Just sent this in a PM and thought it might be useful on here given people will start firming Leicester and looking at halls soon.
The 3/4 main halls at Oadby with a description of their various rooms and what they're like.
John Foster (JoFo, pronounced like MoFo):
The newest hall, only about 5 or 6 years old.
Virtually all catered and some self catered rooms have a full sized ensuite and the interior decoration is like Premier Inn.
Rooms are arranged in flats of 5 or 6 sharing a kitchen (which has everything) and there are between 4 and 8 flats in a block.
All placed pretty close to the central catering bit.
Also an older self-catered block called 'The Coppice' which has pod bathrooms. Mainly students who did gap years. Had a few friends in there from my course and it seemed pretty friendly.
Bar is a 'cocktail bar', still cheap if not as characterful as GMS or Beaumont's.
Due to its layout in separate flats JoFo is said to be not as sociable as other halls. Some blocks are incredibly sociable, but it's not pretty much guaranteed like GMS and Beaumont.
Due to being new, having massive ensuites etc. it is quite a bit more expensive than the other halls.
Beaumont Hall:
Oldest hall, two quads of 5 and 3 blocks. Dining hall is old and pretty, little bit Oxbridge with MCR table etc.
Old quad has had 'pod' bathrooms installed and the rooms are pretty big. From an unbiased perspective I would say these are probably the best value rooms in the uni.
New quad is not ensuite, though the bathrooms are good, and it's very sociable due to the big size of blocks (40ish). Also these are, biased cap on, by far and away the best rooms in the uni.
Grass in the centre of each court which people use in summer.
Bar is pretty decent, pub style though not as big as GMS. Gets busy for pub quiz and sports events.
JCR is particularly good at putting stuff on, though dunno if that was just my year.
Obviously the rooms aren't as plush as JoFo but they're fine. Also it's always really hot.
The vast majority of Beaumont is catered.
GMS:
Formerly two halls, Gilbert Murray and Stamford, now one with one dining hall. There's a lawn bit in between them, but still only 5 mins walk max to the dining hall.
La(d)sdun block is supposedly the best party block in the uni. This is non ensuite and big, next to the bar and dining hall. Did live up to its reputation to an extent, notably Fatal Block F, so called due to the supposed effects of trying to pre drink with its inhabitants.
Other catered bit is Stamford, which is split into separate buildings for each block (Lasdun is one building with a separate staircase for each block). Some of these houses are ensuite, some not. Again these are very sociable, similar to Beaumont new blocks.
Has the biggest halls bar and shows sporting events that aren't popular enough for each hall to show them separately.
Also has Bowder Court. This is self catered with pod bathrooms. I had a friend in here and always thought it seemed a bit soulless compared to other blocks, but he enjoyed it and the rooms are nice and big.
Digby:
Much maligned hall which shares its facilities with Beaumont about a 5 minute walk away.
Has some accommodation in blocks and then others in houses on either side of the road which goes up to Beaumont and the other halls (google maps and you'll see what I mean).
Houses are known to be pretty mental, they are single sex and there can be up to 30 in a house with the subwarden nowhere nearby. The houses are in the botanical gardens which are owned by the Uni.
Blocks are getting old and are said to be cold. Constant rumours of reopening dining hall and/or knocking the whole thing down. No evidence of either as yet.
People who lived there swear by it.
General stuff for Oadby:
It's about a 10 minute bus or 30 minute walk from campus. Recommend a bus pass, sometimes you'll use the bus 5 times a day, going to and from uni twice and then town for a night out in the evening. Last bus on Monday and Friday nights is pretty legendary.
Asda is only about 10 minute walk away which is useful for getting food and it's open 24 hours. For people in self catered doing a big shop they offer delivery
The uni gym and sports hall are up at oadby, about a 5-10 minute walk from halls depending which you're in.