Europe/UK Sep'17: Malmaison Oxford - A Luxurious Prison Stay

Serving your jail time would be a breeze if every prison were like Malmaison Oxford - This boutique hotel in the heart of Oxford used to be a Victorian jail and was in use as a prison all the way until 1996 when it closed down and the building got sold off to the Malmaison hotel chain.

If you're planning a short getway from London to visit the famous town of Oxford (Oxford University!), I highly highly recommend staying in the trendy cell rooms of Malmaison Oxford, it was an experience like no other! 

Getting to Oxford

The train journey from London Paddington and Oxford took just 1 hour 10 minutes, and in no time at all, we found ourselves at Oxford train station, ready to begin our short Oxford exploration!


From London to Oxford - Price per ticket: 25 pounds


Malmaison Oxford is just a short distance away from the station - We had a driver booked to bring us to the hotel, but it is most definitely within walking distance, especially in cool weather, as it was in September.


Our first look at Malmaison Oxford - Love the stone structures and crumbling old facade, a stark contrast to the hip and luxurious interiors the former prison has been refurbished with.


Inside Malmaison Oxford  Old architectural elements like the original prison cells and ceilings have been preseved to date.


As a converted prison-into-boutique-hotel, I absolutely love how the cell structures, windows and doors of Malmaison Oxford have been kept intact but given the lux make-over into the coolest prison-themed hotel you might ever stay in!

We went on a tour of the building grounds, and I was intrigued to view the one and only prison cell inside Malmaison Oxford that has been preserved in its original form.


Three prisoners to one tiny prison cell, must have been rather miserable back in those days. I wonder what those inmates would think of Malmaison Oxford's new and improved rooms?


Gorgeous communal areas with the original prison stairs and landings that have been kept.


The standard rooms have been converted from three adjoining cells, each bedroom is made up of two cells while the bathroom takes up one cell - Good thing plumbing has been upgraded from its prison days to a very luxurious and posh bathroom with standing tub!

Love the attention to details, like the prison-themed carpet motifs!


The light and airy converted cell-to-bathroom definitely didn't look the least bit like it belonged in a prison.


Original prison cell doors that have been preserved.




It's easier to imagine Malmaison Oxford as a prison when wandering down its dimly lit corridors and stairwells that have been left in a semi-dilapidated looking state that I personally found very charming and full of character.

We were fortunate enough to stay in one of Malmaison Oxford's Duplex Suites, this split-level room was super posh and luxurious, with a small balcony overlooking castle grounds and a superbly comfortable bed as well as huge bathroom with rain shower!

A pretty fabulous selection for the mini-bar, too!


I absolutely loved the huge standing tub that came with generous-sized amenities with tongue-in-cheek names, check them out below!


"Better Shower Gel Than You Have At Home" and "The Best Shampoo You Will Ever Steal", love the quirky sense of humour!


Oh, and no better welcome than a pair of edible chocolate handcuffs.. Completely in theme and actually rather delicious too!


We took a walk and explored around the grounds before heading down to Chez Mal Brasserie for dinner!

We had a hearty dinner at Chez Mal Brasserie, their menu offers an impressive range of dishes that were delicious and decadent with the freshest seasonal ingredients. You can also hang around before/after dinner for drinks at Malbar, and just soak in the great ambience!

Breakfast is also available at the brasserie in the morning, and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast! Apart from ordering ala carte off the breakfast menu, you can also choose from a huge selection of pastries, yoghurts, fruits, freshly-squeezed juices, tea and coffee, and so much more that we completely stuffed ourselves to the brim!






Breakfast is most definitely one of my favourite meals of the day. Look how much food we overloaded our table with.


Eggs benedict, simple and yet so delicious!


Craving for something quintessentially British? Go for the smoked kipper that was surprisingly tasty and flavoursome. We enjoyed it so much we even ordered ourselves a second serving!


Don't forget to explore the grounds as well as the neighbouring Oxford Castle where you can climb the Norman Castle Mound and check out the panoramic views from St George's Tower!

