Oxford accommodation choices are leaving me cold
 

As appealing as the Old Bank and the Old Parsonage Hotel look, I can't afford to stay at such places while in Oxford this spring. I've researched a number of other hotels and B&Bs but many, it seems, get poor reviews despite high prices and/or are far away. For visiting the area around the lower part of Woodstock Road, if the city centre isn't an option, would it make sense to stay toward the north? I don't mind walking a mile or two (won't have a car) but I would like to be where restaurants are nearby to avoid wandering far on my own at night. It's hard to get a sense of which area might be nicer than another. Would Summertown be a reasonable choice for me? Or should I just bite the bullet and stay in the centre of town?

Although this is only 12 minutes old, I'm going to piggyback to keep it at the top. I too am confused about accommodations in Oxford. Prices seem very high and nothing is looking appealing. I will be following this thread, too.

Have you considered the Eastgate? I stayed there many years ago, and thought the location very good. It still seems to get good reviews.

We stayed in the Mercure, Oxford a couple of years ago. It was a short walk from the centre of town, but still had plenty happening in that area (food, shops etc).

It was close to the walk that takes you around the river, giving lovely views back across the college fields towards the sandstone buildings.

The hotel was a little on the quaint side, but the furnishings were up to date, the bathroom clean, the bed comfortable - it ticked all the essential boxes for us, without being top drawer.

The coach from Heathrow as well as local buses all stopped either just across the road, or almost outside the door, so we had no problems with not having a car either. Di

Will you be there after the end of the academic year? If so, you could stay in one of the colleges. See http://www.oxfordrooms.co.uk/. I think there may be a few rooms available during term as well.

We had the same problem a few years ago and ended up staying at a Premier Inn, a few miles outside Oxford. That's not going to help the OP, though, if they don't have a car.

Kay

Can you give us an idea of your budget for either a single or double?

Yes -- what is your budget? Oxford is not an inexpensive place to stay.

There are a number of good B&B's, some along Woodstock and Banbury Roads which have frequent bus service to Oxford Centre. Budget??

My grandmother and I got a superb deal through booking.com on the MacDonald Randolf Hotel, otherwise known as The Randolf. It's 5 Stars and directly opposite the Ashmolean Museum. The location couldn't be better! We walked all over Oxford from there! We caught the bus out to Blenheim Palace/Woodstock and it was all very convenient. I suppose it depends how much you have to spend, The Randolf is on the expensive side, but we got it at almost half price and were only staying two days. The upper-class accents of all the hotel staff and the beautiful location are all pluses! The price of breakfast there ( 14 pounds per person ) is not. Still, it's a gorgeous hotel with loads of character and history ( The Inklings used to have meetings and dinner guests there on occasion ) and I would highly recommend it:)!

I am hoping to stay for under £125 per night. Of course, even less would be better.

tuscanlifeedit: Glad I'm not the only one struggling with Oxford!

kja & di2315: The Mercure Eastgate is showing at about £110, so that is a possibility. I had looked at it before but it's good to read the comments here. The nearby riverside walk would be right up my alley.

thursdaysd: I will be there in early May.

KayF: What is 'OP'?

historytraveler: Are there particular B&Bs in that area that you like?

Irishwhistler: The MacDonald Randolf Hotel appears to be out of my price range, but maybe better rates are available.

Does anyone have an opinion on The Buttery? It's showing single occupancy rates from 65 to 95. Is it a bit dumpy?

Thanks for all your replies.

April, OP is you, the Original Poster.

"I will be there in early May."

http://www.oxfordrooms.co.uk/ shows en-suite rooms at Keble college (with breakfast in their gorgeous hall) just in your price range for at least some dates in May. There are other rooms at other colleges for much less, but not en-suite.

The Buttery is where I stay. Friendly staff, decent rooms (not at all what I'd call dumpy), full breakfast included and right smack in the middle of town.

Bookmarking . . .

There are quite a few B&B's in the Headington area within that budget which we have yet to try. They are supposed to be a 10 minute bus ride into the city centre.

I stayed at the Randolph - excellent location and I agree with Irishwhistler - a great stay! I got a really good deal on Booking.com too. I had a hard time with Oxford too - but then found the great price on this one.

" if the city centre isn't an option, would it make sense to stay toward the north? I "

There are no restaurants or pubs on Woodstock Rd north of Somerville College. There's an OK-ish clutch of places about a mile or so north on Banbury Rd (almost parallel to Woodstock Rd), in the reasonably bustly shopping strip at Summertown, though you might find it further than you're happy walking. Apart from Summertown, both roads are virtually entirely late 19th c residential/academic from Somerville to the ring road (c 2 miles), where there's a cluster of Legoland chain hotels.

