Chalmers Street

The power cuts have been prolonged and repeated, as mentioned in previous reviews, and they’re hard to imagine in a place like Edinburgh. They’ve meant blackouts on the premises, no heating and no internet. On two occasions my son had to spend the night elsewhere. Trying to get any response from Unite is a nightmare. We got generic replies for a full month before someone finally contacted us to arrange a meeting. Then the person in charge didn’t show up at the appointed time on the day. Can you imagine? This place needs to be investigated and, dare I say, shut down. It feels opaque, with as little integrity as the blackouts. There should be a zero-star option for mediocrity at every level. Stay away. Contact the regulators, the National Code Administrator, and University Student Affairs. If you’re in a similar situation, consider taking them to court. That’s what we’re doing. Definitely don’t enrol your loved ones here.

For most of the term, I had to live with a damp wall caused by a shower leak. It wasn’t fixed until late November, near the end of the semester. There were multiple power cuts, too, and reception staff were rarely available. I don’t blame the reception staff personally, but management and their supervisors failed to deal with these problems properly. For such an expensive place, it wasn’t worth it at all. Frustratingly, one star is the lowest rating allowed.

This term alone I’ve had nearly ten power cuts, and each one has disrupted my work, sleep and daily life. There’s been no proper communication, no updates and no reassurance from staff. The situation has been awful. For what we pay, this level of instability is unacceptable. Students deserve basic reliability and transparency. I won’t rebook for next year, and I strongly advise future students to think carefully before choosing this accommodation unless the power problems are actually fixed.

I spent a week here on a solo holiday in Edinburgh. For what I paid, it was excellent. It’s not a luxury place, of course, but the room and kitchen were clean. The kind man who helped me check in was appreciated. The ensuite room is small, so I was glad to have it to myself. Two people would’ve felt very cramped. The kitchen has only basic utensils if you want to cook, with no spices, not even salt, and no cooking oil or similar. The location is great, within walking distance of most city centre spots and connected by lots of buses if you want to go farther.