How can Muggles stay at the real Hogwarts this Christmas? Christmas conjures magic and mystery in the Harry Potter movies. This December, it’s possible to stay in several of the filming locations used in the Harry Potter films

(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - November 8th, 2024 - This December, many Potterheads will get the chance to follow in their hero’s snowy footsteps. A leading holiday expert says it’s now possible to stay in some of the atmospheric and historic film locations that double as Hogwarts and the magical world..

Lily Smith, a travel expert from the specialist accommodation finder UniversityRooms.com, says: ‘Many filming locations for Hogwarts and the rest of Harry’s world are not just sets. Several Oxford University colleges have featured in the movies as the famous school of wizardry and witchcraft, while many locations around London will be equally familiar to Potter fans.

‘Many of the most Christmassy locations are set in, or inspired by, places in Oxford. The Great Staircase and Tudor Great Dining Hall at Christ Church college are instantly recognisable to Potter fans. Its Great Hall was perfectly replicated for the grand Hogwarts Hall, the scene of many Christmas and other memorable feasts. Its 16th-century staircase is also famous as the place where Harry and the other first-years are greeted by Professor McGonagall in the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

‘The great news is that it is possible to not only stay at Christ Church college this December but also have breakfast in the Great Hall. Rooms are available in this historic building, parts of which date back to 1546, for just £120 a night – not a bad price to be right at the heart of a Harry Potter Christmas.

‘Christ Church is not the only real-life Hogwarts in Oxford. The seemingly misnamed New College, which actually dates back to 1379, is also very familiar to Potter fans. In particular, New College’s cloisters and quad feature in the movie The Goblet of Fire. Most famously, Draco Malfoy taunts Harry while sitting in the large oak tree in the cloisters of New College – until he’s turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody.

‘The great news is that, after a short break, New College is once more offering accommodation through UniversityRooms.com this December. New College offers a variety of accommodation across several sites. Budget ensuite rooms in Bodicote House offer views of the ancient City Wall, which encloses the college garden. You can stay in these rooms from just £70 a night. Additionally, the college’s New Buildings – actually built in the 1800s! – are within its historic walls and these atmospheric rooms are available from just £90 a night. As part of every Muggle’s stay at New College, they will also receive complimentary access to the college grounds, saving the normal admission fee of £8 each.

‘More Christmassy still, nearby is the Bodleian’s Duke Humfrey’s Library. In The Philosopher’s Stone,the historic library forms the fabulous backdrop to Harry’s adventure when he seeks out a forbidden book late one night, while most of the other students are away for Christmas. Every Potter fan whose memory has not been obliviated by one of Professor Lockhart’s memory charms will remember Harry sneaking in underneath his invisibility cloak, itself a mysterious Christmas present.

‘One thing to remember is that, strictly speaking, all guests at both colleges should be over 18. It’s no use drinking Polyjuice Potion to look like someone older!

‘Oxford isn’t the only location you can potter in the footsteps of Harry. A number of London universities offer inexpensive rooms near venues such as Leadenhall Market. This famous market in the City of London features in The Philosopher’s Stone. Hagrid and Harry stride through it on their way to Diagon Alley. No, you don’t need an eye check: the entrance to the infamous wizard’s pub, the Leaky Cauldron, which is just outside the market in Bull’s Head Passage is, in real life, now an opticians!

‘This year, the Lord Mayor of London turns on the market’s Christmas lights on 14 November at 6pm, making it an even more magical place to visit. Everything from crafts to antiques will be on sale during the weekends leading up to Christmas. The great news is that a number of student accommodation centres are available this winter in London, including:

·        Elm Grove (University of Roehampton)

·        Goodenough College, Bloomsbury

·        Roomzzz London Stratford

·        The Victoria League Student House, Bayswater

‘This December, the Victoria League Student House in Leinster Square offers accommodation in a historic building from just £33 a night. It dates back to 1853 and features beautiful gardens. Like all UniversityRooms.com properties, you don’t have to be a student to rent a room there. However, it is specifically intended for young people aged 18 to 30 to stay safely in London.

‘It doesn’t take an educated guess to realise that more limited university term-time accommodation is likely to get booked up. For more information on staying in Oxford, see https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/oxford/home/

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