We will be traveling to Oxford and Chester England the end of May and would like suggestions for nice Bed and Breakfasts in those cities. Budget is between 75 to 150 pounds.

"would like suggestions for nice Bed and Breakfasts in those cities"

Don't know about Chester - but as far as I'm aware there aren't any in Oxford. I've yet to see an Oxford B&B I'd let my worst enemy sleep in: if I let my dog near any of them I'd never forgive myself. Seem to be a few OK-looking places in surrounding small towns - but they're not Oxford.

But are you really looking for a B&B? £150 is way over the top for one, and I wonder if you're confusing our (generally pretty unassuming) B&Bs with those places in the US where they serve inedible, self-congratulatorily ostentatious breakfasts that always involve absurd things with blueberries?

If so: you'd probably be happier with what owners call boutique hotels, and we just call hotels: Oxford doesn't really have big hotels anyway.

Best value is probably the apparently charming Buttery - about as central as you can get and about £100. Chintziest is The Old Parsonage at the northern extremity of the city's walkable centre. The Old Bank is probably just above your budget - and in May possibly by quite a lot, but check it for your dates.

Not sure about Bath Place, a group of knocked together cottages. But it looks lovely on a cold winter night.

I have stayed at The Old Parsonage several times but no longer. Long story. I've also stayed at Bath Place ( a number of years ago) and was not pleased with my room. They use to have a very good restaurant, but I don't know if it's still there or not.

I would recommend two places...Marlbourgh House Hotel and Remont which falls into the boutique hotel category. Both, I believe, are within your price range. Marlbourgh House is on Woodstock Road, and The Remont is on Banbury Road. Both have good bus service (10/15 minutes) into Oxford. You do not want to drive into the centre of Oxford.

www.marlbhouse.co.uk
www.remont-oxford.co.uk

I will add that in my most recent visits to Oxford, I've stay at the Randolph.

We stayed at Pickford House, on the London Road, very very close to a bus stop from which we caught a short ride into Oxford. It was £100 for 3 of us; it was a large nice room with wonderful shower and nice porch onto a pretty backyard; breakfast was nice. Big parking lot; room on the bottom floor so no stairs; nice amenities; quiet. It's a B&B of the small hotel type, not room or two in personal residence type. As we had a car but planned to definitely not drive into Oxford, this was a great location. We don't have luxurious expectations, but this was definitely quite nice for us.

Can I stress that in Oxford there's a fundamental decision to be taken: how important is being in the historic centre?

Personally, I can't see the point of not. If you're going to stay in an anonymous suburb, you can do that more cheaply in towns well-connected by bus a few miles away (and more picturesquely in towns like Woodstock). Especially in term time (and VERY especially during the summer term), staying in the centre offers a unique (well du-ique: it'd be the same in Cambridge) experience, which, unless your budget's tight, it really is worth forking out for.

That's obviously a personal decision. But till you've done it, you just don't know what you'll have missed.

The Manderley B&B in Chester comes highly recommended.
www.manderleychester.co.uk

Thanks for all the suggestions. They were very helpful.

AARRGGGHHH! I mis-typed!! It's PICKWICK not Pickford House--15-17 London Road. meaculpa!

I'd agree that staying outside Oxford city centre misses out on the unique feel of the city. There are simply very few cities like it in the world.

We stayed at The Eastgate which is a smallish hotel within your budget and was fine. Indeed, the free upgrade to a huge suite was more than fine. It is on The High Street over from Queens and just down from the Old Bank. Friends stayed at The Old Bank during the same weekend. We backed out of a reservation there, as they quoted £350 which in view of their facilities just isn't value.

If you do stay in the city centre be careful of your room position. Street front rooms give incredible views but the students are not known for creeping home after hours.