Reasons for staying in university accommodation over the summer

Do you love where you live? And are you certainly not ready to move yet? Are you worried about feeling all types of FOMO this Summer? AXO have you covered with our short-term summer stays! 

We’re giving all of our current in-house residents a chance to extend your contract and keep your room over everybody’s favourite season. Staying in university accommodation over the summer is your solution to having your best summer to date. Act quickly as you only have until June 1st to secure and keep the room you currently live in. Click here to enquire today. 

But that’s not all. If you’re looking not already an AXO resident, and are looking for somewhere to stay this summer but simply can’t afford to splash out on a fancy hotel, we also have the perfect solution for you too! Here’s how staying in university accommodation over the summer works – We offer flexible tenancies from 1st June 2023 that can accommodate your needs. Click here to enquire today. Be quick, our rooms are on a first come first serve basis!

This leads to the next question, what is there to do this summer? We have put together your ultimate summer guide for 2023. Whether you are renting student housing this summer at AXO Sunderland, AXO Suffolk, or any of our student accommodations in London & AXO Coventry sites, check out these fun things to do in your area this summer.

Renting student accommodation this summer in London

Notting Hill Carnival

Notting Hill Carnival is the annual Caribbean festival that has blessed the North London streets for almost 70 years. The festival has become the largest street festival in Europe over the years and runs over the final bank holiday weekend in August each year. You can expect a whirlwind of fun, with stages, music, dancers, and some incredible, extravagant outfits!

The carnival usually has around 2 million attendees, 40,000 volunteers, and 9,000 police. And it’s not just the public who embraces this incredible Caribbean celebration. If you fancy a giggle, check out this short clip of this British police officer letting loose and breaking it down at Notting Hill Carnival back in 2018. 

BST Hyde Park

BST is one of the most iconic festivals in London with some of the world’s biggest artists performing each year. The events run across multiple weekends in June and July. Without a doubt, the lineup this year alone is a reason worth renting student accommodation in the summer. It includes stars such as Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Blackpink, and the huge headliner of the weekend, Lana Del Rey. You’ll have to hurry if you want tickets for any of these shows in London. We assume that they won’t be available for long! 

Taste of London

Feeling hungry? This one is for all of our foodies out there. The Taste of London festival is a chance for you to enjoy five days of feasting. You’ll find some of your local London favourite restaurants already attending the Taste of London, such as STK, Hot Box, and Burger & Lobster. Check out the full list of confirmed restaurants attending here. 

Explore new food brands, try lots of different cuisines, and learn about up-and-coming brands. The event begins on Wednesday, June 14th until Sunday, June 18th. But there are lots of other activities to do, aside from eating. You can take up a cooking class, a gin cocktail class, or chill out at the pizza bar. Join the other 55,000 hungry Londoners and book your tickets for the Taste of London festival today. Happy munching!

Pride in London

In June each year, we celebrate and dedicate this month to the LGBTQIA+ community. This yearly celebration began after the Stonewall riots, a series of protests in 1969 for equality. Three years later, the annual festival known as Pride in London was founded – the UK’s biggest and most diverse Pride festival there is.

On the 1st of July 2023, you and any groups or socials you may be in can apply to join in and march in the Pride parade which travels from Hydepark Corner to Whitehall Place. Or join the fun at London Trafalgar Square’s stage with a program jam-packed with fantastic shows and performances. The lineup is yet to be announced for this year, but previous years’ lineups have included the incredible Ava Max, Emeli Sande, and the stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race from across the globe. A fun, colourful, and free day filled with love! Pride in London is your ultimate reason for renting student accommodation this summer.

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens in Richmond is home to one of the largest and most diverse botanical gardens in the world. Just a few stops from London Waterloo on the South West Trains service, you can visit this Royal National Trust wonder for yourself. 

As well as viewing their incredible living plant collections, you can have a bite to eat and and visit their shops. But if you want to visit the best bit, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse, make sure to purchase your tickets beforehand. Temperate House includes various threatened plants, so you won’t want to miss out on this rare opportunity.

Up at the O2

A London viewing experience like no other. If you’re scared of heights, keep scrolling! This incredible attraction allows you to look over the city of London from on top of the O2 by climbing it. We can guarantee that nothing will beat a 360-degree view of historic Greenwich, Olympia Park and Canary Wharf.

