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TSR Wiki > University > Student Life > Accommodation > Exeter Accommodation
Exeter has loads of accommodation, ranging from the large undergrad halls for 1st years to small remote places for postgrads. I'll talk about the main ones, but this is only one perspective and after all, I haven't lived in them all!
Catered Halls
UPDATED PRICES FOR 2008/2009 (per week)
STANDARD
Single £111.86
Shared £98.28
ENHANCED
Single £127.68
Shared £112.91
EN-SUITE
Single £156.03
Shared £134.40
Duryard (apart form Moberly House, closed 2008)
Known as the most physically unattractive hall, along with the Ransom Pickard block of Lopes, Duryard is slightly off campus to the north west. It is composed of 4 houses where students live: Jessie Montgomery (where I lived for half a year), Moberley, Murray and Hetherington. Central block is located in between, where there are 2 dining rooms, a bar, common room and computer room. £97 per week, catered
PROS
- Lovely gardens, v. green
- Purportedly better atmosphere than other halls
- Near to the Catholic chaplaincy, if you're catholic.
- Almost all single rooms
- Good breakfasts, fairly generous proportions at lunch
- Nice porters (apart from one bald guy )
- Common room with sky tv
- Computer room
- Free laundry, though you have to get there at non-busy times
CONS
- Terrible, low quality food (the smell of dinner made me feel nauseous)
- 12ish people to about 3 toilet cubicles, 2 bath cubicles and a shower
- Far from campus (about 15 mins away up a hill - but not the huge hill that some make out)
- The Welly, Duryard's bar, is a bit crap. Also badly painted
- Central heating doesn't work so freezing in winter
- Probably pretty bad value for money
- Apart from in Jessie Montgomery, no plaster and paint on wall - just brick (but people cover this with posters)
- Ugly
Mardon
Just beneath Holland Hall and above Nash Grove, this is really near to campus and Reed Hall, which has beautiful gardens. £105 for single enhanced, catered
PROS
- Near to campus, etc
- Nice rooms and building
- Has tennis courts
- Library + computer room
- Enhanced rooms
CONS
- Mostly shared rooms
- Has a reputation for sloanes
- Have to go to Holland hall for meals and share their bar
- Difficult to get a place there
Holland Hall
Aerial view of Holland
The newest hall, but also one of the most expensive, due to only having en-suite catered rooms.
PROS
- Lovely, modern, en-suite rooms
- Glass fronted restaurant as dining room
- Towel heaters
- Fantastic view of Exe Valley
- Near to campus
- Free laundry, like all catered halls
- Double beds
- Close to sports centre
CONS
- There are only en-suite catered rooms, so are one of the most expensive halls
- Alleged worst atmosphere of all halls
- Bar 'Dutch Courage' lacks atmosphere
- A lot of competition to get in
- Not proper bathroom -> Wetroom
-> Virtual Tour
Lopes Hall
Aerial view of Pennslyvania Court
Divided into 3 parts that are all rather different: brand new en-suite Pennslyvania Court (Penn Court), Ransom Pickard and Lopes main House (the one you see on the accomm guide)
PROS
- Near to main campus and town + Cornwall House (where the Lemmy is)
- Beautiful gardens
- En-suite, towel heaters, nice building + interiors (Penn Court)
- Lovely converted manor house (Lopes main)
- Double beds in (Penn Court)
- Free laundry (Penn Court)
CONS
- Has no bar of its own, so shares with Hope hall
- Penn court is one of the most expensive accomodation on campus becasue the rooms are en-suite catered
- Ransom pickard resembles Duryard
- Far away from sports centre
-> Virtual Tour
Hope Hall
Just next to Lopes and has lots of shared rooms.
PROS
- Bar, The Badger, probably best halls bar
- Near CH, town and main campus
- Nice rooms, gardens
CONS
- Few rooms
- Some shared rooms
-> Virtual Tour
Kilmorie
On Pennsylvania Road, just off campus
PROS
- Nearest hall to town
- Smallest hall, so get to know everyone
CONS
- Have to walk to Hope Hall for dinner
- Have to share bar with Hope Hall
- Mostly shared rooms
Birks Grange
Just down the hill, Birks Grange is the newest hall on campus and has over 100 ensuite rooms for first year students. Moberly House was the last remaining part of the now closed Duryard, now part of Birks Grange and shares its facilities.
PROS
- Close to campus
- Nice and new, and a good bar
- Tradition of good atmosphere
- Free Laundary
- Nice green garden area
CONS
- Cardiac Hill, probably the worst hill on campus
- The nice green garden/park area is not so nice if you are walking back from town/campus by night
- Relatively long way into town and the way there is not nice.
-> Virtual Tours Birks Grange
-> Virtual Tour Moberly House
Self-Catered Halls
Lafrowda and St Davids also cater for non-first years and Nash Grove is mainly first years.
UPDATED PRICES FOR 2008/2009 (per week)
STANDARD (Lafrowda, University Houses)
£64.40
ENHANCED (Lafrowda, Cook/Llewellyn Mews, Rowancroft Court/ Mews, George Hse)
£77.98
ENHANCED (St. Davids)
£84.84
EN-SUITE (James Owen Court)
£97.79
EN-SUITE (Clydesdale Rise, Nash Grove St. Germans, Bonhay)
£104.09
STUDIO (Bonhay, King Edwards)
£116.27
STUDIO (Holland Hall)
£128.80
Lafrowda
A multitide of blocks of flats between Cornwall House and Lopes, this is definitely the cheapest and skankiest place to live! Varies between enhanced and standard flats. Loads of international students live here
PROS
- Directly next to Cornwall House and main campus
- Best atmosphere out of all student accommodation
- Cheap
- TV in living room
CONS
- Probably worse than Duryard (standard blocks)
- Tiny kitchens and bathrooms between many people
- No plaster or paint - brick wall
- Ugly concrete monstrosities
-> Virtual Tour
St Davids
£75 per week, flats and houses in Kingdom Mews, and houses in Brunel Close. Good value for money. Mostly, 6 people share a kitchen and two bathrooms.
PROS
- Directly next to station (the trains don't disturb you either)
- University trading company to buy food/stantionary/drink/cheap alcohol/rent videos
- Taxi company just outside
- Mini bus to take you to campus in the mornings
- Nice modern rooms with plenty of storage space
- Good kitchens with tv's
- Best value for money out of self catered
CONS
- No central venue to meet people (i.e. no halls bar)
- No free laundry
- Lazy cleaners
- Walk to campus us 3 large hills but there is the mini-bus...
-> Virtual Tour
Nash Grove
PROS
- Aesthetically nicest self-catering on campus
- TVs
- Near to main campus
- Next to Clydesdale house, which has a bar and coffee shop place, and the postgraduate centre
CONS
- Quite expensive - £85 per week
-> Virtual Tour
St.Germans
Rowe House