(PS. Sign up for one of Oxford Castle's Ghost Hunt tours for a spooktacular evening during your stay too, if you're not afraid to be spooked out!)

There is plenty to explore in Oxford, from the historically famous Bodleian Library, University of Oxford to checking out the Harry Potter filming locations, so you gotta stay at least one night at Oxford!




Staying at Malmaison Oxford was truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and if you love a hotel stay that's memorable, different and unique, you've got to book yourself into Malmaison Oxford! After all, how many people get to do jail time without actually being jailed? Heh.

About Malmaison Oxford

Oxford Castle, 3 New Rd, Oxford OX1 1AY, UK
Phone: +44 1865 689944

Malmaison Oxford's website here

Malmaison Oxford is just one of many gorgeous properties managed by Frasers Hospitality. Thank you, Frasers Hospitality for putting me up! I'll be sharing on more properties across UK/Europe, so stay tuned :)

Europe/UK Sep'17

FRASER SUITES QUEENS GATE, LONDON - I LOVE SERVICED APARTMENTS
HOTEL DU VIN WIMBLEDON, LONDON - NOT JUST TENNIS
MALMAISON OXFORD - A LUXURIOUS PRISON STAY
CAPRI BY FRASER BERLIN - EXPLORING BERLIN

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Europe/UK Sep'17: Fraser Suites Queens Gate, London - I Love Serviced Apartments

This trip to Europe and the United Kingdom encompasses a series of firsts for me. My first Europe road trip (drove inter-country from Berlin to Prague!), my first time in London (yeap that's right!), my first time watching a musical on West End, and also, my first time staying in serviced apartments - I'm now a convert, thanks to Frasers Hospitality!

I was put up at Fraser Suites Queens Gate for a few days during my time in London - My first taste of what staying in a serviced apartment feels like, and boy, could I get used to it! ;)

Why stay in a serviced apartment?

It being my first time staying in serviced apartments in all of my thirty years, I have to rave about how complete the entire experience felt - It was the luxury of a hotel with the comforts and facilities of home married together in one space!

Hotels are a wonderfully indulgent experience and great to stay in for short periods, but those travelling on longer trips (be it for leisure or business), will most definitely enjoy the flexibility and space a serviced apartment can offer you.

*Feels like home, but even better

With a larger square area to boot, separate spaces like a kitchen/bedroom/living area, a serviced apartment was such a pleasant change and felt like I was coming "home" every day although I was in a foreign country!

*Increased productivity

The separate living spaces also aided productivity somehow, instead of going straight to my hotel bed and going straight to sleep like I usually do, it was possible to set up a comfortable work space in the living room away from the bed.

*Home-cooked meals

When staying in a foreign country for an extended period of time, chances are that you'll really start to miss the comforts of home-cooked food! What with the amazing array of produce available in London, we were able to whip up our own dinners and suppers that were both economical and delicious.

*More bang for your buck

For long-term stays, a 4* serviced apartment might cost the same or even slightly lower than a 4* hotel room, yet you get so much more space and additional amenities/faclities! This makes even more sense if you're travelling as a family or in a small group of 3-4 pax, which will lower the costs per head even further.

Fraser Suites Queens Gate

Back to Fraser Suites Queens Gate! I really enjoyed my stay at both Fraser Suites Queens Gate and Fraser Suites Kensington (minimum stay policy of 7 days - I'll be talking about this property in a later post), both are located just a short 3-minute walk away from Gloucester Road tube station, an 8-minute walk from the Victoria and Albert Museum, and 10-minute walk from Kensington Gardens park.


Dressed in: Uniqlo coat, Uniqlo turtleneck, American Eagle jeans, Zara booties

Taken outside Fraser Suites Queens Gate, in a gorgeous neighbourhood with stunning Victorian architecture that exudes a timeless classic charm reminiscent of the 19th-century heritage and ambience.


