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Pollock Halls

3.6 (15 reviews)

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Gibson A.

I stayed in Turner house in Pollock Halls for my first year in 2008-09 and it was, without a doubt, one of the best years of my life. All we did was get drunk, have fun and do as little work as was conceivably possible to pass our respective courses. The rooms in Pollock are all in pretty good condition with large desks, comfortable chairs and beds and clean sinks. As the other reviews have mentioned, there's all the stigmas attached to each house, but everyone is of a muchness no matter what house they're from. The JMC (the canteen) was being extended when I was there so I was overlooking a building site most of the year, but the finished building looks great now. The food in the JMC isn't always the best, but their brunch on the weekends is legendary. If you're a prospective first year student at Edinburgh Uni I recommend Pollock without any hesitation.

Rezzi I.

This catered university residence is also known as Edinburgh First outwith the school semester, and has a pretty wide range of accomodation available! I was placed in Chancellor's court, one of the newer buildings. I'd say it's quite angular and modern; not exactly what I had hoped for in the beginning, as I'd aspired for more Hogwarts-like surroundings. However I quickyly came to appreciate my lot, as Chancellor's is one of the four dorms with ensuite bathrooms! I wouldn't say the other buildings were shabby, or too shabby; they are what actual university dorms should look like. Chancellors, and the even newer John Burnett, are just a bit extravagant! In the middle of it all is the JMCC, or John McIntyre Centre, where the catering facilities and school shop are. The centre underwent an £8 million refurbishment in 2009 so everything's still bright and shiny. Many students are contractually kicked out of the halls during the easter break, when Pollock Halls becomes Edinburgh First and Chancellor's Court is used as a hotel for guests. Wasn't really a fan of that policy!

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Review Highlights - Pollock Halls

Polock Halls Residence is located in the foot of Arthur's seat, just at the entrance of the Holyrrod park.

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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Kitchener House

Kitchener House

(2 reviews)

As the first place I stayed after leaving home this will always hold a place in my heart and…read morerightly so. It's a great place to stay if you are based in Kings and is one of the nicer University Houses I've seen. It's best asset is the space on offer, it has large kitchens and common room whilst the rooms aren't too small either. I had reservations about coming here due to the number of people per kitchen, but it does actually work out really well. The only downside is the walk to town (30 min) so you would have to think about cycling or busing if you don't want to walk that far.

I lived in Kitchener House for my first year at Edinburgh University while studying biological…read moresciences at the Kings Building Campus. This accommodation is University owned and was a great in so many ways! The building has approximately 60 rooms including doubles which span the older house and a newer extension onto the side. The rooms are of a good size which include a bed, cupboard, desk, chair, bookshelf and in most cases a sink each. There are 4 kitchens, many toilets and showers and a large spacious common room. There is also a large garden with grass and a picnic table outside. There is also a central bike storage area with metal bars to attach bikes and a large and sturdy gate which can only be accessed with a key that is given to residents of the accommodation. In each person's allocated kitchen they have their own dedicated storage cupboards, fridge and freezer compartments. Everyone was very social in my first year which was made very easy as it is one of the smallest university accommodation buildings which made it feel like a home rather than a large student block full of unfamiliar faces. The common room was a great area to socialise in the first few weeks when events like coffee and film nights were put on by the resident assistants (The common room has a TV). The kitchens have large tables in the centre which are also great points to socialise when everyone is cooking and eating. Many a night was spend playing beer pong and having pres in the common room and kitchens! One of the downsides of this accommodation is the distance from the centre of Edinburgh. It takes 30 - 60 minutes to walk from Kitchener into the town where the shops, restaurants and pubs are. This is very manageable if you have a bike though (which a lot of us had) and the buses have regular departures into the town. If you are studying any non science/engineering subjects, for example business, politics, religion, art etc, I would not recommend Kitchener as it is one of the furthest university accommodations from the George square campus in town. There is a shuttle bus service that runs from kings buildings to George square, free of charge to Edinburgh University students, but it can be unreliable and overcrowded with no guarantee of getting on the bus and getting to lectures on time. I knew people that stayed at kitchener house to go to the George square campus but most were unaware that their classes, or at least the majority were in central Edinburgh. I have made many friends in Kitchener and have formed some of the strongest friendships I have ever had with people from here in this very accommodation, even more so than high school friends that I have known for years. I have made friends here that I will know for my entire life. I cannot explain just how great kitchener was for me socially and academically. I hope this will help any students who are contemplating moving into kitchener house and studying at Edinburgh University. If you are lucky enough to get into kitchener, have a great time and take advantage of every opportunity, meet new people, join clubs, study hard and party hard. The lease only lasts for less than a year and time will fly by. I know as it did for me. I have so many cherished memories from kitchener house. Good luck! Callum

Brae House - student room

Brae House

(1 review)

I stayed here for four nights during my trip to Scotland. I picked it because everything else in…read morethe area was so expensive, so I figured I had nothing to lose. I was pleasantly surprised. To start off, their customer service before my visit was very solid. I emailed them several times before my visit with some detaily stuff and they always got back to me within a few hours. My train got me into town about noon and the check in is 3pm. The young lady at the front desk greeted me warmly, let me check my bag and gave me a map and directions. I asked the front desk people for help at least once a day (directions, recommendations, help with the on-sight laundry, renting a towel, etc,) and they were all terrific. The room is not super big but it is certainly big enough. The bed is more than big enough for one person. There is a desk and a lot of storage space. The bathroom is big enough for a guy like me (shower, shave, brush teeth, etc.) and the shower works better than some of the more expensive hotels I stayed in. The location is handy (about a 15-20 minute walks to the Royal Mile and to the train station.) They partner with a tour company. The tours looked solid but did not fit my schedule. The only reason I gave four stars instead of five, is that you can only open the window a crack. You can borrow a fan for a £20 deposit but I did not. I would call the place "cute and functional" and the service was outstanding. I would definitely stay again!

Arran House - What kind of hygiene standards does this shithole have

Arran House

(2 reviews)

Paid for the most expensive room to rent for a full year, service/PR is complete rubbish, staff…read moretreat students like vermin, and they don't take criticism professionally. Don't ever bother complaining, the smile on their faces dissapear the moment you have any critique. They use master keys to enter flat as they see fit. Lifts regularly smell like a dump, front door has never been fixed (even called it a window), heck, even the main door handle came completely off a few times. I wish I could attach pictures here, but I have pictures of blood covered walls. For all the stupid security, people still came in and smashed glass doors and windows over new year. I have email proof. Fire alarms are going off all the time, which is ridiculous for people living on the top floor. Don't bother with this housing. Not even for the Edinburgh Fringe. Just go elsewhere, even their neighbours, IQ Fountain park might actually be better.

Very, very basic The…read morelocation is great, very convenient to the city center. The accommodations are simple and basic, but that's what you're paying for. The staff was friendly too. You are also right next to the cinema and a few nice shops. My room wasn't very clean - there were hairs in my bed when I pulled off the duvet. The nearest parking is £26 per night which is crazy in my opinion, but convenient to the location. Bring your own toiletries and towels as there was only a hand towel for me in the shower. Don't come looking for 5 stars, but that's what you're paying for.

Pollock Halls - university_housing - Updated May 2026

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