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Jesus College, Oxford: Wisteria

Jesus College, Oxford

Founded in 1571, Jesus College is situated at the heart of modern Oxford, and provides a tranquil location to stay.

Summary

  • 17th century buildings
  • 18th century buildings
  • 19th century buildings
  • 20th century buildings
  • Breakfast included
  • No car parking
  • No smoking

Facilities

  • Free broadband access

Food and Drinks

  • English breakfast (included)

Nearby recreations

  • Recommended walks
  • Pub (walking distance)
  • Museums (walking distance)
  • Gardens
  • Recommended restaurants (walking distance)
  • Theatre (walking distance)

Jesus College is situated in central Oxford adjacent to the main shopping street and within sight of Carfax Tower. Jesus offers an oasis of tranquillity amongst the busy central area.

The College is pleased to be able to offer accommodation in student bedrooms during the vacation periods, including a mixture of traditional standard, singles and twins with shared bathroom facilities, and more modern, single ensuite rooms. All accommodation offered is located on the main College site or Ship Street, and has central heating.

Your Scout (Housekeeping) will service your room on a daily basis for you. Smoking is not permitted within the room, but there are two designated smoking points on the site, one of which is sheltered.

History to the present day

Founded in 1571, Jesus College is the only College in either Oxford or Cambridge to have been founded during the reign of Elizabeth I. The Queen granted the new College a charter and the premises of White Hall, an academic Hall that already had a 300-year history. Until the 1870s students at Jesus were overwhelmingly Welsh. Although there is still a strong Welsh connection, today the College draws its students from all over the world, particularly within the Graduate community.

In 1974, the College became one of the first five men’s colleges to admit women. Famous alumni include T.E. Lawrence (‘Lawrence of Arabia’), former prime minister of Jamaica Norman Manley, and Harold Wilson, our own Prime Minister during the 60s/70s and whose Order of the Garter banner can be seen in the chapel.

Food and Drinks

A Full English breakfast is included in the price of the accommodation, taken in the Elizabethan Dining Hall between 8.15 and 9.00am daily. The breakfast menu consists of fruit juice, cereal, toast, a full English breakfast with tea or coffee.

The Hall, located between the Front and Second Quads, is the venue for meals on the central site. On the north wall hangs a full-length portrait of the College's Founder, Queen Elizabeth I, attributed to Nicholas Hillard or his school. Other portraits to be found here include contemporary likenesses of Charles I and Charles II, as well as other benefactors, former Principals, and alumni including T.E Lawrence ('Lawrence Of Arabia') and former Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

Grounds and gardens

Guests are welcome to relax in the College grounds and view the chapel and the portraits in the Dining Hall.

Other facilities

All bedrooms have tea and coffee making facilities, telephone and internet access via an ethernet cable (ethernet cables are available at the Lodge). A hair dryer is available from the Lodge. Laundry and ironing facilities are available in the College, and a self top up swipe card for the washing machines and dryers can be obtained from the Lodge.

The Porters' Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day.

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: Jesus College , Turl street, Oxford, OX1 3DW, United Kingdom

Address: Jesus College, Turl Street, Oxford OX1 3DW

Check In: From 2.00pm Check out: By 10am

All guests are requested to report to the Porters' Lodge on arrival, where they can check in and collect their keys before being directed to their rooms. Guests arriving after 8.00pm can access the College by ringing the doorbell and the duty Porter will let them in. The Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day. Luggage may be stored at the College should you arrive before your accommodation is ready. Luggage may also be stored after check out, so then any last minute shopping can be done. If you have mobility difficulties and require assistance with your luggage please advise on arrival.

Gloucester Green Coach & Bus Station is in easy walking distance, and Oxford Railway Station is only a 10-minute walk. There are also taxis (the Lodge is happy to book taxis, although it is advisable to provide 30mins notice) and local buses available at both locations. Whilst parking near the College is restricted, the City Council operates a very convenient Park and Ride scheme. 

More photos of Jesus College, Oxford

Spring Flowers

Above High Table Queen Elizabeth I- Photo by Laura Urschel

Standard Double Room

The Principal's Lodgings

Wisteria in 2nd Quad

Ship Street entrance- Photo by Laura Urschel

Front Quad in summer

Summer Term in the Quad

Chapel Altar

Front Quad- The Principal's Lodgings

One of the many gargoyles in college

Gargoyle on a drainpipe

College Crest in stone

The College crest above the main gate

Border in Spring

2nd Quad- Rowing results chalked on the wall

One of our friendly Lodge staff

Bell Tower

The Chapel

The Elizabethan Dining Hall

Entrance to Staircase

Customer feedback

We guarantee that all our feedback is genuine and can only be submitted by people who have booked through our websites.