You can choose between three sessions, Daytime, Sunset and Twilight climbs. Or even include an activity, such as the climb and dine experience, or climb and yoga.  Whichever you choose, you will be in the safest hands with quality equipment reaching new heights! Book your tickets here.

Uber Boat

By now, you have probably heard of Uber branching out into various new forms of transport you or goods around the city. There’s Uber Pet, Uber X, and of course, Uber Eats. But did you know London now has Uber Boat? The new system allows you to travel safely across the River Thames with ease. This is probably the biggest reason for renting student accommodation this summer… You can sail around the city, or even to your work placement in style and brag about it!

All you have to do is use the Uber app to book, and it’s that simple! Make sure you are at your chosen pier before booking. The boat stops at 24 piers along the Thames between Barking Riverside Pier in the East and Putney Pier in the West. The list of piers you pick up an Uber Boat from is as follows:

Renting student accommodation this summer in Coventry

Coventry Canal Basin

Coventry is certainly known for its beautiful and classic architecture. Coventry Canal Basin is a historic warehouse found along a canal and was first opened in 1769. This stunning attraction is a relaxing place to visit this summer, where visitors can sit down and enjoy the sites and historic buildings. Take a picnic with you, visit Playwrights Cafe, or even bring some fishing tools. Yes, that’s right, you can fish in this canal!

The Wave

Summer means swimming, right? And what better way to spend your time than at the “UK’s best water park!” This award-winning waterpark is the perfect reason for renting student accommodation in the summer and is designed for the ultimate thrillseekers. There are high-speed flumes and an exhilarating wave pool. 

If you would rather take the relaxed approach to swimming, The Wave caters to you too. You can use the lazy river to kick it back on one of their swimming rings and head downstream. Whichever you choose, you can guarantee to leave feeling refreshed when the hotter days arrive!

Ticket prices vary depending on whether you choose to attend on a weekday or a weekend. You can also choose between three different time slots, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. Each session is 2 hours long. Enjoy!

Planet Ice 

What’s even cooler than water? Ice! The perfect day out to brush up on those skating skills whilst renting student accommodation over the summer! This ice rink has a massive 4000 people capacity and is also home to the professional Coventry Blaze ice hockey team. There is something for everyone at Planet Ice Coventry, from public skating or weekly disco sessions with a live DJ. If you’re a beginner, they teach a wide variety of classes. Become a member for just £19.99 a year and save money on lessons!

90s Silent Disco

If you haven’t been to a silent rave yet, you’re missing out! A silent disco is an event where you and your friends can dance to music with wireless headphones, rather than using a speaker system. And this silent disco is held in the famous Coventry Cathedral for the first time. Another historic landmark in Coventry with spectacular, illuminated surroundings. Now imagine that with Spice Girls, Britney and Whitney playing in your headphones all night long with your friends. The event starts at 6:30 pm on Friday the 7th of July. Buy your tickets here!

Renting student accommodation this summer in Suffolk

Tandem Skydiving

Are you feeling brave? Have you ever wanted to tick one of the ultimate experiences off of your bucket list? If you’re renting student accommodation this summer with us at AXO Suffolk, undergo the ultimate adrenaline rush and skydive from a 13,000 ft jump. Again, this event is more aimed towards thrillseekers, but we wouldn’t want anybody to rule this experience out. 

With an expert instructor strapped to your back, you can enjoy 50 seconds of free-falling before the parachute is deployed, falling at 120mph! This is then followed by 6-7 minutes of canopied floating back to ground level, taking in all the beautiful scenery of Suffolk from 8,000 ft above. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity only costs £250. You’ll then be presented with a certificate and the memories of a complete skydive. Go on, give it a go! Book your tickets here.

Africa Alive Zoological Reserve

If you’re a fan of wildlife, nature, and exotic animals, Africa Alive is the one for you. This gorgeous zoo reserve is set across 100 acres of land in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. They have a range of thousands of different animals from around the world, you’ll feel like you’re in Africa with that sun shining in the summer season! From cheetahs to giraffes, and even dwarf forest buffalos, you can discover more about your favourite animals with the zoo’s daily talk program. 

