers on the motorway or those looking for a base near Oxford. However, while it provides basic comfort and a good location, its facilities and overall value for money fall short of expectations for its price point. The Good: • Location: The main draw is the excellent motorway access and proximity to the Welcome Break service area, offering a variety of food and shop choices (Starbucks, Subway, etc.). • Convenience: On-site is a 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi, and the rooms offer the standard tea/coffee tray and comfortable bedding. The presence of a small fitness centre is a slight bonus. • Staff: Staff are often noted in reviews as being friendly and helpful. The Reality - Comparable to Budget Chains: The facilities and room standards are, in our experience, highly comparable to what you would find at a well-maintained Travelodge or Premier Inn. Rooms are functional but basic, and cleanliness can sometimes be inconsistent. While the hotel markets itself as a step above the budget chains, the experience largely mirrors them, offering little in the way of noticeable luxury or superior amenities. The Value Verdict: The major issue here is the price. The room rates are consistently and significantly higher than what you would pay for a similar stay at a nearby Travelodge. Given that the core offering—a comfortable bed, a basic en-suite, and convenient roadside location—is essentially the same, the Ramada simply does not justify the extra cost. You are effectively paying a premium for a brand name without receiving a corresponding upgrade in facilities or service. Recommendation: If you need a room immediately at this specific junction and price is no object, the Ramada is adequate. Otherwise, for the same level of facilities, save your money and book one of the many better-priced budget hotels in the area. The Ramada Oxford is an average hotel with above-average prices. Seek an alternative for...