, November 2011: I was made welcome, the room was warm and comfortable, the breakfast was delicious and the breakfast service friendly and helpful.

, November 2011: Fantastic stuff, great staff, ambience wonderful. thanks!

, October 2011: Beautiful college and a fantastic opportunity to stay in a room overlooking the front quad and dining hall. Great location right in the centre of Oxford and really useful to have tea and coffee facilities, toiletries and towel as well as wired internet available in the room. Very handy to be able to leave my bag at at the lodge after i checked out the next day while i was sightseeing too. It's the first time i've used www.university-rooms.com and i'm glad i did, i've been recommending this college to friends and family already!

, September 2011: We had a lovely stay, and everybody was very nice to us.

, September 2011: Thank you for your hospitality, everyone was very friendly and helful. We would certainly stay again when we are in Oxford if the rooms are available. Fantastic set up with the Park & ride.

, August 2011: Wonderful! Definitely an experience we will not forget!

, August 2011: I wanted a room in the oldest possible part of Jesus College and that's what they gave me. The porters were very helpful and breakfast was all right. Unfortunately they didn't have it in the hall because it was undergoing its annual cleaning, but the smaller room they did use, was nice. Jesus College is beautiful and its location is ideal. Only a few yards from Broad Street, the Covered Market, the High, and Cornmarket. I'd love to stay there again.

, August 2011: I loved staying here. such a pleasant welcome, a perfect location, and even a window seat in my room.

, August 2011: a very pleasant stay in the centre ofOxford

, July 2011: I would stay at Jesus College again - nice and quiet and very central place.

, July 2011: I was most impressed with the standard of room in Jesus College & would book there again, along with recommending othes to do so too.

, July 2011: An excellent stay

, May 2011: I would have liked to stay for longer in Oxford but had other commitments. Hope to use the facilities sometime later this year or next year when I will be travelling again to Oxford.

, May 2011: Absolutely fantastic, lovely friendly staff, very clean, basic but when on holiday that is all you need! Thank you very much

, May 2011: Loved it. Thank you very much. I really felt part of the Oxford community for my short stay. I will definitely stay here again.

, May 2011: A very enjoyable experience - both on the booking and the accomodation side; will use it again.

, May 2011: Just wonderful - exactly what I was hoping for.

, May 2011: I recently received an offer to pursue my PhD at Oxford and stayed at the College during my visit. While I will not be studying at Jesus College, the warm experience there helped me make my decision to accept the offer. The staff at the college (porter, housekeeping, dining hall) were all really lovely. Thank you so much.

, May 2011: The social element of breakfast was excellent. Met many interesting people. Would use the service again.

, May 2011: I really can recommend a stay here. Athmosphere is wonderful, the location is very central and the staff is very friendly and helpful.

, April 2011: The room, which was very recently built or refurbished and arranged to be suitable for was wheelchair user, was equipped with facilities for high tech connections. But oddly there was no shaver point, which took me by surprise. I bought an adaptor and Neil at the Porter's Lodge helpfully cut open the impenetrable plastic packaging. I bequeathed the adaptor to Jesus College for the use of the next visitor.

, April 2011: Superb location, wonderful room, and very friendly staff at Jesus College.

, April 2011: The best souvenir is the kindness of all people from the lodge to the restaurant. A surprising point is the absence of service during the week-end (it's normal for a college but unexpected for a guest room). However, the overall impression is excellent.

, April 2011: It was a bit pricey for a B&B, but the room was luxurious, the breakfast of nice quality, and staff everywhere friendly and helpful.

, April 2011: Ultra modern facilities in this room, including handicapped bars in bathroom. Lift to all floors made it easy to access with luggage. Full English cooked breakfast was very good.

, March 2011: Excellent accommodation and first rate service from all the college staff. The breakfast was particularly good.

, March 2011: Far exceeded my expectations. The porters were helpful and the food very good. My room was perfect for my needs. There was a gargoyle just outside the window.

, March 2011: The people were very helpful and friendly.It was very useful to see what real life as a student is like.

, March 2011: Would use this service again.

, March 2011: A very pleasant stay in very pleasant surroundings.

, February 2011: TV would be a great addition.

, February 2011: A very enjoyable experience and all of the staff were very helpful and friendly.

