Balliol College, Oxford (Oxford)

Summary 17th century buildings Breakfast included No car parking No smoking

Facilities No internet access Gardens

Introduction

As one of the oldest colleges of Oxford University founded in 1263, we are situated in the heart of Oxford, in Broad Street, ideally located for visiting the University, its Colleges, Museums, Theatres, or just for shopping.

Standard Bedrooms are available on the main College site, in buildings ranging in age from the 1720  to 1968, having been built by Henry Keene (1759) Basevi (1826) Warren (1915) Salvin (1853)  and Beard (1968).

The ensuite rooms at Jowett Walk, a 5 minute walk from the main College site, were built between 1996 and 2005 on the Master's Field (Sports ground). The architect was Sir Richard MacCormac.

All the rooms that we have to offer are used during term by students. They are not equipped to a five star standard but are provided with bed linen, towels and a welcome hospitality pack. Tea and coffee making facilities are not provided.

The accommodation offers the opportunity to experience a stay in one of Oxford's oldest colleges in rooms that are  full of history built around the Garden Quad, or sports field. These rooms have been occupied by famous Old Members including Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan, Herbert Asquith, and Edward Heath. Poet Matthew Arnold, writer Graham Greene.

Your Scout (Housekeeping) will service your room on a daily basis, The accommodation is centrally heated and most radiators can be controlled individually using the thermostat control.

Internet access is not available in college bedrooms.

A guide to the College is available from the Porters' Lodge.

History to the present day

Balliol College is one of the oldest Colleges in Oxford. About 1260, or perhaps a few years before, John de Balliol, the powerful Lord of Barnard Castle, was involved in a territorial dispute with Walter Kirkham, Bishop of Durham. Balliol, impatient, insulted the Bishop, who imposed a penance on him.

According to the Chroniclers, he had to submit to a public whipping at Durham Cathedral door, and he was also required to carry out a substantial act of charity. This he did by renting a house just outside the Oxford town wall, and maintain in it some poor scholars to whom he paid a dole of a few pence a week.

The House stood roughly where the present Master's Lodgings are, looking across Horsemonger Street, now Broad Street, and the ditch or moat to the city wall. The date of this is traditionally reckoned as 1263.

When John Balliol died in 1269, his widow Dervorguilla took on the role of Patroness with enthusiasm and generosity. She continued to give financial support, put the arrangements on a permanent basis by the formulation of statutes (1282) and gave the Scholars a house "New Balliol Hall" sited near where the present Chapel is. In 1284 there were sixteen Scholars or Fellows.

It was during the 19th Century that Balliol rose to prominence by vigorously promoting university reform and above all by pursuing academic excellence in a liberal environment at the instigation of John Parsons who was Master from 1798 - 1819. Successive Masters continued this pursuit of excellence including the charismatic Benjamin Jowett, after whom our newest accommodation is named.

Dining and drinking

Full English Breakfast is available in the Hall, on the Broad Street site, between 8am and 9am daily.  The College Hall was built in 1877 by Waterhouse. This magnificent building with its organ loft and Willis Organ, 1885, is used daily by the students and seats up to 220 for feasts and banquets.

Guests are welcome to use our informal College Buttery Bar, which is situated to the right of the steps to the Hall.  The Buttery Bar offers a wide range of beers, spirits, and wines as well as soft drinks.  Normal Hours of opening are:  Monday to Saturday 12noon to 2pm; Monday to Friday 6pm to 8pm. 

Arrival information and how to find us

All guests are asked to treat college staff and property with respect, and conduct themselves in a manner befitting an historic academic institution, bearing in mind students and tutors may be working and living on site. If, having read the information below, you are unsure about arrival or travel recommendations, see the visitor information section of our website.

More photos of Balliol College, Oxford

Hall set for a Feast	En suite bedroom Broad Street	Standard bedroom Broad Street	The Buttery Bar	Main Entrance
The Oriel Window of the Master's Lodgings	The Great Hall	Old Common Room Library above	Fellows Garden	Entrance to the Fellows Garden
Chapel Passage	The Jowett Walk Building	The Front Quad	En suite bedroom Jowett Walk	Ensuite Bedroom broad Street

Customer feedback

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

Guy Griffin, July 2010: a relaxing stay at Balliol. College staff friendly, hospitable and helpful. The University Rooms concept is excellent.

Mrs Jean Simkiss, July 2010: A very enjoyable stay at your college,having not to have visited Oxford before, the location was excellent being central for visiting other colleges. My sister and I both in our seventys would recommend this stay.

Jakob Knab, July 2010: And thank you to the porter!

Fred Landergren, July 2010: A great experience!

Jiang Zhiqiang, July 2010: The room is not good because it has not TV.

