ONCE UPON A TIME

Spotlight on... NORTH OXON AND NORTH BUCKS

Where to marry and where to stay

HOLIDAY INN OXFORD

This hotel is located close to the city centre with easy access to Oxford Parkway train station for direct links to London. While they don’t host weddings, it’s a great choice for guest accommodation and mini-moons in the city with many attractions close by including designer outlet shopping destination Bicester Village, the University of Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Oxford and Blenheim Palace which is just a 10-minute drive from the hotel.

The Holiday Inn Oxford offers free on-site parking for hotel residents, free WiFi, 24-hour room service, a mini gym and a restaurant. The hotel is family-friendly inviting children to stay and eat for free, perfect for familymoons and guests attending a nearby wedding. The hotel is also well equipped for events in the choice of 11 modern meeting rooms located at the Academy Conference Centre. www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/gb/en/oxford/ofduk/hoteldetail

HOTEL LA TOUR, MILTON KEYNES

This new four-star plus hotel combines modern sophistication with timeless elegance following a multi-million-pound development. Home to the county’s highest bar and fine-dining restaurant, Fourteen, there’s also a honeymoon suite situated on the top floor, home to a super king-size bed, luxury bathtub with a TV and a secluded lounge enjoying skyline vistas across Buckinghamshire.

There’s a stylish events space located on the first floor that’s licensed for ceremonies and can host between 60 and 200 guests. It’s home to a dancefloor, fully functioning bar and features mood lighting at twilight. Connected to it is a sun-soaked private terrace available for outdoor ceremonies of up to 120 guests set against views stretching across Campbell Park.

Alexandra Rumble, Hotel La Tour’s weddings and special events manager will be on hand at every stage of the planning and couples can work alongside executive chef Olivier Bertho to create a bespoke wedding breakfast menu serving seasonal British dishes as well as an evening barbecue or buffet on the terrace.

Available to book from £78 per guest, Hotel La Tour’s wedding package includes exclusive use of the events space, private terrace and bar; a reception welcome drink for all guests; a three-course wedding breakfast; half a bottle of wine per person; use of Campbell Park for photography; a dedicated wedding co-ordinator to assist on the day and an overnight stay in the honeymoon suite. Guests are offered preferential rates offered on the Skyview Executive and Skyview Standard rooms on the wedding night. 01908 732 400 or visit https://hotel-latour.co.uk HOLIDAY INN MILTON KEYNES - CENTRAL

This sister hotel to the Holiday Inn Oxford is home to Marco’s New York Italian restaurant by celebrity chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White which is hugely popular with guests and locals. The hotel also boasts the Spirit Health Club home to a large indoor pool, fitness centre, gym and a treatment room offering a range of beauty treatments.

The hotel is located just a short walk away from Milton Keynes train station with direct connections to central London, and it’s only a 30-minute drive from London Luton Airport. Other local attractions include Bletchley Park, the nearby intu Milton Keynes Shopping Centre and the indoor Snozone – Europe’s largest indoor real snow resort where visitors can learn and practice skiing and snowboarding.

Holiday Inn Milton Keynes offers the Orchid Suite, a stylish event space for the wedding breakfast seating up to 60 guests. It’s also available for the reception with discounted rates on offer. There’s also a complimentary bedroom available for the happy couple subject to availability.

Both the Holiday Inn Milton Keynes – Central and the Holiday Inn Oxford properties feature the new open lobby concept, unique to the Holiday Inn brand. It’s designed to provide guests with one multi-faceted public space to eat, meet, relax, socialise and work as they choose which will revolutionise the way guests live and interact at the hotel. www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/gb/en/milton-keynes/mlkbk/ hoteldetail

ABC PAVILIONS

Based in the heart of the Cotswolds and with more than 20 years of experience providing marquees for weddings and events, ABC Pavilions hire in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, West Oxfordshire and neighbouring regions. The perfect pick for a garden party wedding or a festival-style celebration, structures include framed marquees, traditional styles and small ones perfect for more intimate weddings.

An entrance walkway with double doors, a reception entrance or a covered walkway can be added and couples can create a stunning themed interior with a choice of accessories including a black and white dancefloor, a divider to close off the dancefloor, staging for a band, statement chandeliers and round tables in various sizes or trestle tables. A free site visit is also available. 07873 403 589, www.abcpavilions.co.uk

CHESTERTON HOTEL BICESTER

Newly refurbished and under new ownership, the Chesterton Hotel Bicester is a stunning boutique hotel set on the edge of the Cotswolds on the fringes of the picturesque village of Chesterton. From the outside, this picturesque 16th-century farmhouse is every inch the quintessential Cotswolds stone building. Inside, stunning new interiors seamlessly blend mid-century modern with urban industrial design elements in striking visual contrast to its classic ‘cottage core’ exterior.

It’s home to 17 individually styled bedrooms with creature comforts including private Juliet balconies overlooking the garden, bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling black marble, plush carpet, king- or twin-sized beds, flatscreen televisions and Nespresso machines.

The elegant bar and brasserie boast on-trend black and white chequered flooring, an original fireplace and extensive menus. Mouthwatering dishes include classic beef tartare, lobster bisque, corn-fed chicken roulade and vegetarian and vegan options. The hotel is also known for its delicious cocktails and afternoon tea.

The public areas are comfortable and chic mixing smart leather with brass and touches of plush velvet, perfect for its fashion-forward clientele, many of whom check in for the designer shopping experience at nearby Bicester Village located two miles away. World heritage site Blenheim Palace is also close, just 10 miles away. The informal grounds are home to a peaceful water garden, soft green meadows and coppices and the property provides a picturesque wedding venue for up to 260 guests. 01869 326 550, www.thechestertonhotel.com