Update to my post based on what Jamie K wrote. I actually work for a competitor of UNITE now and…read morehave done for some time, I have no ties with them whatsoever and couldn't care less if they were doing well or not. I was part-time employed with them briefly during my studies, long-before I wrote my initial review, rest assured I am truthful when I say the experience was brilliant at Blackfriars. I am still very close friends with the flatmates I had there, and can't fault anything about it.

I signed up here just so I could say, DO NOT live here!! Save yourselves!…read more It's an awful place. Everything looks deceptively shiny on the outside, including the staff. But once you sign that contract... The fire alarms are at least weekly and ear-splitingly loud. The lifts will break. Most people you talk to have been stuck in them at least once, including me. I pushed the alarm button for help, where you get redirected to their headquarters in LONDON. And basically, they probably won't believe you're actually stuck, and no one on the premises can get you out. The lift fixed itself after about 15 minutes. Staff members/ maintenance people will let themselves into your flat. The walls are very thin. Internet is slow and only available by cable in your room. The rent is extortionate. You won't get your deposit back. They take money off for "cleaning bills" etc. But when you move in, your flat will be filthy. If you get locked out they charge you about £20 to get back in. Maybe more. Your key card will get damaged because it's so flimsy. You will get charged for a replacement. The batteries on the doors will probably run out. This means you get locked out. If you drop something down the back of your cupboard (like ID... long story) you can't get it out. At all. Sorry this is so long, but please, please, reconsider before you stay with Unite.

If you are a student and not heard of or been in Murano Street Halls of Residence, that is quite a…read morefeat! I luckily had the opportunity to have a noisy around through attending many a late night/early morning party. Murano Street is located a bit away from the main Byres Road West End buss area. Although, in saying that it is a nice 20 minute or so walk away and you can have a look through the railings into Botanic Gardens on the way! While, not very trendy the Murano Street location does allow for easy access to a massive Tesco and will help burn off some of these chips-and cheese-calories. The University does also provide regular buses between Murano Street and the main campus. The complex itself is large and modern. However, this means the same qualities as most new builds - small rooms, thin walls, lots of white paint and the corridor/stairwell maze does look like something like you might find in a prison (I imagine).

Though you never really "live" in university halls, this was my first place of residence in…read moreGlasgow. I wouldn't say I had a terrible time here, and it has it's charms, but I did leave a bit underwhelmed. As I was 18 at the time, and a bit of a twat, I came here expecting to live a Keith Richards lifestyle interspersed with a few straight A grades, but it never really materialised. The residence is a good bit away from the general buzz of the West End, and it's in a location that's quite a hassle to get to from pretty much anywhere, resulting in cabin fever style symptoms for much of it's population by the end of the first term. The fact that they used my actual flat as a temporary one for students they couldn't home elsewhere didn't help things, with an endless stream of Johnny Foreigners and misfits dossing there for a week or two at a time. The only actual residents there were me and my one eccentric but well meaning flatmate, who was actually a far more interesting and charming character than my teenage self gave him credit for. After getting chucked out of that flat, I moved to the next block where the more traditional halls lifestyle of living in our own filth, eating pot noodle and playing computer games till 4am took over. It was a good few months, but arrived a little too late, and by the time first year ended I'd long had my fill of university accomodation.

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

this review is for Beaumont court and unite student accommodation. my daughter moved into a studio…read morein September. there was extensive damage and mold . after months of them not fixing the problem she moved out ( with a months notice). they are trying to hold her accountable for the remainder of her term. unresponsive, rude and uncaring company.

I'm sorry I'm not speaking from personal experience but I had a friend who stayed at this student…read morecomplex and so I can review on her part... New to Glasgow, my friend decided to stay somewhere cetral, convienient and where she would have the option of meeting like-minded people. Granted, who you end up living with is luck of the draw however my friend entered a flat where the current inhabitants had already decided they didn't want to be living together and so you could cut the tension with a knife. Buchannan view is in a convienient location, but half of the windows look out on to the M8- not a pretty sight for a newcomer to the city. The rooms are modern but small and you'll rarely get a good nights sleep due to parties and fire alarms. And the place ain't cheap either. If you're looking for a nice place to stay, you'll have better luck on gumtree.

I've sailed the ships of both Strathclyde and Glasgow university, and despite having learned a…read moresubject that has some relevance in the real world at this one, I can still firmly declare it as the second best uni in the city. The atmosphere at Strathclyde is far removed from the traditional / bohemian feel at it's rival, down to a combination of Strathclyde's concentration on engineering and business subjects, and it's tendency to attract a more state-school crowd. Though I found the teaching to be of a very high standard, I did find the atmosphere of the campus itself a little dull, though in fairness that may be to do with the fact i was doing a postgrad here and so less invovled in the after-class scene. The grey buildings and fairly featureless surrounding area are far less inspiring than the grandeur of Glasgow Uni and it's surrounding area, and the tired student union that seems to get less busy each year doesn't help. Ironically enough had I done my undergrad here I would probably have fitted in a bit better than I did with the more eccentric Glasgow Uni crowd, but it was those exact eccentricities that I loved about the place. At Strathclyde you'll never get the pleasue of watching your millionaire roomate stomping up and down on an anti-poverty march whilst being entirely unaware of the irony, nor will you get dusty old lecturers who still wear academic robes. You will however get a high standard of education and good student support in a functional, campus, so still top marks.

