Sample student life on holidays

No hairdryer? No fancy toiletries? Not even shampoo? Never mind - holidaymakers aren't complaining because they're saving money.

Staying on college and university campuses is increasingly popular both in Australia and overseas as a holiday alternative to hotels.

No, it's nothing new. Student rooms have for many years been available to short-stay guests during holiday periods.

But, as governments increasingly force tertiary education institutions to find new ways of raising revenue, the profile of this type of tourist accommodation is growing and more institutions are welcoming outsiders into their bedrooms, when students clear out.

University and college stays are available worldwide, but reservations long in advance are recommended.

Walking around the grounds and through the corridors of some of world's oldest and most famous universities such as Oxford and Cambridge is a wonderful way to embrace the British history.

Cambridge University has 31 colleges such as King's College and Sidney Sussex College, which has accommodation for non-students.

In the US, the prestigious St John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, is close to Washington, D.C., and a handy base for exploration of the country's northeast.

There is also campus accommodation at universities New Zealand, South Africa and Singapore.

Occasionally, staying on a campus falls short of first-time guests' expectations.

Kevin Bishop, manager of Adelaide's At All Occasions travel agency, cautions that would-be guests should investigate potential added costs that may arise from "limited utilities and facilities".

"Deciding to stay on a university campus means you need to consider everything that comes with this accommodation style, living in halls of residence and so on," Bishop said.

Similarly, Jacqui Timmins, general manager of the Travelscene American Express chain, warns travellers should "think about levels of accommodation, location and costs of extras that can add up quickly - such as wi-fi access, parking and transport."

So, it's not a case of one size fits all. What suits some people may not be appropriate for others.

But, presumably, most travellers that do choose university stays - sometimes using money saved to lengthen stays or add destinations - will have decided potential shortcomings aren't deal-breakers.

Campus accommodation charges vary widely but can be as little as half the price of a good-quality motel. Plus stays can be as short as one night.

The plus factors for university stays include leafy settings. In addition, they are usually in a good location near city centres and major attractions, with handy public transport as well as parking that's free in some places (and easily found in quiet holiday periods).

Some universities offer optional "summer school" study programs. Facilities such as inexpensive student restaurants and bars are usually open during vacations because students are often present to study in libraries, continue research projects or use sporting facilities.

Accommodation standards vary. Some campuses have plain-vanilla small rooms with shared bathrooms. Others have spacious well-furnished rooms with en suite bathrooms. Others are apartment-style, with individual lockable bedrooms and common living areas (which may be shared with other holidaymakers).

Apartment-style accommodation has cooking facilities - other rooms generally necessitate eating out or using the hall of residence's cafeteria (if it's open).

Student accommodation at some older schools in Europe can be gorgeously fusty - with or without an absent student's clothing hanging in closets.

In Australia, sandstone historic buildings at the University of Adelaide, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney and University of Tasmania supply attractive backdrops. All four are close to major attractions.

What's more, Newtown's "restaurant row" is close to the University of Sydney while the University of Adelaide is only a few blocks from the city centre.

Among Australia's best on-campus accommodation is University House at Canberra's Australian National University. A 1950s building, it began as a residential college for professors and post-graduate students but was refurbished to be a 105-room hotel.

It retains a club-like atmosphere in an attractive garden setting. Public areas are stylish, enhanced by paintings and sculpture. Bedrooms (with large en suite bathrooms) are classily appointed with rich browns and greys dominant. Balconies offer either city views or vistas of greenery.

The property is close to the capital city's main attractions.

Some campuses take holidaying guests only during long summer vacations while others also house them during shorter winter vacations. Some offer online booking facilities while others don't.

As with other types of accommodation, it's worthwhile to do as much research as possible before making reservations.

For campus stays, contact universities or colleges in cities you plan to visit. If they don't take guests, ask if any other nearby institutions may be able to help. Tourist offices often have information on this type of accommodation.

Before making any reservation, check on closeness to attractions you plan to visit and whether parking, public transport and restaurants are available.

It's also a good idea to look at the accommodation's website - if it has one.

FACTBOX

With many universities and colleges taking short-stay holiday guests, several options are sometimes available in the same city. These are just a few:

Australia

• University House ( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.anu.edu.au/unihouse">www.anu.edu.au/unihouse </a>) on the Australian National University campus

• Campus Living Villages ( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.campuslivingvillages.com">www.campuslivingvillages.com </a>) has on-campus apartments and rooms in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney as well as Bunbury, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast (on Griffith University's Gold Coast campus) and Lismore

• University of Melbourne residences ( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.colleges.unimelb.edu.au">www.colleges.unimelb.edu.au </a>) take summer guests with reservations handled by the individual colleges

• Perth's University of Western Australia has holiday accommodation in Currie Hall ( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.currie.uwa.edu.au/holiday">www.currie.uwa.edu.au/holiday </a>), with either shared bathrooms or en suites

Overseas

<b>BRITAIN</b> Two good websites for campus holiday accommodation are <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.groupaccommodation.com">www.groupaccommodation.com </a></b> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.campuslivingvillages.com">www.campuslivingvillages.com </a>

<b>UNITED STATES</b> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.campuslivingvillages.com">www.campuslivingvillages.com </a>

<b>NEW ZEALAND <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.campussummerstays.co.nz">www.campussummerstays.co.nz </a> </b> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.campuslivingvillages.com">www.campuslivingvillages.com </a>

<b>SINGAPORE </b> The National University of Singapore ( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nus.edu.sg">www.nus.edu.sg </a>) sometimes has accommodation on offer during vacation periods.

<b>SOUTH AFRICA <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.accommodation.uct.ac.za">www.accommodation.uct.ac.za </a>