I spent a summer here. Truth be told, having an undergrad roommate as a working grad was the absolute worst part of the experience but it's something I opted into knowing that's the kind of roomie I would get... so I won't judge HySo for it.
Onto the building and service itself; the bad stuff first. Elevators were often broken which was annoying, specially considering the garbage room has no stair access. Some washing machines were also broken. The reception desk is all the way at 90U, a five-minute walk; combined with student staff occasionally not picking the phone or being overworked it made for dealing with any issues (locked out, bugs, repairs, etc.) a PITA more often than not. Likewise with loading your laundry card; gotta make the walk to find a card machine and sometimes it's broken. Oh, and they charged a non-refundable $50 for the bike room, while prohibiting bringing in bikes into apartments... not a happy camper from paying the fee, since parking outside is not very safe.
Maintenance could also be spotty - it took two days for my apartment's lock to become functional again (lock battery was replaced but cards didn't work), while the techs let me know they didn't enjoy their job whenever they were doing something else. The furnished bed was bad; while I got used to it, finicky sleepers will get insomnia from the hard mattress.
Bizarrely, the building's study room was the closest place to the busy street and located right next to the entrance... meaning any poor sod trying to read or study in peace became an unpaid doorman. It was also the go-to place for budding couples to sort out their drama, for whatever reason. Unsurprisingly the room was always empty even during exam season.
Lastly, people really need to be able to shut off/open air vents in each bedroom because if you have a clueless roommate who loves to randomly mess with climate control you're screwed... no fun at all to go to bed at room temperature, then wake up in the middle of the night because smartypants set the dial to 18 degrees. Something that dorms should really look out for.
The good parts, now. The reason I came to HySo at all was because summer subletting was dirt cheap; I paid only $450/month including utilities and Wifi. That I didn't have to resort to a rooming house or a slumlord for affordable accommodation can't be understated.
The most low-key feature is how good insulation and soundproofing is. If not for climate control shenanigans, I probably could've spent the whole summer without either air conditioning or heating just by keeping the windows open. I also forgot that I was surrounded by undergrads as I rarely heard noise from other units; it took a literal end-of-summer party next to me with drunkards in the hallway to bother me. The caveat is that the neighborhood itself can get noisy late night/early morning; I was woken up a few times by construction trucks and once by a reggae concert next door (what the f*** were they doing in a church hall at 2 AM?). Oh yeah, and you won't be saved from your roommate listening to loud ass movies at midnight, but at least no one else in the building will bother you.
The apartment did have all furniture necessary, the kitchen's appliances were in proper working order and a clogged shower sink was dealt with within 24 hours. There were also no bugs or infestations coming in from other units. Wifi was congested at times but it was free and functional. he apartment was big enough for two young people. No issues were had during either move in or move out. The hallways could get dirty but they were cleaned up every few days. Never felt unsafe in the building. So many common sources of headache were no problem at all.
I did mention the neighborhood can be sketchy and loud, but it's also right across the street to UOttawa, a 15 minutes walk to downtown and Parliament Hill, a 5 minutes walk to Rideau St. with all its shopping, restaurants and nightlife (stabbings optional) and very close to either side of the Canal. Buses are very plentiful, with major stops nearby. St. Near everything you need and you can become a tourist at the drop of a hat, great location. Just keep your wits about if you have to walk home late night.
Summary:
-Undergrad roommate
-Broken elevators and washing machines
-Inconsistent service/maintenance response
-Study room useless
-Climate control not child-proof
-Somewhat loud/sketchy neighborhood at night
-Bed mattress hard as a rock
+Dirt cheap + free Wifi
+Excellent insulation/soundproofing
+Clean apartment upon arrival
+All needed furniture; apartment big enough
+No issues with appliances, water, furniture, bugs, safety, etc.
+Maintenance did fix things (when they got to it)
+Superb location for student or professional
Verdict: 4/5. As a cheap freshman dorm, HySo swings above its weight. So long as you can put up with a young roommate it's a great experience, if not then take the hit for the considerable savings and great location. read more