Claredale House is what you can expect a housing hall to be like. It's pretty much like living in…read morethe dorms if you're from America. Tight nit spaces, One kitchen, One bathroom shared between 4 people or 2 bathrooms, bigger kitchen shared between 6. I've lived in these Halls for about seven months now and it's been quite an experience. When I first arrived it was very fun, I got to meet all my flat mates right off the bat who are all quite lovely and a lot of the people around me as well so it started out quite fun. We would have nights out in London, exploring the night life together and just enjoying getting to know another side of the world. The only thing that really is quite the annoyance is the thin walls and the loudness that comes with living with people of all different ages and maturity levels. Sure, it's college/Uni, it's the time to party, rage it up, go out and drink, but when you have class at 9 the next morning and there is a party next door, it's not the best place to be. However, in terms of security they have a great system, a code that enables you to get into the gates and it's an easy walk to the tube or the bus when you need to go to Uni. It comes with a fridge and a microwave, stove, oven, sink and bins, but that's all you get, all the rest you have to supply yourself which is typical for halls. The staff is both really nice and helpful when it comes to moving in and getting around to places. They also have a laundry room with about 6 washers and 6 dryers and it only takes an hour to do both. The internet is consistently good and you get your own room as well which is lovely. The only reason why I give it 3 stars is due to the thinness of walls, the tight nit spaces and that there isn't a common room to hang in besides the kitchen. Other than that though, it's worth the rent and it's a place to live that's close to what you need.

Just perfect! The location is absolutely great, especially if you feel drawn to up-and-coming…read morehipster places, great parks (such as London Fields and Victoria Park) and the beautiful Regent´s Canal. I felt completely safe all the time, even coming back alone in the night. The office staff is so friendly and helpful with everything and you can even have your parcels delivered there so that, in case you are not home when the postman stops by, you won´t have to go to a pick-up place, but can even get your parcel from the office on the weekend or in the evening. I am really happy to have chosen Clarendale for a summer stay and would definitely come again.

Having found a nice little voucher on KGB Deals, I thought that taking in the sites of London from…read morethe 32nd floor of the Nido Student Village near Liverpool Street would be something I couldn't say no to. For a mere £19 I grabbed myself and my other half 4 drinks and a plate of tapas totalling to over £100 usually. Booking was mandatory as this event is highly sought after, so we were lucky to get our first choice. Thursday nights are obviously the start of the weekend now a days! My other half, TW, had 2 beers whilst I spoilt myself with a couple of peach and strawberry Bellini's, which were quite lush, but half the size of those you pay for. This is obviously expected but still shocked me slightly. The views certainly made up for it. The tapas wasn't anything to write home about, but was enjoyable enough. We did have to pop to grab some bagels, but we hadn't eaten since lunch time, and have large appetites. The views were obviously incredible, but the venue lacked atmosphere, maybe because it was only half past 6 and the working world hadn't fully churned out yet but if I were you I'd save your pennies for a rainy day of you haven't got a voucher.

Ok, now I've had some time to reflect on my year at Urbanest Hoxton. It really was a 5-star…read moreexperience for me and totally worth the price. Also, having friends who have lived at other privately owned student halls, I can definitely say that this company is special in the way it treats its residents: as real tenants and customers, NOT just students to be taken advantage of. While there weren't too many other Americans in the building, I made many other great friends of Canadian, Swiss, and English origins. No, they aren't going to make them for you, but its there if you want it. And being a bit older (27 at the time), I still felt comfortable even though many students were undergrads. Excellently appointed rooms-- great showers/bathrooms, well-built furniture, under floor heating. Great, personable staff (tip: be nice to them and they will repay the favor). Fabulous location. Free bikes and bike storage. Laundry always worked and was a reasonable price. SUPER fast internet at all times. When things broke, I actively and promptly saw people trying to fix them. My only con: Sure, some of the other residents were rich, spoiled, douche-bags who have millions of servants at their home and don't know how to bathe themselves or put their garbage in the bin properly. But really, that's my only complaint. And I found cool people to make up for them, so whatever.

I lived at Urbanest for two years, and by the end of my time there it really did feel like home…read more(which I think is a huge achievement for a student residence because I think some are at risk of feeling a bit like a hotel). There a few things in particular that are worth highlighting: 1) Cosmopolitan Community. From day one the social scene at Urbanest was fantastic, and I made some wonderful friends who I hope will be for life (including my now husband!). Moving to London can be a bit daunting, but the house parties and activities organised by the building made it really easy to integrate. It was great making friends with people from so many different backgrounds. 4 years on I still count some of the people I met at Urbanest as my nearest and dearest. When we get together we still reminisce about our time at Urbanest! We had some serious laughs. 2) The Staff. I cannot praise the staff at Urbanest enough. They are professional but also highly approachable. If ever I had a problem with the flat or some kind of issue they would always fix it. Furthermore, they're just really nice people and actually care about the residents' pastoral needs as well. I remember quite a few times when I'd had a really bad day I'd stop at chat with whoever was on reception and they would really take an interest in what was going on in my life. They're also flexible - I've heard some horror stories from other friends living in private residences where the building seems to be run like a prison! This is certainly not the case at Urbanest. 3) Location and Building. I don't think I need to say much about the building - it's as fab as it looks on the website. True, the rooms are not huge, but the shelving and cupboards are done quite cleverly so you actually have quite a lot of space to put stuff. And I have a LOT of stuff and I happily managed for 2 years! Plus I would really recommend making use of the communal spaces (especially the study room where you'll nearly always find someone else for moral support... particularly if you're pulling a dreaded all nighter..). As for location, well Shoreditch and the surrounding areas are fantastic for students! There are great bars, cheapish places to eat etc. And I always felt safe walking home at night even by myself, which as a girl living in London was really important to me! I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Urbanest to anyone. It was a fantastic two years.

Run down and pretty dirty feeling, the rooms and common spaces at the hotel have definitely seen…read morebetter days and bathrooms were a bit gross (hairs, stains). Basically, it feels like a dorm that isn't very well maintained - which I'm pretty sure is exactly what it is. Staff is fine - not really that engaged, but do their job fine. Location is pretty good - not at the very center of town, but definitely convenient - only a quick underground ride to most major attractions. Lots of bars and restaurants in the neighborhood.

I feel that for such a modern looking room my whole experience could have been way better. First,…read moreeverything is small. I was no fan of the bathroom. I was on a Ef college tour on my stay here. This place had to type of air conditioning. The room was so hot and it was summer time! Getting to my room was a hassle as some doors require and additional keycard scan or button press. The view from my room was so beautiful but apart from that I can't really mention anything else positive.

My experience at The Curve (mid-November 2016): burglary and unhelpful management…read more I had my laptop stolen from my locked room. I had reported the case to the police as burglary. The security of my room was compromised by the broken corridor door. The management was extremely unhelpful and did not fix the broken corridor door even after the burglary. I would not stay in a place where I feel unsafe.