The Relais Henley

The hotel's prime riverside location adjacent to the historic bridge is its signature feature, offering atmospheric views of the Thames and easy access to the town. Guests consistently praise the hotel's recent refurbishment, which has transformed it into a stylish, comfortable, and elegant establishment blending historic charm with modern amenities. The exceptional staff are frequently highlighted for their friendly, welcoming, attentive, and professional service, making every guest feel well-cared for. The high food quality, particularly in the restaurant, receives widespread acclaim, contributing significantly to a memorable stay. Furthermore, the hotel maintains a reputation for consistent cleanliness and comfortable accommodations. This hotel is ideal for couples seeking a romantic getaway or celebrating special occasions, sightseers and tourists due to its central location, and families looking for a welcoming venue for celebrations. To enhance your stay, consider requesting a room with a river view for the best experience, but be aware that some river-facing rooms may experience road noise. Also, utilize the nearby station car park as on-site parking is limited.

Facilities & Amenities
Guests appreciate the hotel's well-appointed facilities, which contribute to a comfortable and enjoyable stay. The cosy bar and inviting lounge areas provide pleasant spaces for relaxation and drinks. A standout feature is the beautiful courtyard garden, described as an oasis of calm, perfect for enjoying coffee, wine, or snacks, and frequently utilized for private events and celebrations. Guests consistently praise the excellent Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the property. In-room tea and coffee making facilities are provided, though some guests have noted issues with the quality of the tea or wished for more variety. While rooms include a TV, some visitors expressed a desire for smart TV capabilities. The hotel also features a convenient cafe at its entrance, offering good coffee and cakes. Modern comforts like effective air-conditioning and luxurious heated bathroom floors are highly valued. Additionally, the hotel offers various private dining rooms and function rooms, making it a popular choice for hosting special events.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
The hotel consistently receives high praise for its spotless cleanliness and the overall comfort of its accommodations. Guests frequently highlight the comfortable beds, often described as huge, ensuring a restful night's sleep with quality linen and pillows. Room sizes vary, with many guests enjoying spacious rooms, while some found their accommodations, particularly certain courtyard rooms, to be quite small, posing challenges for luggage or movement. The bathrooms are generally well-appointed, modern, and clean, with many featuring luxurious heated floors and good showers, though some found shower cubicles to be small or water not consistently hot. Feedback on noise levels is mixed; most guests report quiet rooms, especially those with effective soundproofing. However, some river-facing rooms can experience road noise or late-night music from the river, and occasional internal noise from neighboring rooms has been noted. While rooms are generally well-maintained and recently refurbished, a few older rooms were described as feeling dated.

Dining & Food Quality
The hotel's dining experience is a significant highlight for many guests, with the restaurant consistently receiving praise for its excellent food quality. Dishes are frequently described as delicious, superb, and top-quality, prepared by a talented chef. The restaurant itself offers a beautiful decor and a relaxed ambiance, complemented by a good wine list. Breakfast generally receives high marks for being delicious, plentiful, and offering a varied choice, including freshly cooked hot options like pancakes. However, some guests experienced a chaotic breakfast buffet with limited choices, items not replenished, and issues with coffee quality or service, such as cold or weak coffee and a lack of refills. The dinner menu, while sometimes noted as fairly limited, features highly praised dishes like monkfish, beef wellington, and mussels. Bar snacks are also considered first-class. The afternoon tea experience is frequently lauded as excellent, generous, and beautifully presented, with freshly prepared sandwiches, warm scones, and homemade cakes.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel's central location is consistently highlighted as one of its strongest assets. Situated directly on the river and adjacent to the historic bridge, it offers picturesque views and immediate access to riverside walks. Guests find it incredibly convenient for exploring the town, as it is within easy walking distance of numerous shops, cafes, restaurants, and market stalls. The proximity to the train station is also a significant advantage, providing easy access for arrivals and departures. While the hotel itself has no on-site parking, this is a widely acknowledged point. Most guests utilize the long stay car park at the nearby station, which is typically a five-minute walk away and considered safe, though some found the walk challenging with luggage, especially in inclement weather. A small dropping off area is available at the front of the hotel. Despite the parking situation, the hotel's prime position makes it an ideal base for experiencing the local area.

Staff & Service
The staff and service at the hotel consistently receive glowing reviews, with guests frequently describing the team as excellent, very friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The reception staff are particularly praised for their efficiency, helpfulness, and willingness to go above and beyond, often providing personal tours of the hotel and local recommendations. The check-in process is generally smooth and quick. Restaurant staff are highlighted for their professionalism, attentiveness, and high level of service, contributing significantly to enjoyable dining experiences. Housekeeping is noted for its thoroughness, ensuring rooms are spotlessly clean and offering thoughtful touches like turn-down service and welcome cards. Most guests feel that nothing is too much trouble for the staff, who are dedicated to making each stay comfortable and memorable. While the vast majority of feedback is positive, a few isolated comments mentioned instances of staff appearing distracted or service being slower during busy periods. The hotel also offers pet-friendly service and is accommodating for family events.

Additional Information
Guests should be aware that while the hotel is a beautifully refurbished historic building with modern functionality, some rooms retain quirky features such as sloping floors or low beams, adding to its character. The hotel is a popular choice for celebrations and special occasions, with staff often providing thoughtful touches like complimentary sparkling wine, chocolates, or room decorations for anniversaries and birthdays. The hotel maintains a pet-friendly policy, welcoming guests traveling with their dogs. A point frequently raised by guests is the hotel's service charge policy; a 12% service charge is often applied to bar drinks, which some guests found unexpected or not clearly communicated, particularly when ordering directly at the bar. This detail is worth noting for those planning to enjoy the hotel's bar facilities.