I stayed in Fraser Suites Queens Gate's One Bedroom Apartment - Suitable for business travellers with smaller family units, and extremely spacious for two pax with separate living, dining, kitchen and bedroom areas.

Home away from home was made even better with complimentary Wi-Fi access, daily housekeeping services, 24/7 reception and concierge services, 24/7 security and CCTV surveillance. My stay was completely worry-free as the apartment was well-equipped and I felt safe and secure at all times, knowing that I could call on reception around the clock.


My eyes lit up upon setting foot into the bathroom! I always appreciate the luxury of a bath tub when I'm overseas, a hot bath is the best thing to look forward to after an entire day out travelling and exploring. The bathroom was spotlessly clean and well-maintained with a stack of white fluffy towels and a shelf-full of amenities.


L'Occitan toiletries provided for the utmost indulgence, so very much appreciated!

What sets a serviced apartment apart from just a regular hotel room, of course, is the kitchen facilities.

The kitchenette at  Fraser Suites Queens Gate doesn't just come with a convection stove and a microwave, but even a kettle, a toaster and a set of knives! Should you need to heat up food or prep a simple meal, you're all set.

If you're staying at Fraser Suites Queens Gate, you might also be happy to know that there is also a breakfast selection available at The Dining Room as well!


My favourite part of the entire apartment of course, the bedroom. I got an excellent night's sleep on the luxuriously comfortable bed that I almost didn't want to get up from in the morning.




View from the balcony!


Just a few minutes walk away, you'd reach Gloucester Road station, from which the rest of London is easily accessible! We took the tube to Camden Market and Oxford Street, and I'll be sharing in another upcoming entry about my quick and dirty guide to spending a few days in London. More to come on that!


First time in the tube deserves a picture :D

Although I've promised that I'll be sharing my quick and dirty guide to London shortly, I need to talk about this restaurant, because it's just within walking distance to Fraser Suites Queens Gate and is so good!

A big thank you to Justina from Fraser Suites for bringing us out for dinner at this lovely tapas restaurant, it was a wonderful meal. If you're staying at Kensington, you really ought to spend an evening in this place!

Casa Brindisa South Kensington

7-9 Exhibition Rd, Kensington, London SW7 2HE, UK
Phone: +44 20 7590 0008

Classic Spanish tapas and charcuterie in a lively, glass-fronted restaurant with an open kitchen.








We had an array of tapas, which are little plates/snacks in Spanish cuisine, now evolved into a sophisticated art such that tapas restaurants such as Casa Brindisa serve up an entire menu of tapas to make a full meal.

I loved every single dish - Each one was executed with perfect culinary precision and exceedingly well-balanced, from the textures to its rich flavours. They say that London is the melting pot of Europe and I really can't disagree, this was as good as I ever had in the original tapas city of Barcelona, Spain. Highly-recommended!

After a deeply satisfying meal, it was just a ten minutes walk back to Fraser Suites Queens Gate, where my night was spent in sweet slumber.

London has turned out to be one of my favourite cities on the continent of Europe, and I've fallen in love with the charm of this old yet modern city, with its rich culture, diverse history and beautiful sights. If you're looking for a great place to stay in London, Fraser Suites Queens Gate is a lovely property that will most definitely make London feel like your second home.

About Fraser Suites Queens Gate

39B Queen's Gate Gardens, Kensington, London SW7 5RR, UK
Phone: +44 20 7969 3555

Fraser Suites Queens Gate's website here

Fraser Suites Queens Gate is just one of many gorgeous properties managed by Frasers Hospitality. Thank you, Frasers Hospitality for putting me up! I'll be sharing on more properties across UK/Europe, so stay tuned :)

Europe/UK Sep'17

FRASER SUITES QUEENS GATE, LONDON - I LOVE SERVICED APARTMENTS
HOTEL DU VIN WIMBLEDON, LONDON - NOT JUST TENNIS
MALMAISON OXFORD - A LUXURIOUS PRISON STAY
CAPRI BY FRASER BERLIN - EXPLORING BERLIN

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