“Guesthouse on campus can be good place to stay”

Guesthouse on campus can be good place to stay

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 07:12 PM PST

Looking for lodging for a college tour? Consider staying on campus at a university guesthouse, if one is available.

Guesthouses typically are no-frills affairs, but they can be a comfortable, convenient and an economical alternative to hotels.

Start your hunt on the admissions page of the any college's website. Lodging options are typically listed under a heading such as "Where to stay."

If the school has a guesthouse, it'll be on the list. If not, hotels offering deep discounts to visitors on university-related business may be listed.

(In San Diego, my son and I stayed at a hotel just off the UC San Diego campus for about $50 off the rack rate — with free breakfast included. )

Here's the lowdown on two guesthouses we visited in Southern California.

UC Santa Barbara Faculty Club

This is a beautiful, if somewhat faded, Mission-flavored building in the heart of the UCSB campus, designed in the mid-1960s.

Its six rooms are simple, but they have some charms. Ours had a vaulted ceiling, a skylight in the bathroom and a view of a nearby lagoon.

The price? $113 a night, with no additional hotel taxes — a steal in one of the priciest tourist destinations in Southern California.

Included were free Wi-Fi, juice and muffins in a small refrigerator and access to a beautiful, private pool.

Parking costs an additional $8 a day. Information: www.faculty-club.ucsb.edu.

UCLA Guesthouse

UCLA's Guesthouse is larger than the UCSB Faculty Club — 61 rooms — and a little better kept. It's also more expensive: $143 a night, but again without additional hotel taxes.

The amenities are superb for the price, however: Free parking; free buffet breakfast in an airy sitting room; free espresso all day; and access to campus pools and fitness centers. A small office/meeting room contains two computers with wireless Internet and a printer for shared use.

The rooms themselves are cool and comfortable; ours had a lovely outdoor patio with a table and chairs.

The front desk at the Guesthouse is staffed 24 hours a day with knowledgeable, helpful receptionists who can help you work through the logistics of your college visit. www.hotels.ucla.edu.

— Lynn Jacobson

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