St Stephen's House, Oxford

Summary

• 19th century buildings
• Breakfast included
• Car parking for a charge
• No smoking

Facilities

• Gardens
• Self-catering facilities

Drinking and dining

• Restaurant
• Self-catering facilities
• Continental breakfast (included)
• English breakfast (included)
• Lunch available (at additional cost)
• Dinner available (at additional cost)

Nearby recreations

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

St Stephen's House is situated close to Magdalen Bridge in a quiet street running between the famous Cowley Road and Iffley Road. It is a Theological College and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford.

A former monastery, with the warm, relaxed and peaceful atmosphere of a country house with modern facilities. During vacation time, you can relax in the comfortable sitting room (which is the student common room in term time, and is used just by our students), or enjoy the peace of the cloister gardens all year round. 

There are only 50 bedrooms in the whole college so you will never feel overwhelmed or impersonal. Four bedrooms are located on the ground floor, ideal if you do not feel up to climbing stairs.   The accommodation you will be staying in is student accommodation, so although the bedrooms are not to hotel standards, you will find the room clean, tidy and comfortable. 

Please note that the rooms do not have a television or a telephone, and internet access is not available.  There is a pay telephone on the ground floor of the building which you can use with a telephone card (- available from the post office/newsagents on Cowley road), and there are a number of cafes on the Cowley Road and throughout Oxford which provide internet access.  Do also note that unlike many other Oxford Colleges, St Stephen's House does not have a Porter's Lodge.

Parking is available on site at a rate of £2.50 per day if you are staying with us, and this must be requested on "Additional information".  You will be invoiced on arrival at St Stephen's House.  Payment is by cheque, or in cash only, as credit cards are not accepted. 

The College is situated near to lots of restaurants and interesting shops in the Cowley Road, so you do not have to stray far to be entertained.  

History to the present day

St Stephen's House is sited in the former monastery of The Cowley Fathers founded by Fr Meaux Benson. The Grade II 19th century building is linked by cloisters to a very fine, Grade 1 listed church designed by Bodley.

Dining and drinking

Breakfast is included in the cost of your accommodation and consists of a cooked or a cafeteria-style continental breakfast, which is taken in the light, comfortable Dining Hall which looks out onto the rose and herb garden. Your confirmation email will provide breakfast timings (which differ depending on vacation or term-time), but you will always be able to help yourself to an early morning continental breakfast which is laid out in Dining Hall. Please note that continental breakfast is only available on a Friday morning during term-time. 

Dinner may also be bookable, but only during university term time (and this must be booked at least 24 hours in advance - please state your interest on the booking form or inform the Assistant Bursar during your stay). There is also a large, well-equipped kitchen which can be used to prepare your own snacks and meals.

Grounds and gardens

Set in private gated grounds, there is a large lawn where children can play and another peaceful cloister garden with chairs and tables where you can relax in the sun.

Other facilities

There is a smal private car park located in James Street which runs parallel to Marston Street, which is available for guests for a small charge per day and is payable on arrival.  You can request parking.  Please request parking in advance by requesting this in the Additional Information section of the booking form.

Laundry facilities are available in the basement of the Benson Building.  There are coin operated washing machines and driers, with a charge of £1.20 each.

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: St Stephen's House, 16 Marston Street, Oxford, OX4 1JX.

Check In: From 2:30pm Check Out: By 10.30am

St Stephen's House does not have a Porter's Lodge, so once your booking has been received by St Stephen's House, you will be emailed directly with instructions about how to access the College and car park.  It is very important that you bring this information with you, as you will need this to be able to enter St Stephen's House. Your room key will be available for you to collect inside the main College building.

The college straddles Cowley Road and Iffley Road, 4 streets up from The Plain (roundabout by Magdalen Bridge).  It is less than 5 minutes walk from the airport  and London bus stop at St Clement's and a short bus ride to Cowley Road from the rail station.

Our car park is located in James Street which runs parallel to Marston Street. The entrance is towards the Iffley Road end of the street. There is an entry code which will be sent to you if you prebook a car parking space.  From the car park the entrance to the college is through the cloisters (entry code will be sent to you) the door is located on the right hand side of the car park adjacent to the church.

More photos of St Stephen's House, Oxford

En-suite single bedroom	Cloisters	King building twin bedroom	En-suite single bedroom
std King twin/double bedroom	dining room evening	en-suite shower room	Edward King suite, bedroom
Small Twin Benson bedroom	Edward King suite, sitting room	en-suite shower room	Common Room bay window
dining room daytime	The Chapel	Benson building from Marston St	Bishop's room looking thro to bathroom
library	view of church from cloisters	std grnd floor single bedroom	Moberly Gardens
King building from cloisters	rose garden	King en-suite double/twin room	Large Twin Benson bedroom
Large Twin Benson bedroom

Customer feedback

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

Ms. Toshiko Chiba, July 2010: The room was clean and comfortable with good shower. The breakfast was very good in a friendly atmosphere. I enjoyed good walks to the city centre. My first visit to Oxford was excellent. I will recommend the rooms to friends.

