First year hotel/hostel stay. Anyone?

So, im starting this fall in brighton. Didn't like the room offered by the university, too much trouble finding roommates/flat thru internet (don't know anyone else there) etc so i'm seriously thinking of staying in a single room of a hotel or hostel (prob hostel as hotel i guess would be very expensive) for the whole year.
Anyone ever tried it? Any advice? I plan on searching for a nice hostel and propose an extended stay deal or sthing.

Reply 1

jelly1000

Original post by arism

Well it could get a bit lonely and awkward when it comes to food as you won't have anywhere to cook.

Reply 2

Origami Bullets

I did 6 months in hostels before uni. They're not remotely suitable for study - they're invariably noisy, you won't have enough space to put all your things (very often all you get by way of storage is half of the space under a bunk bed) and there won't be a desk. You'll also struggle to make friends as most people will only be there for a few nights.

Trust me, you're MUCH better off finding a flat / private halls

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Reply 3

carefulicarus

thnx man (or girl?)
do you remember whether the cost for the whole stay was in the same levels of regular house?
you were staying in private room or like halls?

Reply 4

Origami Bullets

Original post by arism

thnx man (or girl?)
do you remember whether the cost for the whole stay was in the same levels of regular house?
you were staying in private room or like halls?

I'm a girl!

I wasn't staying in the UK, so it's very difficult to compare prices.

In hostels I stayed in shared dorms, but everything I said in my last post can be applied equally to a private room or a dorm - it's a really bad idea to try and live in a hostel long term whilst studying

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Reply 5

samba

It CAN work in a good hotel for long stays; the staff get used to your habits and learn to work around you. You'll usually get upgraded to a small suite too. It's helluva lonely though.

Reply 6

carefulicarus

mm about the lonely thing...i don't know. i'm sure you know better than me, but isn't it like the same as having 2 roommates and even BETTER (in that department) than staying alone in a flat?

the only thing i can think of is that you wont be able to have nights in or dinners w/ friends etc but i guess if you have a single room f.e in a hostel you could do that...no?

Reply 7

MollyApple

Original post by arism

What have you decided?

Did you try pricing up the private rooms? I'm looking at hostel in Brighton for first couple of weeks until I get my loan and can afford a deposit on a flat, which I'm not particularly looking forward to. The cost of a private room in a hostel for two weeks is more than a whole months rent on a 1, 2 or even 3 bed flat/house! Its very expensive for no benefits. Hotels would be even more expensive, but if you can afford that, why not? You'd get a daily cleaner, someone else to make your bed, maybe breakfast and they're usually comfy enough to study/chill out in. Hostels don't offer that, you'd have to study in the uni library etc and eat out all the time - even more expensive and there's no secure place for all your belongings, you'd be carrying your life around with you and sleeping with it at night. You'd be better off in a studio flat.

Why not go into a student houseshare? Even at this late stage, there are loads of spare rooms being advertised by students on the facebook/twitter house hunting groups, so you can be a bit more picky about housemates than those who rushed to get the best properties with anyone they could find.

What campus are you at? And why didn't you like your room? I wouldn't have minded having the option to go into Halls, a lot less stressful that househunting!

Reply 8

carefulicarus

well actually the room offered by the university was located at falmer
and i study at grand parade
i thought it was too far
i arrive today, tuesday, from london
have booked a room
i do check for flatmates etc at fb groups
but i mean...its the internet
you know
its better in person
where are you going to stay?

good thing if i gather a group of people wiling to get a 3/4 bedroom place
that late
we will probably lowball the owner
lol

Reply 9

MollyApple

True Falmer is a bit far, been chatting to someone at GP whose at Varley and I understand that but a lot of course are living in houses in Moulsecomb & Falmer and it is a long but doable commute. There seems to be a lot more social activity at those campuses and halls though, plus its where the gym and sports facilities, societies etc are. Also know what you mean about stranger house shares. I've done that a lot and while I've had some wonderful housemates also some truly dreadful, its hard online to guage, you're right.

I'm in a hostel right now, its cheap, its close and friendly dorm so that's the positives. The negative is its so noisy - club next door til 4am! And you don't get much privacy, have to be so security conscious all the time, especially with valuables and the kitchen is being redone here so no cooking facilities. Although I'm having fun, it will be great to relax in a place of my own. I'm looking around Hanover/ElmGrove/Lewes Rd area for a 1 bed place initially.

Per chance are you studying on a HOAD course?