222 Willis

It costs a bit, but the place feels modern and secure, and the staff are consistently nice. The WiFi can be patchy, though I can see how that happens with more than 100 people in the building. Seems especially suited to first-year students getting used to living independently.

The front desk team and even the night guard were genuinely kind and tried to help. They can’t fix the building’s underlying issues or Victoria University’s setup, though, so I’d tell people not to book through the Victoria University Accommodation Office. The flat was cold, and the heaters shut off after about an hour because of an internal timer. With single-glazed windows, it got nearly as cold inside as outdoors within a few hours. Internet was also awful: it cost $36 a month, or $144 per flat, and only two devices could log in. Each wash cost another $6. Students booking through Victoria pay $330 a week for a room in a four-bedroom apartment, while 222 charges $275 for the same room. Victoria said it doesn’t profit from the $55 difference, but renting at least 100 rooms for 42 weeks works out to $231,000, before any discount for renting three floors all year and costs for organizing student housing. If those costs use up all the revenue, they really need to look at how efficiently it’s run. International students can get a good room in a shared flat next door for $230-280. The apartment wasn’t clean when I arrived, and Victoria is responsible for that too. When moving out, Victoria University Accommodation threatened to keep my $639 deposit unless the apartment was cleaned perfectly. Maybe my predecessor’s deposit went toward the cleaning :-D. In the end it was an acceptable place, but dirty on arrival, cold in winter, with poor internet and a much higher price than elsewhere.

My son loves living at Massey Halls of Residence. It’s near Wellington's Massey Campus, and the inner city is an easy walk away.

I’ve only just moved in, but people have been so helpful and welcoming. That matters a lot as an international student who has no idea where to go or what I’m doing yet! Haha