Trinity College Accommodation (Halls Of Residence At The University Of Cambridge)

Member Name: ainfigree

Product:	Halls Of Residence At The University Of Cambridge
Date:	01/05/02 (727 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, Cheap, Cheap!!!!!, Close to town and lecture theatres, live close to all your friends

Disadvantages: Lack of independence, Cold, noisy rooms in some cases, Little choice esp first years

As the other Cambridge accommodation reviewer says, and I think dooyoo should perhaps take note of, there is *no such thing* as "halls of residence" at Cambridge.

What there is, however, is accommodation provided by the individual colleges. I'm at Trinity and so I'll take you on a guided tour of some of the accommodation available to students here...

Firstly Trinity is a huge college with the odd house and flat as well as places where only Fellows and PhD students live, so I'm leaving those out (mainly because I've not been in many of them, except for supervisions!). However I have been to loads of other rooms, not least of all because of the wonderful room ballot system that happens every year to undergraduates.

FIRST YEAR ACCOMMODATION

Before you come up you can choose whether you want to have high price, low price or medium price rooms (though even high price by Cambridge standards is low to most people), request a network connection or ensuite, and then cross your fingers. It's really completely random as most people go for high or medium and there are about 50 ensuite rooms between 220 students. However every first year room (and almost all of the rest of College) has network points and many will have phonelines installed by previous occupants (if not you can get BT to install one for you - how kind).

- Wolfson Building
A great big 1960s style concrete council flat block from the outside, with a nuclear missile sticking out of the top. Niiice.

Rooms are quite large with new dark pine furniture (desk, table, coffee table, another table, bookcases, end table, etc), an armchair, a few normal chairs, a square of carpet (if you're lucky you get wall-to-wall carpet) and tiny tiny windows. Kitchen shared between about 8 people, about 16 people to a floor. Only ensuite rooms are in Wolfson. Lift to get to higher floors - very nice. Every room has a sink and mirror bit, and a bed
of course.

- Blue Boar/Blue Boar Court
Above many of the shops on Trinity St, Green St, and Sidney St - meaning VERY NOISY but you do get used to it I'm assured. Especially if you live in I block - right above the Sainsburys' deliveries!

Blue Boar staircases are all essentially separate houses in style, though not quite in function. A lot are reasonably new and the rooms are really nice, if a bit plain. Standard furniture/sink combo - shared showers and baths (and toilets) but the ones I've seen are really nice - elsewhere in college they can be quite grotty! Disadvantage: Two flights of stairs before you even get to Blue Boar, then there's the added problem of carrying your stuff all over the place...

- Angel Court
Where I lived. Nice and quiet if you live facing inwards - unsufferably noisy (Trinity Street - deliveries and drunk people) if you live streetside. I faced inwards, opposite the college bar :)

No lifts even for the third floor unfortunately, but the rooms are quite large. Varies from a long halls-style corridor to a house-style staircase and some newly refurbished rooms. Showers were grotty (1 shower and 3 baths between 22 students) when I was there but since the refurb they may be better. Kitchens (gyp rooms) are disgusting though. Standard furniture/sink (hidden in cupboards) arrangement - though this is the realm of tiny squares of carpet on parquet!

SECOND/THIRD YEARS

- Whewell's Court
Where I live now. Quiet, old bit of college. Rooms large and well equipped - gyp rooms rubbish (one gas hob). Sink in room, but some staircases don't have showers! Also some rooms that face outwards are noisy, ours is double glazed but we get buses going past all the time. I share a room and there are quite a few 'doubles' in Whewell's. Also extremely close to Sainsburys...

- New Court
Other end of college - advantage of no traffic restrictions (main col
lege has a traffic ban 10-4 Mon-Sat). Quiet except for some rooms that face out onto a dead end street. Rooms are nice, stone staircases etc. Some lovely views of the river. Facilities somewhat lacking - showers, baths and kitchens are a lucky dip really. Lots of double rooms. Close to Hall, the Library and the computer room.

- Burrell's Field
A complex mainly populated by second years, mathmos and scientists (due to its proximity to their lecture theatres). Really nice especially in summer - walk through fellows' garden to get there. Lots of ensuite sets (rooms with separate living room/bedroom) and these have fantastic kitchens. Also Wolfson-style single rooms which have nice views and are really quiet. Rooms quite large too. Unfortunately not too near the rest of college (although better than a lot of other colleges!) and a hefty walk from sainsburys'.

- Great Court
Mainly only an option if you're clever or lucky. Old, large, pretty cold rooms with minimal facilities but a great address. Some tiny staircases too.

- Other places (Jesus Lane, etc)
A lot of the separate houses and buildings are really nice, with new furniture, carpets and paint. the kitchens are especially good, but roadside can be noisy.


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Most of the rooms are really cheap varying from £350 per term to £550/£600. Also security due to the fabulous porters is really good - don't go out without locking your door, etc, but there are minimal thefts in mine and my friends' happy experiences. Though we do get the odd weirdo wandering through the gate and talking to us. All the accommodation is of a pretty good quality except the kitchens (but food is provided every day in Hall, three times a day) and it's among the best in Cambridge :)

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