Oakley Court

About the venue

Gothic Victorian mansion of 1859 on a private stretch of the Thames at Water Oakley, just downriver from Windsor. Exclusive-use weddings seat 140 in The Big Room, and meeting rooms take 8 to 140. There are 95 bedrooms by Eagle & Hodges, a riverside restaurant run with Soho House, a pool and tennis courts.

Queen Elizabeth II once came to Oakley Court by boat, from Windsor Castle a short way upriver. The Prince Imperial of France and President de Gaulle were earlier guests at the Gothic mansion, which dates from 1859. It stands on a private stretch of the Thames called Water Oakley, in 35 acres of gardens between Windsor, Bray and Eton.

The bedrooms were recently refurbished by Eagle & Hodges, mixing British-made fabrics with Modernist and mid-century furniture. Rooms in the Mansion House keep their Victorian detailing, while the Boathouse and Garden rooms have bold colours, one-off antiques and period-style bathrooms. Every room has a bath, and most look over the river. Some of the furniture is for sale.

Food runs on the kitchen garden and a set of guest chefs. On Friday and Saturday nights Shimizu Akira cooks a 10-seat omakase in the Sitting Room, served at one long table on handmade Japanese ceramics. He mixes Japanese technique with British and European produce, so croissants can turn up in the sushi. River House, run with Soho House, opens at summer weekends for hotel guests and members, and afternoon tea is served in The Parlour.

For weddings and large events the whole estate can be booked. Exclusive use covers all 95 bedrooms and every event space, plus the lounges, the Terrace Restaurant and the grounds. Bicycles and self-drive boats come with it. Residents get an indoor pool, steam room, infrared sauna, gym and two tennis courts. Dogs are welcome in every bedroom and dining area, and central London is under an hour away.

Gothic Victorian mansion dating from 1859

Private stretch of the Thames near Windsor

35 acres with a kitchen garden

95 bedrooms designed by Eagle & Hodges

Exclusive-use weddings; 140 seated in The Big Room

Meeting rooms for 8 to 140

10-seat omakase with chef Shimizu Akira

Dog-friendly throughout