Strike receives a copy of the Lula Landry police file from Wardle, and proceeds to read through it.  He learns that Tony Landry, John and Lula’s uncle, had attended a conference on international developments in family law on the day before Lula’s death, and had then stayed overnight at the Malmaison Hotel (Part 3, Ch 1)

After noticing some inconsistencies, Strike makes a note to confirm Tony Landry’s whereabouts on the relevant days.  However, Robin takes the initiative and heads to Oxford herself.  The next day she tells Strike about her visit. ‘Do you know they’ve made a hotel out of an old prison?’ (Part 4, Ch 9)

She tells Strike ‘It’s quite nice, actually.’  

Robin tells Strike that she spoke to the hotel staff, first pretending to be Alison, and then saying that she is Tony Landry’s girlfriend.

Robin successfully extracts the information she needs from the receptionist, and Strike is impressed (Part 4, Ch 9).

You can find the Malmaison Oxford on the map below:

Address: 3 New Road, Oxford OX1 1AY