, February 2011: A wonderful stay at Jesus College, Oxford. Fantastic large student room, neat and clean, comfortable twin bed and useful writing desk as I was doing a lot of computer work during my travels. In-room internet connection very handy. Toilet and shower down the hall, both clean and convenient. Beautiful small college with lovely quad, and right in the heart of town. Friendly staff and a wonderful daily breakfast in the dining hall. An excellent value for the money, I would absolutely stay here again.

, February 2011: Really enjoyed my stay at Jesus College, Oxford. Great location, lovely staff, comfortable room, and such a good price! I will definitely stay here again. Thanks so much!

, January 2011: we would have liked to look onto The Quad but that was not given as an option,also felt it should be pointed out that there was not a tele in the room, otherwise everything was fine

, December 2010: We had a lovely stay and would return.

, December 2010: Very happy with all the facilities provided.

, December 2010: Wonderful to be able to stay right by the Sheldonian for the concert. For older visitors who cannot travel much in the evening this was perfect. Felt rewarded being able to contribute to the college aswell. Recommening this option to all my collegues.

, December 2010: Excellent!

, December 2010: Great place for a single female to stay - felt very safe Didn't take breakfast, which is why the rating is left as average

, December 2010: Quick and convenient booking. No bad surprise on the arrival. Should you need a french written comment, here is a very french one : Bien qu'il ait gelé à collège fendre, je n'ai pas eu froid dans ma chambre situé dans un bâtiment du XVIe siècle ! (In spite of a a college-freezing weather, my room, located in a XVIth century building, was NOT cold!)

, December 2010: Excellent service from porters lodge. I would recommend it to others, but take a radio, if you are a solo traveller.

, November 2010: We had the Double Set with two single rooms. Great accommodation for two persons in the center of Oxford.

, November 2010: Comfortable, warm, quiet, nice modern furniture in a characterful room. Not actually the part of the college that I booked! but probably a better option, according to other people who found the rooms on the main site noisy.

, November 2010: V good value - lovely surroundings and situation. No breakfast on a Sunday

, November 2010: I really enjoyed my stay and will be back

, November 2010: We didn't have time to wait for breakfast but, though we stayed for only one night, we had a very satisfactory experience and would happily renew it.

, November 2010: Parking space would be my only wish but we were lucky and parked on Broad Street.

, October 2010: The whole experience was excellent and all the members of staff were very helpful and friendly. I will certainly stay there again and recommend it to anyone visiting Oxford.

, October 2010: I enjoyed my stay. The arrangments were very efficient and my room was clean and - especially for a student room - well furnished. It was particularly helpful to be based in the city centre (B&B rooms of an equivalent price are usually some way out of the city).

, October 2010: That's a lot of people for just one bathroom. But the central location is unparalleled, the staff extremely friendly and helpful, the room itself very nice, and the breakfast FANTASTIC. Thanks very much! I hope to be back.

, October 2010: We and our friends were very pleased with the experience of living in college. The staff were helpful and friendly, the rooms clean and comfortable.

, October 2010: I was very impressed with the room that I stayed in at the Ship Street Center, Jesus College. Very clean and wonderful location. The staff who checked me in were exceptional and very kind. Thank you for a wonderful accomodation.

, October 2010: I had a really great time staying in such a unique and interesting location. The porter at the lodge was really helpful as was the young lady overseeing the breakfast.

, October 2010: I am deeply impressed by Oxford ! Hope to come again !

, October 2010: My room in Jesus College -- I think it was 27 -- was terrific. I had just spent a few days at St. Annes, and there was simply no comparison between the accommodation at St. Annes and my room in Jesus. I would definitely recommend Jesus College as the place to stay in Oxford.

, October 2010: Excellent room - better than I remember when I was a student!

, October 2010: The night spent in the newly refurbished rooms of Jesus College was a delight.

, October 2010: very pleasant stay in charming college. i loved the dining hall and wished I had brought my camera. Clean comfortable and quiet. Showers could have been more powerful and bathmat could have been provided but as this was a halls of residence I was not expecting anything overly luxurious so this was no major problem. Excellent location and choice of accommodation for a conference.

, October 2010: Booking through Oxford Rooms was easy! Loved everything about my stay at Jesus College. Perfect location, quiet, quintessentially Oxford!

, October 2010: 3 flights of stairs turned out to be 6 staircases. I should have known that. I don't blame anybody. The location in the very heart of things was a bonus the weather not being too well but Ashmolean and Blackwell being very close at hand. What a delight !

