The Crazy Bear in Stadhampton was the first Crazy Bear that formed the blueprint for the rest of the chain and is responsible for putting Stadhampton on the map. The village itself is a few miles off the M40, south of Oxford, and is well-placed for a weekend escape from the city.
The building itself is a converted pub, the rooms are cottages that the hotel has bought over the years and converted into accommodation. The reception is a converted London Routemaster and there are curious wooden statues all over the garden. If that doesn’t give you a clue as to what the Crazy Bear is all about, nothing will.
The brand is an eccentric one, but in a good way. The decoration is over the top, flamboyant and luxurious and really does make you smile. Being the original of the chain, this venue was slightly more understated than the others, as if they were finding their feet before letting their creativity loose.
Each room has a theme, the Purple Infinity Suite for example is decked out in purple, the jet black room is just that.
“The Crazy Bear is an eccentric one, but in a good way.”
The reception bus has been converted with covered windows and leather seating throughout. It’s a quirky but comfortable process, although we have no idea how comfortable it would be in winter.
After check-in, we were then escorted to our Silver Infinity Suite on a golf cart. The entrance to the suites is through an ordinary-looking cottage nearby. All hints of what lie inside are well disguised.
Our suite was in the eaves of the building and had a lovely big bed to one side, a seating area, black chaise, velvet padded walls, large Velux windows in the roof and chandeliers throughout.
There was no distinct bathroom, it formed part of the bedroom, with a bath and wet room at one end. The two areas were separated by a corner. The bath was lovely and watching it fill from the tap in the ceiling was an event in itself.
The bed was lovely, painted in silver and had a comfortable mattress. The pillows were fresh and plump and the bed linen was crisp and white. Everything to give us a great nights’ sleep, which we had.
The room was great, the decoration and furnishing, while opulent and a little over the top, it has a sense of humour about it that is quite endearing. The rest of the hotel is much the same.
The wooden statues in the garden, the bus, the fairy lights everywhere and the myriad of decorative touches throughout offers a touch of class with a touch of madness in equal measure. It’s a nice place to spend time and it makes a nice change from chain hotels and anonymous colour schemes.
The rest of the hotel is just as interesting as our room. It has an English and Thai restaurant, a lovely bar with wooden beams and chandeliers in alcoves and a nice terrace where you can sit outside and have a drink or two when the weather is agreeable.
Our stay at The Crazy Bear was entirely positive, our experience was great. It is one hotel that really does live up to its name. The service was great, the décor is fascinating and we would recommend the chain to anyone who would like to try something a little different.
The Bill: £345 per night