Which said: Oxford hotels are generally pricier than their London equivalents, there's no prospect of any significant increase in room numbers ever, but individual places may have offers from time to time. Unlike most English cities, midweek tends to be their offseason: the city doesn't really have an offseason time of the year, except for bits of Jan/Feb.

jubiladaon: Ah. Thanks. :-)

thursdaysd: This is a very interesting option. For my dates I'm seeing St Stephen's House, St Hugh's College, and Somerville College. Keble College must be unavailable for one of my dates, which is unfortunate because it has a single ensuite. I 'need' my own bathroom.

MmePerdu: Thank you. It was hard to tell from the few photos on their website.

europeannovice: That is an area I hadn't considered.

fleur64: On the booking site I'm seeing £ 592.22 for three nights at the Randolph for my dates. It has the Mercure for £ 365. A location near the Botanic Gardens appeals to me. Did you go there?

Thanks, everyone. I am feeling more hopeful about places to stay in Oxford.

Sorry, flanneruk - I somehow missed your post before. I'm curious to know what area (or hotel) would be your preference.

http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-6668...te-hotel/index from 70-80 quid for me great place
londontown.com booking.com lots of other cheaper places with honest reviews.

JRR Tolkein the Lord of the Rings author used to live next door.So a super nice place location with lots of character at a great price. "Inkwell" society aka "the inkies" used to meet there CS Lewis Narnia author and all the gang.

Wow - that is steep! If I were doing it again, I might try the college residence. I met a few people who were doing the Oxford Experience and swore by the residences.

"I'm curious to know what area (or hotel) would be your preference."

I don't do hotel recommendations in SE England. Never stay in them: never really darken any of their doors.

BUT if I were a tourist in Oxford or Cambridge, I'd try to stay in a college (if possible south of Keble, west of St Hilda's and east of Nuffield) because you get a unique opportunity to stay in an enclosed Medieval/Tudor/Jacobean community. I'd accept that even if that means a "new" (post 1800) bedroom, its facilities are going to be a lot worse than almost any hotel - but make sure the accommodation was within the historic college.

If most Prime Ministers put up with it for three years (and the properly educated among them did for four), a night's dodgy hot water's not going to hurt you.

i would also second staying in one of the colleges as it will be a different experience to the norm and is one of the most historic universities in the world and smack bang in the centre of Oxford.

http://www.oxfordrooms.co.uk/

"its facilities are going to be a lot worse than almost any hotel "

Lol. Actually, the Keble en-suite single I stayed in last March had only one problem - way too hot! The bathroom (and hot water) was fine, the bedroom a good size and the desk enormous. It was very quiet, despite looking over the quad, but since it was Easter there were very few students in residence. It was reasonable walking distance to the center, and there was a bus stop nearby. You can buy dinner in hall some nights, besides eating breakfast there.

I still haven't sorted the photos from that trip, but my Keble photos, including some of the room, are here: http://kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/R...2010-11/Oxford - password oxford.

qwovadison - That site is showing about £110 per night for the Mercure for my dates. Thanks for the link to the London site - it's one I hadn't seen.

flanneruk: I know you don't do hotel recommendations but figured you'd know the area well. Dodgy hot water is ok with me as long as I have my own bathroom, which, I guess, would leave St Stephen's House at £99.00 a night.

thursdaysdon: For me, being too hot is better than being too cold. What time were breakfasts served? Thank you for showing your photos.

Thanks, all!

Buttery room photos here: http://tinyurl.com/6slcam9

There's just 1 single, @ €55+, small but comfortable.

April - sorry, I don't remember the times for breakfast, which might also be different in term or out, weekend or week. Since I don't remember, I assume they weren't much different from B&Bs.

Correction re Buttery single, make that £55+. But you knew that.

Yes, I knew what you meant, MmePerduon. ;-) I'd have to go a day later to get that room, or get a Standard Room - Single Occupancy for £265.00 for the three nights. Or switch rooms after the first night.

There could be a big flaw in my plan, however. The dates as they stand have me leaving Oxford on a Sunday. I read somewhere that car rental outfits in Oxford aren't open on weekends (or Sundays anyway). I wanted to rent a car and head out to the Cotswolds. So I'd either have to leave a day earlier or stay an extra day... but do I really want four nights in Oxford when the Cotswolds beckon?

Oh my. To make matters worse, I just realized that is the May Day weekend so presumably car rental outfits wouldn't be open on Monday, the 7th, either.

Once again, things aren't falling into place for Oxford. I'm beginning to wonder if I should go there on a day trip, or reverse the order and visit the Cotswolds first. The order only really matters in my head as I'd rather keep places that involve ancestry together.

Thanks, thursdaysd.

Ok, I think I've got it now. Because of the car rental issue, I think my stay in Oxford will have to be cut down to two nights. I can always return later if I want to.

Thank you for your thoughtful advice, everyone.