, September 2010: Lovely to stay right in the heart of Oxford, I would definitely choose to stay in university accommodation again. Rooms were clean and comfortable, my only criticisms would be the skimpy supply of teabags in the room, and that breakfast is served in a quite short time frame so unfortunately I had to skip mine in order to leave in time for a 9am train!

, September 2010: excellent stay once more.... especially the breakfast has an outstanding quality

, September 2010: Huge rooms. Fab atmosphere and fun meeting people at breakfast. Greeting porter had little interest in helping us park the car. Can be parked free in square until 8am next morning! Fine!

, September 2010: I thoroughly enjoyed my midweek break at Jesus College. The only drawback for me was climbing the stairs to the top floor level - although the young man from Reception did carry my case up for me on arrival - many thanks again to him. Breakfast as good as at any 'hotel' and gave me and other visitors time to get acquainted. The staff at every level were very polite and helpful.

, September 2010: We were totally enchanted by our experience of staying at Jesus College and would have no quarms staying again. The quadrangle was beautiful and the position and convenience of the setting spot on

, September 2010: We were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed our stay a great deal. I would be happy to recommend the experience to others.

, September 2010: Great staff, great location, really, really great breakfast! Only concern is with the standard of the bathroom and furniture, but you get what you pay for really. Price is about right I would say. If it was higher I would go elsewhere I think (reluctantly).

, September 2010: Fantastic setting and surroundings. Food very good quality but could have done with a little more cooked only 1 sausage and 1 rasher of bacon. Room was warm and comfortable

, September 2010: What gem of a place to stay while in Oxford. Can't get much better value for the money. The grounds of Jesus were stunning and location couldn't be more central. Pretty neat to be staying in a tourist attraction! Breakfast was delicious and the staff were better than any hotel experience I have had. Also, I have to say the bedding was incredibly cozy! Will definitely be booking at Jesus again when I return to Oxford. Many thanks!!!

, September 2010: We enjoyed our stay in Oxford immensely and everyone at Jesus College made us very welcome.

, September 2010: This is the third time I have stayed at Jesus College. I am an Oxford student doing a part time Masters. I recommend it highly. The staff are so friendly and helpful, the college is beautiful, the rooms are kept clean and there are lots of little touches-a fresh bottle of water every day, choices of herb teas on the hospitality tray, fresh fruit and a wide range of cereals for breakfast, plenty of coffee. They are student rooms, but each one I have been allocated has been full of charm and character.

, September 2010: I had a lovely stay at Jesus College, I was very glad that I had requested a Quad view and found the whole experience very peaceful.

, September 2010: Stayed in university accommodation so was not expecting five star comfort! On this basis we were very satisfied with our accommodation.

, September 2010: I fpund the lodge staff very professional, efficient and knowledgeable. I would recommend university rooms to anyone who is visiting Oxford. I also found anyone who 1 came in contact with on college grounds very pleasant and helpful

, August 2010: Thank you for this wonderful experience

, August 2010: Loved the experience of staying in an old college and eating in the hall. The ensuite shower enclosure is really tiny and the water supply a bit erratic, but I accept this is a price to pay for staying in an old building. Would certainly book again.

, August 2010: Porters, catering staff and information file were uniformly helpful and welcoming. Why would anyone stay anywhere else in Oxford?

, August 2010: Enjoyed our stay thank you. Staff were very helpful.

, August 2010: I was especially happy about the prompt reaction to slight difficulties with noisy visiting student groups.

, August 2010: great location! lovely staff too, though it may be worth explaining to guests that people do live in the college - I nearly walked into someone's home thinking i could walk through to another garden! He had left his door open and luckily stopped me before I walked through..sorry again!

, August 2010: My only concern was after I had checked in someone called to see if I had arrived and was told that I had not when I had. Otherwise, I think everyone for their kindness and assistance. I will hope to do this again and have told friends about this website. Thank you.

, August 2010: Best rooms at Oxford so far. Very pleasant College. Central location. Highly recommended.

, August 2010: An excellent experience in wonderful historic surroundings in the heart of Oxford. The service received from 'The Lodge' (front desk) and kitchen staff was second to none!

, August 2010: A really enjoyable experience, particularly as the peace and quiet of Jesus College was a lovely contrast to the very busy streets of Oxford. I also had excellent customer service from the young woman who helped me find parking as I arrived late for a wedding on the Saturday. She was calm, professional and went the extra mile - thank you!

, August 2010: Thank you, this was an excellent Oxford experience. Jesus is a very pretty college in an perfect location, central to all the sights and activities. Access day and night was very easy. Our rooms were spacious and bright, and the beds were comfortable. We shared a bathroom with plenty of hot water in the power shower. The custodians were courteous, friendly and happy to answer any queries.