A great University with a good reputation…read more The campus is all over the place, in two different locations in fact. Unless you do teaching though, you're likely to be situated in the John Anderson Campus which provides sufficient challenges to navigate your way around from class to class. Good exercise! It's located near some great hot spots for nightlife, shopping, eateries and everything else worth investigating. They have a good Careers Service and a really good library. A PROPER library, where you can't even sneeze. The buildings are not as eye-catching as those at Glasgow University, and the overall teaching is not, in my humble opinion, as that of Glasgow Caledonian. Strathclyde is so huge, numbers wise that it's easy to get lost in the crowd and fail to make connections with staff. It's a great University nonetheless, overall.

Previously owned by Unite I stayed here for my first year of Uni and as halls go these are pretty…read moresweet especially in comparison to Murano, all rooms are en suite, the internet connection never broke the whole time I was there and it's about a 15 minute walk from the university. The staff under Unite were very helpful in assisting with any problems. When I stayed here there was a lot of international students amongst a mix of age and diversity. It wasn't the party atmosphere I was looking for but the halls were very nice. What wasn't so great was the cost which I think had been increased by Glasgow University, although that price pays for gas, electricity and internet. The walk to Uni is all up hill which is a real bummer if your in a hurry. Whilst I stayed here it didn't really feel that studenty. The halls are quite secluded, theres not a supermarket near by so local amenities aren't spectacular but it is close to town.

First of all: if you've got feasible alternatives to Maclay Residences, stay away at all cost!…read more Prices are comparable to other student halls here in Glasgow, but unlike in private halls, the standard at Maclay's is much much lower. The rooms are relatively outdated (expect a late 1990s youth hostel standard) and the ensuites tiny - you can barely turn around. In general, furniture in the rooms is at the lowest possible standard: mattresses are pretty uncomfortable and you might find it saggy after a few months. Same applies to office chairs, so not exactly ideal if you prefer to study at home. Apart from that, you should not expect to have many rights as a resident. There'll be a multitude of inspections, checks and maintenance works during your residence period. These will not necessarily be announced, which means that a bunch of contractors will just go into your room without previously telling you. In my case, I found the room in a mess several times with the carpets dirty and personal items moved after works had taken place. As a person who'd just like to live peacefully, I found this treatment pretty invasive (in my opinion, it should be common sense to let your tenants know if you're going in!) Staff try to be helpful, but the past experience has not left a very positive impression. Given that Maclay's is as expensive as some of the private (better) halls and that tenants have to adhere to quite a lot of rules, you should consider other places if you've got a choice. I cannot recommend any student to stay here.

Ah, Pollock. The memories. Most people who've stayed here did so as freshers although the uni does…read morerent out the nicer blocks to tourists or people attending conferences at the on-site conference centre, St. Leonard's Hall. The tourists only ever get put in Chancellor's Court or John Burnett House, as the others are pretty skanky breezeblock cells housed in ugly 1960s wannabe tower blocks, and also because these two are the most expensive. When the rahs go home for summer and aren't cluttering up the quad with their stupid huge hairdos and jack wills tracksuit bottoms, this place is pretty good. There are a few grassy areas for lounging on during the rare suny days, there's an on-site pub and there's also a little corner shop which is fairly well-stocked. Just don't eat in the JMCC canteen. They like to dress it up and call it a restaurant, but it will always be a canteen. And not a very good one at that.

POLLOCK! I think…read morePollock Halls hold a special place in the hearts of all Edinburgh University students. It certainly does for me. The entire area is huge, fantastically huge and it is easy to get lost. There are several different houses - Chancellors, Baird, Lee, Turner, Grant, Holland (Blocks A, B, C, D and Annexe), Masson and Fraser court. I'm sure there's more I've forgotten about...! Here's the scoop - when I was here in 2007 there was a distinct seperation between each house. Chancellors Court was generally reserved for the yah's at Edinburgh Uni - I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, but the rooms are lovely, modern and clean. All en-suite, naturally. Chancellors Court and Holland are the only two houses with en-suite facilities. I stayed in Holland B block (following my brothers recommendation) and loved it. Yeah, the rooms weren't huge and the toilets were tiny, and the walls were really thin, and it got cold (wow, I'm really selling it) but it was fantastic. Because Holland was one of the older houses it had a real sense of tradition about it. I've made some brilliant memories in Holland Block! The JMC food-court left a lot to be desired, I'm afraid to say. Their breakfasts were good, always a great selection of fruit, cereals and cooked breakfast,but their dinners went steadily downhill as the term progressed. Don't get me wrong, it was all edible (but i once got a bad bug from the beef goulash) and if there was nothing you fancied there was always salad and cold meats, but it wasn't amazing. Overall, however, I thoroughly recommend Pollock Halls. I recently went for a drive and saw that the whole place has been updated with a whole new house being built, so I'm sure it has just got better!

The university was founded in 1451. We were in the area and decided to walk around to check out the…read morebeautiful historic campus. We also visited the Hunterian Museum that's part of the campus, which was free.

If I could turn back the clock and go to college again I would love to go to school here…read more My friend's niece is currently studying Marine Biology at Glasgow Uni, so we strolled around the East Quad of the campus on the evening of August 5th, 2013 after our dinner at the Hillhead BookClub. I'd have to say I was in shock when we walked inside the East Quad. The students were still on their summer break, the beautiful green lawn looked like it had just been mowed and the beautiful buildings caused my jaw to drop open. It's a good thing there were no bugs flying around or I would have choked on a few. We concentrated on the East Quad because the campus is huge. While I was taking photos I saw a fox! I chased it down the stairs, but it disappeared in a crack or crevice of one of the buildings. That was pretty cool. I'd have to say this is the most beautiful campus I've ever seen in my life. Check out my photos to see how gorgeous it is. Here is an interesting website that describes the history of the buildings that the university moved into in 1870. Glasgow University was founded in 1451 and is the 4th oldest university in the UK and the 2nd oldest in Scotland. http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/july2008.html