Self catered flats (Halls Of Residence At The University Of Edinburgh)

Member Name: Froggerella

Product:	Halls Of Residence At The University Of Edinburgh
Date:	10/10/08 (937 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: More independent, better mix of people, more variety in the residences.

Disadvantages: The Accommodation Services can sometimes be a little unreasonable...

There's a lot about Pollock Halls on here, but not much about the self-catered residences offered by the University of Edinburgh. These include places such as Warrender Park Crescent, Nicolson Street, Kincaids Court, Darroch Court, Hermit's Croft, and so on. As someone who's done the freshers thing twice (I took an interruption of study, didn't complete my first freshers year, and am doing it again) - I've stayed in two different self-catered residences, and feel I know them enough now to review them.

The first I stayed in was 5 Nicolson Street. This was originally post-grad accommodation, until the uni ran out of places to put their ever-increasing numbers of first years. Nicolson Street is a little grotty on the inside - the stairwells, mainly - but otherwise, fairly good. Don't expect a pretty building - but do expect it to be 5 minutes away from lectures, shops, and 10/15 minutes from the Royal Mile and Princes St. It's very convenient for location.

The second year, Warrender Park Crescent. This is a little out of the centre - in the Marchmont area, by the meadows - and takes about 15 minutes to walk to George Square. It's not as convenient as other flats, BUT - it's incredibly pretty. The entire neighbourhood is quite quiet, pretty, and feels less hectic than the centre.

Self-catering is definitely a good idea - you can buy cheap food and eat what you want, when you want. You find a better mix of people in self-catered than in Pollock (i.e. it's not all rich people in s-c!) Laundry - £1.60 for a wash, generally... Don't use the tumble dryers, invest in a clothes horse to hang your clothes up.

As for the person who said "If you think you'll be getting a mixed, international flavor, think again: they generally group people, racially, into the flats - Chinese, American, Other." - Wrong. In my current flat, we have an English girl, a Scot, and two Americans from opposite ends of the country. I know other flats with Europeans and Brits in the same flat, etc.

Summary: They're not all bad. Just don't go for Pollock.