Paolo Fornasini, July 2010: I cannot rate the standard of breakfast, because I never had. I attended a Conference that started at 8:30. A more flexible breakfast time would have been of help.

Neil Hudson, July 2010: Very pleasant accomodation, quiet and sufficient. Fantastic atmosphere of the old buildings. Very clean room and facilities. Thank you very much Neil

Carolina Murd, July 2010: I had a very pleasant stay! Thank you!

Kevin Hunter, June 2010: This was a very friendly college. I was invited to the faculty tea which was the staff at the theological college. Had a wonderful night talking to a great variety of people and views. why else would you travel.

Mary Torney, June 2010: I was very happy with all aspects of my stay in St Stephen's house. I did not have breakfast there, but there is no option to tick for this above

Charles Jardine, June 2010: There was a lovely peaceful atmosphere at St Stephen's.

Ms Lynda Raine, June 2010: Lovely quiet peacful room and tranquill atmosphere in a very busy city.

ESTELLE CANO, June 2010: Very convenient location and good value for money. Recommended!

Phillip Andre Joubert, June 2010: My stay at St.Stephen's House was truly memorable and went beyond just being a place to stay. It was also a strong spiritual experience and I took part in Masses, formal dinner and part of the Open Day. The opportunity to talk to some of the students and staff re-invigorated my faith and I found the friendliness of everybody made me feel very at home. The breakfasts were great - good coffee too!! I certainly enjoyed my walks to the University and Town centre although buses were incredibly frequent. Thank you to everyone there and I will be back.

Dr Heather Streeter, June 2010: Very peacuful, comfortable bed Exceptionally clean Jolly atmosphere at breakfast, but not intrusive

Glenn Wright, June 2010: Conveniently located a nice walk from town centre. Roomy and spotless. Comfortable beds and great shower. Breakfast was good and evening meals were excellent value for money. Appreciated access to computer room, TV lounge and laundry facilities. Very restful given requirement for silence from 11pm to 7:30am! Students and staff so busy that opportunity for conversation very limited.

Scott Swedeen, June 2010: So very pleased with my stay here. A quiet, clean place. A short walk to the city center, or to bus stops if you prefer. Excellent parking facilities for a car to explore the nearby countryside. I forgot a piece of jewelry in the room when I left. It was found and sent to me by post. Very pleased with this experience!

Miriam Parker, June 2010: We had an excellent time with a superb breakfast. A very easy stroll in to Oxford. Thanks you

Julie McKeown, June 2010: Our second visit - very good in every way except for the noise from revellers outside. It did not make a for a good night's sleep but there's nothing you can do about that, I know! It won't put us off recommending or returning to St Stephen's House.

Mr Tim Bell, June 2010: The confirmation email from St Stephen's Hall did not list the rooms I had booked back in January; however the staff on our arrival were very helpful. This was a reunion of 1959 freshmen from Liverpool University, who much enjoyed the experience of life in an Oxford College today, so thank you all.

Florence Finnegan, June 2010: We enjoyed our stay at St. Stephen's House. Our room was on a small hall with only 3 rooms, ours being the only one occupied. Because of that our bathroom and shower were almost private. The beds were very comfortable, and the breakfasts were delicious.

Lisa Vatta, June 2010: The people at the college were lovely and attentive. I had a very enjoyable stay and would recommend it to any & all.

Wayne Morris, June 2010: We really enjoyed our stay at St. Stephen's House and look forward to a return visit.

Ann Sherburn-Hall, May 2010: We have not booked through University rooms before and I am pleased to say we were delighted with the experience. The information given about booking in went very smoothly. The room was clean and well presented. Both the dinner and the breakfast was good and the catering staff were very friendly. The location was good and we very much enjoyed the location. We shall definately book again in the future and recommend this option to friends rather that going to an impersonal hotel. Thank you.

Michele Walrond, May 2010: The twin room was very clean. The bedding was also very clean. Our breakfast was scrumptious and there was plenty of it. It was nice to have a choice of breakfasts too. We had a very enjoyable stay and would book again if we ever choose to revisit Oxford.

Bernadette Del Aguila, May 2010: My daughter is home-schooled and we needed somewhere tranquil to stay the night before her IGCSE Maths exam at Oxford Tutorial College. St Stephen's was the perfect setting. A pleasure to stay in such peaceful surroundings and to 'go behind the veil' of Oxford University, as it were. Many Thanks from Bernadette and Sophie, Surrey.

Nicholas Daunt, May 2010: An enjoyable stay. Conveniently situated for centre of Oxford, but in a quiet location. May well consider using again.

Niamh Tuft, May 2010: Staying at St Stephen's House was so convenient and really reasonably priced for its location. I was attending my graduation so for the overnight stay it was perfect. So much better than a rather souless budget hotel- there was a real feel of friendliness and character about the place. Many thanks.

Dr Donald Spaeth, May 2010: Friendly and helpful staff on arrival (even though after 5), quiet and comfortable room, peaceful in cloisters, and handy for buses and food, too. Breakfast was late for me, and I prefer a continental breakfast anyway, so it was good to learn that I could eat earlier; it would be helpful to have this information on website.