You can also get hands-on with reptiles, invertebrates, and other smaller animals at the Discovery Centre. Or if you’re feeling brave, get up and close and personal with the lions in their den area. Not feeling too heroic today? You can always watch the lions from the Lookout Lodge. Whichever you choose to do, there is something for everyone at Africa Alive Zoological Reserve. The zoo opens at 9.30 am and closes at 5:00 pm through June. Through the long days in July and August, the park will stay open for an extra 30 mins and close at 5.30 pm. They also have a student ticket price of just £20! Book your tickets here.

Greene King Westgate Brewery

Greene King is one of the most well-known pub chains across the UK, with over 2,700 pubs, restaurants, and hotels. If you’re a beer fanatic, or simply interested in the history of beer brewing, you can take a tour of Westgate Brewery and discover where and how it all began in 1799. The tour is super informative with charming tour guides and ends with a showing of “the best” view of Bury St Edmonds Town from on top of their roof. Cheers everyone!

The Urban Frame – Mutiny in Colour

This unique street art exhibition is for all those creative minds who are renting student accommodation this summer at AXO Suffolk. The event is held at the National Horseracing Museum where you will also be able to explore the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Vallies. A beautiful, five-acre site in the heart of Newmarket, Suffolk with a restaurant, bakery and shop available on site.

The Urban Frame is organised in association with Brandler Galleries and will host over 100 works from some of the world’s most renowned contemporary artists. Some of the artists include Banksy, Bambi, and the Connor Brothers. The event will run from the 3rd of June until the 1st of October and only costs £7! It’s the perfect day out for you and your friends this summer. You can purchase tickets for it here.

Renting student accommodation this summer in Sunderland

National Glass Centre 

Sunderland is well-known for its history of glass making. If you’re renting student accommodation this summer at AXO Sunderland, why not discover the history of where you live, how glass arrived in Great Britain, and how Sunderland has such a huge glass-making heritage?

The centre has consistent various exhibition spaces, where you can learn about some of the world’s finest contemporary glass and ceramic arts. The building also saw a huge revamp in 2018, allowing you to enjoy a regularly changing program of both established and emerging contemporary artists’ work. So go and discover your peers who are grinding their way up into the world of glass, currently studying at the University of Sunderland! Check out which events and when are happening this summer at the National Glass Centre here.

Sunderland Museum, Winter Gardens

Another historic venue to visit whilst renting student accommodation this summer is the Sunderland Museum and its stunning Winter Gardens – all under one roof. With collections dating back to 1846, this venue is another fantastic way to learn about the history of where you live. They have floors dedicated to coal mining, shipbuilding, glass making, and pottery, as well as many other aspects of the city’s past. Don’t forget the art gallery, too!

The Winter Gardens is described as a “tropical paradise” and is the newest addition to the Museum, with over 2,000 plants thriving in a glass rotunda. You can also walk along the tree-top walkway, where you can get a bird’s eye view of Mowbray Park this summer. Sounds like taking a picnic to munch before or after your tour could be an excellent idea!

Stadium of Light 

The Stadium of Light is the current home to Sunderland football club. The stadium has space for close to a whopping 49,000 people. The design played homage to Sunderland’s historic roots and drew inspiration from glass-making, shipbuilding, and coal mines, similar to the museums.

If you’re a football fan, you can check out what games are happening across the summer here. But football isn’t the only thing that goes on here. Beyonce, Pink and Ed Sheeran are all due to perform at this epic stadium over the summer. You can find a list of all the music events happening here.

Kubix Pop and Dance Festival 

In summer, all we want to do is be with our friends, dancing in the sun to great music. Kubix is heading to Sunderland to make this happen for their fifth year in a row. With non-stop hits all day long including songs from the Sugababes, Five, and Basshunter, you’re guaranteed to have the time of your life. 

Previous years have included a host of fantastic artists and DJs with entertainment, fairground rides, and a camping option for you to sing with your mates all night long at the best day festival in the Northeast. The event takes place on Saturday 15th July from 11:30 am-11:00 pm, and tickets are just £33 here. Remember to stay hydrated, and dance the day away!

Summer 2023 is looking to be the best one yet, especially if you’re renting student accommodation this summer with AXO. Don’t forget, if you’re a current in-house student, you can now extend your stay in your current room. If you’re a new visitor this summer, you can book a short-term room stay with us from June 1st. Life is always better in the summer, so enjoy the time with your close ones in the UK and stay with AXO. We wish you all a pleasant stay!