I lived here my sophomore year at UCR (2009-2010) and I loved it. I was in a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom…read moresuite and it was awesome. Glen Mor is furnished; the kitchen is spacious w/ a dining table & chairs, roomy cabinets and a large pantry, and there is a nice living room area w/ a large couch, chair, standing lamp, coffee table, entertainment display, and end table w/ lamp. Bedrooms are honestly somewhat small, with furniture identical to that of the Pentland Hills dorm rooms - a single twin XL bed, desk w/ whiteboard & shelf, chair, nightstand w/ double drawers, and closet with cool sliding/folding door. The fact that Glen Mor is furnished saves you a TON of hassle that other students living elsewhere have to do (LOAD up furniture, CARRY furniture, then MOVE everything out come the end of the year) - I feel what you pay extra for at Glen Mor could likely equal what you would pay when buying your own furniture if you lived in an unfurnished apartment. Just save yourself and your family members/friends the physical labor! Besides, the furniture given at Glen Mor is modern and comfortable, so it's a win win.
Amenities of living at Glen Mor include:
-Weekly cleaning from a cleaning lady. You WILL NOT find this anywhere else, and it's a huge plus for guys who are messy (not saying I am one of them). Note only your bathroom, living room, and kitchen will be cleaned (no, the lady will not do your dishes) and you are responsible for upkeep of your bedroom.
-If you have a car and parking permit, there is parking in Lot 21 (shared with Pentland Hills residents, but it's way better than not having a designated lot to park in. No matter how packed, you are guaranteed to find a spot to park in!). If you don't have a car, there's the Highlander Shuttle that stops in front of Glen Mor hourly I think.
-Although Glen Mor is supposedly the most expensive apartment option at UCR, it's well worth it. It's relatively new, modern in design, and clean. There are other apartment options (like Bannockburn Village) that are infamously old, dirty, and uncomfortable (majority opinion here, from what I've heard). A Glen Mor 2 is scheduled to be open in Fall 2014.
-Scotty's, a convenience store with a sandwich grill, is located right on the floor level
-One main study room that consists of full length glass sliding doors. It's invigorating to slide open all walls on a warm spring day to study, feeling the breeze. The sun is blocked by the D Building, so it's nice & shady in the study room! The room is generally empty except for when midterms and finals come around.
-A 24 hour computer lab w/ printers. The printers are jammed a lot, but really, it's better than having no printers or no 24hr access (or having to rush to Watkins' print labs). I cannot stress how many times this place will save your life (esp. since every student is given a certain amount of money to use for school printing every year). Whether you need to print out that all nighter essay @ 4am or get a last minute copy of those notes you need to bring to your 8am class, this lab will be a life saver (assuming the printers aren't malfunctioning)! I know from experience! The lab is located behind Scotty's, so it's also of walking distance for Glen Mor residents.
-The university recreation center is not too far a walk and Glen Mor residents can also use the Pentland Hills gym (although the equipment is very limited) located under the H Building.
-There is a soccer field. Soccer games take place frequently throughout the week, including some games by Pentland residents. Noise is sometimes an issue, though! The field is also good for jogging around (although be careful near Watkins Drive since a lot of crime happens there)
-All buildings have elevators and stairwells. Warning that D Building's elevator is VERY slow
-Sunrise and sunset are sights to behold at Glen Mor, given it is located nearest to the hills surrounding campus.
-I personally liked the full length glass walls near the elevators (I think every building has this) that overlooked the horseshoe & pathways of Glen Mor. Sometimes while waiting for the elevator, you can take a second and just watch life go by.
-You use the university's Internet and cable, so no need to PAY EXTRA and deal with the HORRID cable companies to get your stuff set up
And just a note, the fact that Glen Mor is located ON CAMPUS makes it a lot safer. A quick Yelp search will show LOW ratings for many other off campus apartment options for UCR students. For ex., Bannockburn is infamous for being the front scene of a lot of attempted robberies and rape (and the university police station is just down the street, too). UCPD and campus security routinely drive around Glen Mor too, so that is something to rest assured knowing.
Definitely consider Glen Mor in your housing options once the application time comes, or if you are a transfer student. It's expensive, but worth it for all the amenities, convenience, and safety.