Derek Caswell, July 2010: In view of present economic climate I believe the room,service and facilities demand a high fee. Service from all staff ( maintenance, reception and catering far better than some 5 star hotels I have stayed in. Well done.

James J. Savino, July 2010: Hi: Overall, room was clean, quite good and a good value. A fan or something for a bit of ventilation would have been helpful. best jim

Mrs B M Le Pavoux, July 2010: Staying in college is a wonderful experience and the fact that the rooms are student rooms must be remembered. All requests made on booking form were met. This was a second time using colleges and will certainly do so again. The collge staff were friendly and helpful.

Marta Hernandez, July 2010: It was a wonderful experience to be able to stay in such beautiful surroundings and in such a historically important college.I would definitely recommend this college accomodation and will certainly be back again. Thank you so much .Marta Hernandez from Seville Spain

Madelyn Sheets, July 2010: It was very noisey but overall served my purposes of a short stay in oxford.

Liz Tilly, July 2010: internet access in room would be good appreciated the tea tray and kettle

Elizabeth Sharpe, April 2010: the staff (especially the porters ) were very welcoming and helpful. The visit was very enjoyable and I would recommend the experience to others.

Raf Holvoet, March 2010: I loved staying at Balliol College. For any foreign tourist who loves Oxford, it certainly adds to the experience. I'll certainly do it again. Thanks ! The location of the college, right in the centre of the city, is another bonus.

Julian Taylor, February 2010: I had a wonderful stay and would never consider anything else. Thanks!

James Ramage, February 2010: Wonderful atmospheric place to stay - central - especially loved the dining hall for breakfast - quite expensive though for standard of rooms

Janice Rossen, October 2009: Peaceful, lovely view from window, magnificent dining at breakfast with interesting fellow visitors. I will definitely stay again. Thanks so much!

Patience G Waddilove, October 2009: I was delighted to stay in Balliol 29/9. The porters were welcoming, kind, warm, and helpful. The room was clean, if well-lived-in, the bed warm and comfortable, the shower excellent. There was more than enough hot water and water pressure. The room was very quiet (overlooked Trinity front quad), and even though filming of a new 'Lewis' episode was underway in Trinity in the early evening, they packed up their klieg lights and departed by 9:30 pm. Breakfast was basic but more than acceptable in Hall the next morning, with quite good fried eggs -- and the coffee was very good indeed. I can't recommend Balliol and University Rooms highly enough. Half the price of a basic hotel, and welcoming and comfortable, if a bit spartan. Well don!

Mrs Judith Reed, September 2009: Porter extremely helpful and polite, also very welcoming. Intend to stay again.

fiona wollocombe, September 2009: Something a bit different! Central and good value. Would definitely use again

Gorka Berzal, September 2009: Excellent environment and very good service, I have known very nice people at the hall during breakfast in its great and ancient hall. Very impressive place. Really recommended.

ROSIE JENKINS, September 2009: I cannot speak too highly of our recent short stay at Balliol College. It was an bsolutely fantastic experience all round. We felt like extras in an episode of Inspector Morse. From the moment we arrived to a very helpful reception from the porters to the moment we left, it was brilliant. The room was very comfortable, extremely clean and neat. You could not beat the location, it was like stepping in and out of a hidden world, to which for one precious day we had the magic key. We were able to leave our luggage safely at the porters lodge which was very helpful. The grounds of Balliol were superb and we had an early morning walk looking at the gardener's excellent work. I sat at the desk looking out of the window thinking how privileged it must feel to be lucky enough to get a place at Oxford and this gave you a tiny taste of that exclusive club. I cannot speak too highly of our stay and I am planning to make all my trips to Oxford in the future in the students holiday times, so that we can repeat the experience. The only thing missing that would have made the stay perfect was a little tea tray, with a kettle, some cups and long life milk etc. For a small extra charge of maybe £2-3 I think that many of your lucky guests would be very pleased to have this in their rooms. Fabulous Fabulous Absolutely Fabulous!!! I feel privileged to have been able to experience the College. Also unbeknown to us, it was the open weekend in Oxford and we also got to see inside many other fantastic places, in particular the Master's garden at Merton College overlooking Christ Church Meadow. Plus the weather was outstandingly sunny and hot. Perfect perfect weekend. Many thanks.

Tina Piper, August 2009: I was very pleased with how accommodating and friendly the porters were of my early arrival.

Karen Bentley, July 2009: Very pleasant stay in modern accomodation. very clean and well presented.

Kenny Burnham, July 2009: A truly wonderful experience with excellent service. The personnel were very helpful indeed. Highly recommended.

J Walters, April 2009: Basic student accommodation in terms of the room, but exactly as described. College and location beautiful. Importantly, as a single person, I felt quite safe here and the Balliol College staff were very friendly. Would certainly book here again.