Basic but comfy, a dorm room at Carr-Saunders Hall, London makes travel affordable for all.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

Travelers on Budgets
\nGo Back to School <\/strong><\/h2>\n

As students return to college each September, another group is preparing for college visits\u2014 travelers on budgets. To pursue their wanderlust, they\u2019re majoring in Travel Economics.<\/p>\n

How? By booking \u201cuniversity vacation-accommodations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Translation: \u00a0They’re staying in dorms.<\/p>\n

More and more colleges today offer clean, comfortable dorm rooms to non-student visitors. While some do so only when classes aren\u2019t in session, a growing number of colleges offer dorms year-round.<\/p>\n

For travelers on budgets, this means more \u201coh I see moments\u201d in the history, geography, arts, and culture of world destinations\u2014and fewer \u201cIOU\u201d moments. After all, when the cost of visiting a place is minimized, your ability to explore it is maximized.<\/p>\n

When you save on a room, you can splurge on a must-see show.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

Do the Travel Math <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Now I know what you\u2019re thinking: I may be traveling on a budget, but I don\u2019t do hostels.<\/em><\/p>\n

In fact, most university vacation-accommodation is private. Your only roommates\u2014should you so choose\u2014will be your Significant Other. (Or “Otherettes.\u201d Kids are welcome at most colleges.)<\/p>\n

Need another reason for staying in dorms? How about hundreds? Daily rates for dorm rooms start at $35-$45 per guest. Suddenly, the world\u2019s most expensive cities become affordable.<\/p>\n

Consider Yourself at Home<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Booking a college dorm room nets you a surprising number of extras.\u00a0Typically, these include:<\/p>\n

\n
• Central locations in cities around the world<\/li>\n
• Free wifi<\/li>\n
• Breakfast included, or nominally priced<\/li>\n
• On-site laundry facilities, so you can pack light<\/li>\n
• Fully-stocked kitchens\u2014one or more per floor<\/li>\n
• Common rooms with TV, books, and games<\/li>\n
• Depending on location, access to a swimming pool or gym<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  All at a fraction of what most home-shares and budget hotels charge. That\u2019s especially helpful in fiendishly expensive cities, where \u201cbudget\u201d can mean a whole lot of Dismal at very little Discount.<\/p>\n

  Colleges give solo travelers opportunities to socialize with locals and international visitors. Some give you access to libraries, special events, and lectures. Aptly, you\u2019ll learn a lot, and save a scholarship\u2019s worth to satisfy future wanderlust.<\/p>\n

  

  (Dorm) room with a view, overlooking Coram’s Fields in central London.
  \u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

  Basics, Baths, and Beyond<\/strong><\/h4>\n

  While college exteriors reflect the style of local architecture, interiors emphasize function. These are student residences, so don\u2019t expect lush carpeting or fine furniture. What you get is a room to yourself, a bed, towels, toiletries, and ample storage space.<\/p>\n

  Few rooms have TV. But who travels to stare at the tube? With some exceptions, bathrooms are \u201cdown the hall.\u201d Yes, you\u2019ll have privacy. No, I\u2019ve never had to wait for a shower or been left with cold water.<\/p>\n

  A bargain for solo travelers, dorm rooms get even cheaper per person if you\u2019re rooming with friends or family. Choose from singles to quadruples, depending on your group. All beds are twins.<\/p>\n

  

  Dorm room decor for digital nomads.
  \u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

  All I Want Is a Room Somewhere<\/strong><\/h4>\n

  For some, the setup may be too Spartan. If you require lavish suites and chocolates atop pillows, look elsewhere\u2014and bring your inheritance, darling.<\/p>\n

  Me, I like having a desk to write at and a bookshelf to fill with works by local authors. (I donate them to the students\u2019 common room afterward.) As for chocolates, I\u2019ll happily supply my own.<\/p>\n

  

  This stately dining hall serves excellent fare at student-friendly prices.
  \u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

  Global School Field Trips<\/strong><\/h4>\n

  You\u2019ll find college dorm rooms in cities all over Europe and Canada, plus parts of Australia, New Zealand, and South America.<\/p>\n

  To give you an idea of options, I’ve focused on London, where I\u2019m a proud non-alumnus of London School of Economics (LSE) and University College London (UCL). Both learning institutions offer multiple sites in superb locations.<\/p>\n

  

  Sunny daffodils welcome dorm room travelers to Goodenough College, London.
  \u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

  Best College Name Ever?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

  And then there\u2019s Goodenough College.<\/p>\n

  Yes, that\u2019s really its name. If I owned a car, the fictitious bumper sticker would say, \u201cMy average child did just fine at Goodenough College.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Goodenough College is actually rather splendid. Situated in Bloomsbury, Goodenough\u2019s moderately pricier dorms take things up a notch. Most dorm rooms, for example, have bathrooms en suite,<\/em> and\u00a0some dorms are spacious, with parlors, bay windows, and other stylish features.<\/p>\n

  For scholars who love to travel (and skeptics of “staying in dorms”), Goodenough College offers \u201cNerdvana.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Many dorms overlook beautiful gardens. On-site pubs, a caf\u00e9, and dining hall offer excellent fare at modest cost. Concerts and lectures are often open to visitors.<\/p>\n

  With the best of London in walking distance, Goodenough earns “extra credit”\u2014and won’t dent your credit card. Visit the School of Life<\/a> on Marchmont Street, just 5 minutes away, or explore history and art with locals and others at London CultureSeekers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

  

  A corner of the quad at Goodenough College, London.
  \u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

  Homework Has Its Rewards<\/strong><\/h4>\n

  Staying in dorms isn\u2019t for everyone. But for travelers on a budget, university vacation-accommodation offers a rich cultural experience without the sticker shock. Support your wanderlust, not your creditors. Do the travel math, study your options, and let the world \u201cclass\u201d travel begin!<\/p>\n

  To search university rooms by country, start here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

  To focus on London, search Goodenough,<\/a> UCL<\/a>, and LSE<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

  Comment<\/a> on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":29043,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190,108,209,227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-travel","category-ideas-creative","category-england-mappoints","category-worldwide-mappoints"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29029"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40938,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29029\/revisions\/40938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}