Glen Abhainn

The street is really noisy, with people dragging old cars along it, so bring something to block the sound. There are lots of rules, but nobody seems to follow or enforce them. Guests can stay for weeks, and I know of one tenant who had someone living on their couch. Parties happen often. If you want somewhere that's not strict, you may be fine here, but don't be surprised if winter brings respiratory problems. Rent looks low at first, but utilities and electricity are extra. A winter month realistically comes to €600-800 depending on how carefully you use electricity, so accommodation with utilities included may work out better. The included WiFi doesn't work. Management is rarely at reception, and I had to argue with them over late fees even though rent had arrived on time. They hadn't checked and assumed I hadn't paid. They also claim to provide security, but I was told by someone in management that there is none, and there are no security cameras that they use. When a master's student stalked me in the fall and followed me up the stairs to my apartment, reporting it to management did nothing. Repairs were another mess. My shower mount, fixed with one rusty screw, broke, and I waited weeks after reporting it and following up. On my last day before winter break, a maintenance man came to repair a window even though we hadn't requested it. He'd fixed it months earlier, so I let him in. After he did some work and left, management came by and told me payment for the window work had been skipped. He threatened management that he'd undo it, then unscrewed the windows. The website and Daft photos didn't match what I found. On move-in day my assigned bed was stained and dirty; there were dents in the walls, mold patches, car parts behind the couch, peanuts on the counter, and black mold and water in the washing machine. Spiders covered the outside. A friend had to stay with me for two days while we scrubbed before anyone did anything, and it still didn't look clean. Take photos when you move in or you may not get your deposit back. In winter there's genuine black mold in every apartment. Management blames tenants and tells them to keep the heaters on, but the heaters barely work, if they work at all. Expect to pay €30 for a few hours of heat for one day. This place is putrid, and management makes no effort to hide it.

Being so close to college has made life easy. If you're not a morning person, you can get out of bed five minutes before class and still make it on time. When an issue does come up, I trust the Glen Abhainn staff to deal with it quickly. I've been here two years and am sad to leave for the college summer holidays. I chose a twin-share room in my first year and met my bestie, who's still my roomie. Glen Abhainn also went out of their way to arrange an apartment for me and my three friends together, which has made my college experience really special. I hope to spend the rest of my college years here. If you're looking for affordable student accommodation near TUS Athlone, I'd gladly recommend Glen Abhainn. -Órna

The biggest hassle was getting in and out. The key was kept in a lockbox on a wire in a dim area, so seeing the combination numbers was difficult. I think guests should be given a key for their stay. The main gates were never locked while we were there, unlike the locked gates at the apartment block across from us. Some things needed maintenance too, mainly the blinds, whose cords were broken or jammed. Inside, there was a living and dining area with a kitchen, plus two bedrooms: one double and one with two single beds. Wardrobes were provided but no hangers. Heating comes from electric wall heaters. The bathroom had a good shower, though I'd have preferred a bath.

There was plenty of room for our family of five, and the apartments were lovely. It was very quiet and private, spotlessly clean, and staff responded quickly. The bus stop is a one-minute walk from the town centre.