Maximalism in the Meadows

There are countryside inns, and then there’s the original Crazy Bear—a rural hideaway that swapped heritage chic for unabashed theatre long before maximalism had a name. Fifteen minutes south-east of Oxford, tucked between a fairy-lit woodland and rolling meadows, Crazy Bear Stadhampton opens into a world of copper bathtubs, quilted leather, mirrored ceilings, and deliberately low light. It’s romantic in the candlelit, late-night sense—a place people book for celebrations and special occasions, not spreadsheets and step counts.

The individually designed rooms range from cosy compact hideouts in the main house to more decadent private quarters in outbuildings and cottages. The look sits somewhere between speakeasy and boudoir: tactile walls, gleaming tubs, buttoned headboards, and billowing curtains. Our room was a definite scene-stealer: inky black velvet from floor to ceiling, a copper roll-top tub catching the light, and a marble-clad bathroom with a rain shower. Cocooning, indulgent, and completely transportive—it’s not a room you’ll forget quickly.

Food further anchors the sense of escapism. The long-running Thai Restaurant remains a crowd-pleaser with fragrant, generous plates made for sharing. OAK, the newer fine-dining room, is the headline act: a seasonal tasting menu, genial service, and a space that swaps bling for polish with its wood-clad walls and tufted banquettes. OAK is all about championing locally sourced ingredients, with dishes like heritage tomato with lovage and ricotta; loin of lamb with Jersey Royals and roasted carrots; and dry-aged ribeye with a red wine jus. There’s also a traditional Afternoon Tea and Sunday Roast on offer throughout the year.