Student Only Shaftesbury Hall

I’ve been living here for almost a year and it’s been a great time. The accommodation puts on all sorts of fun events. The staff and manager are welcoming, and they listen to our flatmates’ many complaints 🤭 and get things sorted straight away. I’ve got lovely flatmates too.

My flatmates are quiet, though some of the other flats definitely like to party, in a good way. Everyone here is so friendly, and Shaftesbury has a really diverse mix of people. Some Pakistani neighbours invited me to eat with them, which was kind of them, and the food was delicious. They put on events too. The latest was a Halloween Inflatable Disco with a smoke machine, great music and free alcohol. Every student’s dream. FCH is practically next door, Lidl is about five minutes away on foot, and town is a ten-minute walk with everything you need. Collecting parcels and letters is easy, there’s a hoover to borrow and circuit laundry machines. Every interaction with staff leaves me feeling happy. If you want somewhere friendly, cosy and cheap, Shaftesbury has you covered. Special shoutout to Athena, Cerys and Renee the cleaner, the best staff members. I’ve lived at Shaftesbury since September, after finding it online while looking for accommodation. Before this, I was at Pittville, where my room was much smaller and the accommodation cost more. The ensuite toilet was almost touching the shower, with hardly any space. At first I thought this place might be a scam. They offered a year-long bus pass worth over 500 pounds, the accommodation was cheap, and I could book for 51 weeks. That meant I wouldn’t have to worry about moving again so soon, like I did at Pittville. When I came to view it, Athena greeted me with a smile and was so warm. She walked me up four flights of stairs to see a room, explained everything she could and patiently answered all my questions. Customer service was 10/10. I asked for a ground-floor room because I hate stairs, and one furthest from everyone else because I snore. I got exactly that. Moving in was smooth and efficient, with loads of freebies and a little care package on my desk: Liquid IVs, chocolate and a very expensive Phillips razor, plus cupcakes, drinks and merchandise. I had a lot of stuff and needed another move-in slot, but Athena reassured me I could take as much time as I needed. She also gave me some toilet roll, which was a lifesaver. The room is extremely spacious, more than the photos suggest. It’s humble and cosy, the mattress is comfortable, and even as a chubby girl I have more than enough room in the single bed, including when my partner visits sometimes. The internet is pretty fast, with E-thernet ports and plenty of plugs by the desk. There’s a roomy wardrobe with cubbies and coat racks, a huge desk with three drawers and more cubbies above it, plus a bookshelf near the bed. There’s even a light switch beside the bed, which is great when I’m feeling lazy. I like having carpet too. The room was pretty immaculate when I moved in, apart from a few carpet stains and a patched hole in the curtain. They don’t bother me, and I hardly notice them. The bathroom has plenty of space between the toilet and shower. The sink is just a sink, with storage above it, a light and one of those shaving plug thingies. The shower has pressure and temperature controls, which feel like a spa. It’s not too big or too small, though shaving my legs takes some gymnastics. The plastic shower curtain sticks to you like a lost puppy and lets a little water onto the floor. But c’est la vie. Other than that, I’ve had no problems here. I’ve lived at Shaftesbury since September, after finding it online while looking for accommodation. Last year I was in Pittville, which was more expensive and much smaller. The ensuite toilet was nearly touching the shower, and there was no room. At first I thought Shaftesbury might be a scam, since it was cheap and included a year bus pass worth over 500 pounds. Being able to book for 51 weeks also meant I wouldn’t have to stress about moving again so soon. Athena greeted me warmly when I toured the place. She walked me up four flights of stairs to view a room, gave me all the details she could and patiently answered every question. Customer service was 10/10. I asked for a ground-floor room because I hate stairs, and one far away from everyone else because I snore. I got exactly that. The move-in process was efficient, with tons of freebies and a cute care package on my desk: Liquid IVs, chocolate and a very expensive Phillips razor. There were also cupcakes, drinks and merchandise. I had lots of stuff and needed an extra time slot, and Athena reassured me I could take as long as I needed. She even gave me toilet roll, which was a lifesaver. The room is extremely spacious, even more than the pictures show. It’s humble and cosy, and the mattress is comfy. I’m a chubby girl and wondered if a single bed would be enough, but there’s plenty of space for me and sometimes my partner when he visits. The internet’s pretty fast, with E-thernet ports and plenty of sockets by the desk. There’s a roomy wardrobe with cubbies and coat racks, a huge desk with three drawers and more cubbies above, and a bookshelf by the bed. The light switch beside the bed is a real help when I’m lazy. I’m glad there’s carpet. It was almost immaculate when I moved in, except for a few carpet stains and a patched hole in the curtain. They don’t bother me and I hardly notice. The bathroom’s roomy too, with a good gap between the toilet and shower. The sink is, well, a sink, with storage above, a light and one of those shaving plug thingies. The shower’s got pressure and temperature controls, like a spa. It’s not huge or tiny, though shaving my legs means doing some gymnastics. The plastic curtain clings to you like a lost puppy and lets a bit of water onto the floor. But c’est la vie. I’ve had no other problems. My flatmates are quiet, though I know some other flats like to party in a good way. People are so friendly here, and Shaftesbury has a big mix of people. Some neighbours from Pakistan invited me for a meal. It was kind of them and really tasty. There are events too. The latest was a Halloween Inflatable Disco with a smoke machine, banging tunes and free alcohol, every student’s dream. FCH is practically attached, Lidl is around five minutes away on foot, and town takes ten minutes and has everything you need. Parcel and letter collection is easy, there’s a hoover to borrow and circuit laundry machines. Every interaction leaves you feeling happy. If you want somewhere friendly, cosy and cheap, Shaftesbury has you covered. Special shoutout to Athena, Cerys and Renee the cleaner, best staff members.

Friendly staff and a good spot near the university make it one of the best student halls.

It’s been a memorable place to live. The rooms are tidy, the accommodation feels safe and secure, and management is good. The location is quiet and peaceful, which suits students, and the high street is just five minutes away for shopping or social plans. Buses stop there too, while the train station is about a 20-minute walk. The students are sociable, outgoing and helpful. Staff are friendly and engaging, and they even started helping me before I moved in. Athena in particular was a big help with signing and paperwork. The staff also put a lot of effort into arranging little parties for us now and then, which are fun.