Utrecht Travel Forum

My wife and I will be taking our daughter along to University College Utrecht in August. We would prefer the independance of a small appartment for the two of us ( my daughter will be in Halls of Residence ). Can any members give us some leads to find something suitable ?
Many Thanks in advance

Have a look at:

http://utrecht.utrechtyourway.nl/default.asp?action=onderdeel&onderdeel=6426

This Bed & Breakfast is not that far away (1 km) form the UCU.


If you really want to stay on your own you have to look for a holiday appartment, but these are not available in the the town of Utrecht; only in the surrounding; see;

http://www.bungalow.net/vakantieparken/netherlands/utrecht/?lcid=2057&partnerid=2013?lcid=2057

or

http://www.charmingholidays.eu/charminghouses/searchengine?countryid=nl&regionid=utr&planning=&fromnumberpersons=4&numberpets=0&cityid=alle&order=&cat=&t=nl&Pt=&Ec=&page=1


PJ

Thanks for the tips Pieter, I shall try them out. You have an impressive collection of pages. Unfortunately the web speeds in Zimbabwe are so slow I dont have the chance to create a few myself. It would take too long and would be too costly as we pay per minute on-line.
We will end up un Utrecht after spending some weeks flying from Harare to London, then to Santander , then driving to San Sebastian , train ( with assistance and advice from VT folks ) leaving the car there and getting a train to Bordeaux , stay there with friends in Libourne, getting train to Paris , see a recently widowed friend , then aiming for Utrecht. The Uni seems to be regarded very highly and we are so pleased she got in. We all have British Passports, my wife and I were born in Britain but the British govt will not allow ou children ( who hold British passports ) to receive a University education unless we pay "International Fees" , as if we are foreigners. For refugess from Ghana and Iran and Iraq they pay nothing. The netherlands govt allows us to pay Uni fees the same as any other Eu passport holder - much kinder than the British. !
So , thanks again
Peter Fahy

The UCU was the first Dutch University founded for International education using English language only. There's a 50/50 mix of foreign and Dutch students.
My daughter graduated (bachelor degree) a couple of years ago.
Over the years the living quarters were improved.
It's a close community which facilitates everything for their students in a safe environment.

On other hand, students are free to go out at night and the Utrecht nightlife is very attracting; you will see for yourself.

Enjoy your journeys; quite some trips you are up to.

PJ

That is quite some co-incidence Pieter. Your daughter going to UCU !!
Our girl will be a long way from home although she has her brother working in UK , just a short flight on EasyJet.
Did your daughter find the courses well designed and interesting ? After UCU , what did she decide to do?
I have seen from the statistics on their very good web site that 60% are Dutch students, only 0.5% from Africa , 2% from USA , 1% from Asia and the rest made up from mainly EU nationals.
The bed and breakfast place that you recommended to me looks excellent. No replies from them so far. Thanks agin for those tips. Have a good May Day tomorrow.
peter

I do not have an answer but I also looking for an affordable place/hotel/hostel near UCU..Interestingly enough,
I also have a daughter who be will starting UCU in August.
I tried to reach the Bed and Breakfast suggested but they had no vacany for the 16th to 22nd of August.If anyone has suggestions please let me know.
Thanks

OK here are the hotel options:

http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/dyn/controller/hbListPerformPage?strAddress=Campusplein&strMerged=%20Utrecht&strCountry=285&strArrivalDate=&strDepartureDate=&strPersons=2&from=MAP&productId=41000#locid=34MTE1NHFmbTMwMDQxdmRwMTA1MWM2cW5jTlRJdU1EZzBNekU9Y05TNHhORGc1T0E9PWNOVEl1TURnek5URT1jTlM0eE5EY3pNdz09Y05USXVNRGd6TlRFPWNOUzR4TkRjek13PT0wYkNhbXB1c3BsZWlu


Center of the Map is the UCU. The distances are given for each accomodation.

It seems 40 Euro per night is the lowest available, but requires some bus journey (via the Central Station) to reach the UCU.

I think you better get yourself prepared for using public transport at Utrecht; see:

http://www.vbn-bv.nl/ovinfo/algemeen_en.asp?vPaginaID=203

The Utrecht public transportation website is in Dutch only, see if you understand itat:

http://nieuw.gvu.nl/pages/reisinformatie/lijnennetkaart.aspx
(press Rijnsweerd on the map)

PJ

Thanks PJ,
Europe is expensive! In Jan. I stayed at a farm near Hengelo/Almelo area..Do you know if there are farm stays in the Utrecht area? The farm stay was relatively cheaper compared to all the hotels searched thus far.
I think I am going to rent a car from the airport and drive to Utrecht.
Many thanks for the Hotel list. I will keep looking. By any chance do you anything about house swapping..someone long ago mentioned being part of a group where people exchanged housing. I live in a very popular tourist destination (Northern Thailand) so I would like to know more about this house swapping arrangement.
Bzean.

Farmstay in the province of utrecht:

http://www.dutch-farmholidays.com/uk/hvframesetuk.htm?8-utrech.htm

PJ

House swapping:

http://www.homeexchange.com/view_listings.php?country=Netherlands&city=Utrecht

http://www.netherland.homelinkint.org/index.jsp?lan_id=3

PJ

hi there. PJ just brought this thread to my attention. Seems you already had plenty of accommodation suggestions.
My son will be graduating this month at UCU and will be doing a masters at the regular University of Utrecht.
At the moment he's involved in a musical production at UCU called HAIR (I wondered why he let his grown over the last year, until I understood!).
The musical will be on 12 and 13 May. If you're here, maybe you can come and see it.

Hi,
Just wondering if you were fortunate to find a place?
I am looking at the hospitality exchange club. I really don't want to spend
lots of dollars on a hotel. I wondered if you looked at some of the farm stays
that Pieter mentioned..Some of those did rent by the week but too expensive for us. My daughter received a small grant which helps but UCU remains an expensive school therefore we must try to save as much as possible.
I will keep looking at other options. If in your search you find a cheap stay please let me know. Thanks
Mel

Apartment in the center of Utrecht at 95 euro per night (including kitchenette):
http://www.gast-en-verblijf.nl/english/index.htm

B&B in central Utrecht at 65-105 euro per night:
http://www.bedandbreakfast.nl/bed-and-breakfast/3440/en

Hostel in the neighbourhood of Utrecht:
Stayokay in Bunnik at 32-24 euro per night per person (incl. breakfast and in a double room). It's cheaper if you share with other people in a larger room.
http://www.stayokay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Herbergen.showHomeHB&id=9&lng=2

If this hostel in Bunnik (a neighbouring village to Utrecht) looks ok to you, then public transport is 32-34 minutes to the University College. Silly enough, this includes 21 minutes walking! The remaining minutes by bus costs 1,36 euro one way.