Find the Best Oxford Bed and Breakfast

Oxford is one of the world's best-known and most prestigious university cities. It was called "the city of dreaming spires" by the poet, Matthew Arnold, and he hit the nail on the head. The towering spires that rise up from the honey-coloured colleges have created an iconic skyline. Back at ground level, the cobbled walkways and courtyards of the colleges – some of which are more than 700 years old – have been trodden by the academic elite. However, the city doesn't feel stuffy. The young crowd of students might be studying hard, but in their free time they provide a vibrancy to the city through creative events, theatre productions and pub gigs. Whether you're looking to delve into the university's history, check out the museums, or are simply looking for a break in one of England's prettiest cities, the bed and breakfasts in Oxford have got you covered.

Period feature-laden Victorian properties or city crash pad B&Bs, Oxford

While they may not be as famous as their seaside counterparts, Oxford bed and breakfasts often rival the city's hotel offerings. Forget the old days of faded 1970s decor and budget-led guestrooms. Today, the city has a plethora of options, from homely little Victorian terraced B&Bs, whose well-appointed guestrooms are laden with period features, to sleek crash pads overlooking the city, to traditional farmhouses, set just outside. Top that with a much lower price than you'd pay to stay in a traditional hotel, and they become a pretty attractive proposition. You'll benefit from the local knowledge of the owners and receive little touches you simply wouldn't get in the larger places to stay. Expedia makes booking an Oxford bed and breakfast a breeze. Hop over to the extensive listings to look through each of the property's photos and pick the best match for you.

Once you've checked in, you'll find the guestrooms in the B&Bs here have much of what you'd find in a hotel. You can expect facilities to make hot drinks, flat-screen TVs on the walls, to let you catch up on the news or your favourite series, and large double beds. You'll often get a private ensuite bathroom and, of course, breakfast is served every morning, downstairs. Set yourself up for the day with an enormous full English fry-up or tuck into some something a little lighter, like pastries or buttery toast. Looking to visit another academic heavyweight? The fierce rival of Cambridge isn't far away and has just the same charms as Oxford.

Discover the literary greats near your B&B, Oxford

First things first. You'll likely be coming to town to walk through the hallowed halls of Oxford University. Much of the 38 independent colleges can be explored by yourself, but to truly get to grips with the university's centuries-old history, consider one of the tours; guides will take you through the impressive Christ Church, and Wadham College. Culture vultures looking for their next hit will find it at the Museum of the History of Science. Here, you'll find plenty of iconic artefacts, like a blackboard once used for a lecture by Albert Einstein. Alternatively, you can swing by the Weston Library, which houses important historical documents, like the Magna Carta, and original works by Shakespeare, including The First Folio. If all that sounds a little heavy, you could always jump aboard the hop-on, hop-off bus, score one of the punts and zig-zag down the river with a picnic, hit the upmarket boutiques that dot the Oxford Covered Market or score tickets for one of the latest productions at the New Theatre Oxford.