, August 2010: I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Jesus College. The porters and all the staff were very welcoming and helpful, and the whole experience was all that I could have wished.

, July 2010: i have now stayed in four oxford colleges. Of these I found Jesus to be by far and away the best. The staff were professional and motivated whereas at the others there is still the air of "we are university workers" - "not here to try and effect a service for paying guests to hotel type standards". The rooms we had at jesus were also superior to the other colleges where I have stayed, as was the level of general cleanliness.

, July 2010: I very much enjoyed the whole experience of staying at Jesus College, and hope to be back in the not-too-distant future. Many thanks, Kathleen Davidson Calgary Alberta Canada

, July 2010: Very pleasant stay.

, June 2010: staff were extremely helpful\friendly and the college was beautiful

, April 2010: we were thrilled with the room. the location was central and overall our stay exceeded our expectations. we will certainly try and stay here again.

, April 2010: My friend and I really enjoyed our recent stay at Jesus College. Our rooms were excellent - warm, quiet and clean. We felt really secure staying in the college and I wouldn't hesitate to stay on my own. The breakfasts are excellent with plenty of choice and my only niggle is that the dining hall was very draughty whilst we were there, and we had to keep our coats on for breakfast. The college is in a very central location in the middle of Oxford, which is great for sightseeing. It was a great privilege to be able to stay in such a historic venue.

, April 2010: A very enjoyable stay. Helpful porters, lovely room. The only slight problem was a whirring noise (extractor fan) near the window, which is where the bed was. Otherwise, perfect!

, April 2010: Excellent!!! better than ***** hotel!

, April 2010: My experience was great. The room was clean and well stocked, with ample space too. The porters were very friendly and efficient, and the night porter even offered a chapel and hall viewing. My one suggestion would be that breakfast start earlier; I had a meeting at 8:30 am, which meant that I missed breakfast entirely (the rating system above leaves no option to "NA"). All accommodation in Oxford seems to be expensive, and this seemed by far the best option overall. I am very pleased, and would stay there again.

, March 2010: I loved staying at Jesus College. The two gentlemen at the reception and the kitchen team were very kind. My room was simple and very clean - exactly what I needed - and the location of the college was superb. I would be very happy to stay there again. Monica Araya

, March 2010: Really for the money, the whole experience is great and I'd definitely do it again. The proximity to all the sights and amenities is very good.

, March 2010: All the staff were very friendly and helpful.

, March 2010: Excellent! If you want the Oxford experience, this is it. Student rooms with Gargoyles in the eaves and wood pannelled dining room where you get to sit at the head table. I have been studying for a part time Msc at Oxford University and have tried a few of the colleges through this site which are all excellent, however this college which I think is one of the oldest is stunning.

, March 2010: The staff of Jesus College were polite, friendly and wholeheartedly dedicated to making my stay an enjoyable one. The room was clean and well ordered, with a lovely view onto the street below (rooms are also offered overlooking the inner quads). The breakfast service in hall was conducted with efficiency and courtesy. The choice of food available was appetising (which made up for slightly scant portioning). Access to bar and computer facilities were also appreciated (though, alas, not used), as was the support and assistance from the Porters' Lodge. Pricing was reasonable and the cheapest of the colleges in which I have stayed (it's still not cheap, but good relative to quality and service). Overall a thoroughly enjoyable stay only let down by the fact I couldn't stay longer.

, March 2010: A fantastic service - was made to feel very welcome and a lovely room, clean (although a little cold but I'm sure that's just a feature of Oxford colleges!). I have recommended the website to colleagues on research trips and would certainly use it again. Fantastic value for money and an excellent service. Porters were very helpful with welcoming manners. Thank you.

, March 2010: My wife and I enjoyed our stay here very much. The staff, especially the porters were very friendly, welcoming and helpful. The rooms were very clean and tidy. Breakfast in the Great Hall was a real treat. And the location was fantastic. Will definitely be staying again. Jeffrey & Ljiljana Knowles

, March 2010: A friend and I stayed here for a few nights and loved our rooms. Standards of service were excellent. There was a problem with our plumbing, but it was quickly resolved, and this is fair enough in an old building. I've spent time in Oxford before, but staying in a college transformed the city for me - peering through closed gates at the colleges is a far less pleasing experience than coming and going as a resident, albeit temporarily!

, February 2010: The frontline staff that I met with were very good - friendly and helpful. I appreciated the availability of internet access in the room. Many thanks.

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