Juniper Court

The lack of practical details made this feel less like a hotel: there was no TV in the room, only one towel, and no floor mat, so getting out of the shower took care. The shared TV was in the common area. Breakfast was continental, but we kept waiting for items to be replenished even though staff knew we were coming. The mattress felt like it needed replacing, and I could feel the springs. The bed itself was a decent full size, but we only got a bottom sheet and duvet cover, with no top sheet, mattress cover, or extra blanket. There were no instructions for things like the heat or the lights, which had separate switches for every outlet. I stayed as part of an EF Tour package. As a college dorm room, it had a lot going for it: a single bed, private bathroom, plenty of space, and the freedom to set things up your own way. For a hotel stay, especially for American guests, I’d rate it much lower.

Good budget option: each room has its own shower and toilet, plus plenty of sockets. The single rooms are superb, and the communal kitchen and dining area are handy. There’s decent soundproofing, though no TV. Lifts are available for prams, wheelchairs, and heavy bags.

We booked during the vacation period and found it a lovely, economical place to stay. The campus is lovely, and the Unilink bus runs from the train station to the university. I liked it much more than a hotel. A couple of useful things were missing: another duvet would help because the mattress isn’t great, and the shower could use a mat outside and a soap dish inside.

I was an adult group leader on an EF tour with teenage students, including some as young as 13. The rooms are adequate, but the access setup made supervision difficult. I could only get onto the floor where I was staying, so doing room checks, enforcing curfew, or waking late students for morning meetings was a problem. Some younger teens may not be used to managing their time in a dorm style room when the adult in charge can’t even get to their door to knock. With older teens, this is less of an issue.