Cheap accommodation in Oxford?

first78

I've got a friend in Brazil who wanted to come to Oxford for 2 weeks in July next year with her husband to attend a teaching course. They are trying to find somewhere to stay but can't afford more than £200 per week.

I've explained that Oxford is a pretty expensive place and just wondered if anyone can suggest anywhere they may be able to look for accommodation. Thanks.

paddyrg

Best bet is to ask the course organiser in case they know of a family who takes in students as lodgers. £200/week is not a lot for anywhere in the country, Oxford is not a cheap city. There are hostels, but I'd try through the course organiser first

susancs

first78 wrote: »

I've got a friend in Brazil who wanted to come to Oxford for 2 weeks in July next year with her husband to attend a teaching course. They are trying to find somewhere to stay but can't afford more than £200 per week.

I've explained that Oxford is a pretty expensive place and just wondered if anyone can suggest anywhere they may be able to look for accommodation. Thanks.

I doubt that they will be able to find accomodation in Oxford in JUly for less than £30 a night for two people. I had a quick look at hostels and even for two beds in a dorm it would cost more than that per night. If they upped their budget they might be able to find accomodation in someones flat/house on airbnb. Travelodge rooms are about £50 a night (but only go up until next June 2017 currently).

Tuesday_Tenor

As you seem to know, the words 'cheap accommodation' and 'Oxford' don't really fit into the same sentence!

Where is the course? That would influence how central they need to be. Dates? I've been randomly using two weeks starting Juy 8th.

The budget isn't very realistic, tho there are possibilities. £250 p.w. wouls still be very limiting, but more possible.

I can only really echo the suggestions already offered, and offer a few more options, tho nothing cheaper.

1) Course organisers - surely they must have some lists and pointers?

2) AirBnB: this is probably your best bet. There are a few places, often room in flat/house shared with owner, offering double room for 2 weeks for £28-£40/night, some of them very central.
If you find something suitable I would book ASAP as July is peak holiday time. Even on AirBnB the AVERAGE price for a double room for those dates in Oxford is £98/night, so these cheap places will be the first to get booked. Looking a year ahead, you might be OK.

3) Backpackers hostels. There are 4 of these in Oxford (google for them). Theoretically, you can get a bed within the budget quoted BUT (a) only in a shared dormitory and (b) the YHA one is ALREADY fully booked for 8th-22nd July 2017 ! I checked other dates to make sure it wasn't a mistake - no, genuinely booked, some availability at the very end of July.

4) University accommodation, as it's out of term time. This is what I use for RELATIVELY cheap accommodation in Oxford:
https://www.universityrooms.com
The different colleges at the university have very different types of rooms available, some very ancient, some very modern. Varied bases, with or without breakfast, and a few self-catering units. Lots of single rooms but quite a few twin/doubles as well. I've stayed in some beautiful historic colleges for a rate I find very good value.
HOWEVER:
A) The different colleges put their availability on the website at different times. Many only do so quite late, once their conference and other block bookings are finalised. At the moment only one college, Keble, is listing anything for July 2017. Conversely, my favourite rooms in Christchurch College have become available for Sepember 2016, but were not there when I last looked a couple of months ago.
I think the cheapest double room I've ever spotted would be about £45/night. (Many are much more). This is superb value for Central Oxford but still outside the budget you quoted.

5) Other student accommodation vacated for the summer. Try Oxford Brookes University. I couldn't find anything on their websites about staying as a visitor, but I didn't look very hard. I don't know of others; if there are any, I would expect the course organisers to know ( see point 1....!).

Good luck!!!!!
(You'll need it).

Alan_Bowen

Most colleges inviting students during the summer are able to offer 'homestay' or student houses at reasonable rates. I spent a number of years teaching there and just checked my old college website. For summer 2016 they are charging £150 a week for bed and breakfast and £175 for half board. The self catering student houses are around £200 but you get an en suite single room. I am certain the organisation offering the course can point your friend in the right direction