The Netty - The Loo That Became a Room: Oxford's Underground Hotel

In a city already famous for turning unlikely buildings into accommodations – from former jails to converted banks – Oxford has outdone itself. The Netty, which opened in June 2025, takes the concept of unconventional lodging to its logical extreme: a boutique hotel carved out of a Victorian-era underground public toilet.

With just two suites, The Netty claims the title of Britain's smallest hotel, proving that sometimes the most memorable experiences come in the tiniest packages.

The name is a playful nod to northern English slang for an outhouse, and the two-suite hotel sits directly beneath the busy streets of central Oxford on St Giles', just steps from the Martyrs' Memorial and the Ashmolean Museum.

From Public Convenience to Private Luxury

The gentlemen's toilets first opened in 1895, serving Oxford's growing population during the height of the Victorian era. For over a century, they provided a necessary public service until safety concerns forced their closure in 2008. What followed was 17 years of abandonment, with the fenced-off entrance becoming what local civic society chairman Ian Green called "an eyesore and a very poor welcome for tourists."

Oxford business owner Gwyn Harries-Jones eventually purchased the site, though various development plans stalled for 11 years before the hotel project finally moved forward. The owners of the Galaxie Hotel in Summertown received planning permission in 2019, with Oxford City Council noting the project would respect the "special character, setting, features of special architectural or historic interest" of nearby listed buildings.

Descending Into Design

The hotel's most striking feature reveals itself immediately: there's no traditional entrance. Instead, you access each of the two suites via individual street-level staircases that plunge directly from the pavement into the underground chambers. It's an arrival that immediately signals this won't be your typical hotel experience.

Once you descend those stairs, the utilitarian origins of the space become apparent – and celebrated. Original Victorian floor tiles remain underfoot, their geometric patterns now part of the design scheme rather than mere historical remnant.

London-based interior designer Rachael Gowdridge took inspiration from the hotel's distinguished neighbors. The nearby Ashmolean Museum, with its collection of ancient casts, influenced some of the bedroom artwork, while the Oxford Playhouse provided theatrical cues – most notably in the arched, curtained shower entryways that evoke stage entrances.

The ceilings, finished in high-gloss treatments, catch and reflect what little natural light filters down through the pavement glass above.

The interiors balance acknowledgment of the building's past with contemporary luxury. Custom tapestry-covered headboards dominate the sleeping areas, crafted by heritage French company Pinton, while Pierre Frey shower curtains add another layer of textile luxury.

High cistern toilets in pink and blue offer a colorful update on Victorian municipal facilities, while small stainless-steel trough sinks reference the original washroom fixtures.

Rather than hiding the space's quirky origins, Gowdridge embraced them. Rich textures and vintage pieces layer throughout both suites, creating what she describes as spaces that feel "both rooted and unexpected." The design walks a careful line – honoring the building's history without turning it into a novelty act.