Great WiFi, lovely cleaners, good location
University of Winchester Hall Rankings
| Unilife Sparkford House | #1 |
| Riverside Way | #2 |
| Queen's Road Student Village | #3 |
| Burma Road Student Village | #4 |
| Cathedral Point | #5 |
| West Downs Student Village | #6 |
| St Elizabeth's | #7 |
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Great WiFi, lovely cleaners, good location
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Walls provide no sound protection, water pipes are defeating, and if you're in a room with one of the incredibly loud air purifiers (THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN OFF) good luck getting any sleep
West Downs student village is the place to be. It’s such a social place, but unfortunately it’s very filthy. The walls aren’t soundproof so if you end up having some party animals next door you won’t get much sleep. When I first arrived I had to unclog the shower because there was so much hair and leftover soap. The WiFi wasn’t the best so the flat I was in had to sit in certain areas for the internet to work. I was very lucky to get an ensuit, but for the amount of money you’re paying for that uni - you could at least have been given a double bed instead of a non existent single mattress where you could feel everything underneath.
Value for money? Yeah, well upon arriving, my windows was completely broken. I get a constant draft, which forces me to keep my blinds shut all the time. The heating does not turn on. It's only from 6PM to 10PM. My sink light broke completely and does not turn on. I made a service call in October and only now did they reply back saying "It's fixed", yet it's not? No privacy what's so ever. One minute I'm asleep, next minute, the Housing team have suddenly entered my flat and are knocking on me door. Nice. Mobile phone internet cuts out after 10 mins. The ethernet is amazing though! Living with my flat has been awful for the most par. Literally had a psychopath who adored me and was violent, upon my flat knowing, they either didn't care, or defended them. The bathroom is freezing cold. I can see my breath. The toilet sink is too powerful. The fan in room is directly above my bed. You can't turn it off or on for that matter. The power randomly goes out.
Terrible experience with both housemates, the housing team. Security is extremely slow to action responding to complaints in 25-35 minutes despite being based 2 minutes away from my dorm. Noise is absolutely terrible 24/7 leading to a lot of sleepless nights
Overall halls are not worth going to! The housing and security are constantly getting students into trouble, whether it be that the music is too loud, you are smoking too close to the accommodation, you are coming in “too loud” even if you’re just walking with your friends. They tend to raid the flats a lot for “drug searches” for no reason. The uni is very small and there are way too many staff for the students ratio. This means security are so bored that they just find something to get students into trouble for- and on top of that they are rude, aggressive and really intimidating. Overall, I certainly would not recommend going into Winchester uni halls or housing
West downs flats are adorable. I rarely had problems with anything in the flat, and I really enjoyed my time living there.
The hall are great however, the social life outside of your own flat is hard to make happen
Great Value for Money, brilliant sized 4oom and good facilities
Good value but some areas need work e.g. better locks on the toilets. Radiators are noisy and don't really go warm and the cladding on the windows lets a lot of cold air in. Individual letter box keys would be good too.
Overall I really liked West Downs, the rooms are pretty big and it’s really good having a sink in my room (as I’m shared facilities). Compared to the other accommodations, it’s probably not as nice but for the money it’s way better! However wifi drops out every few minutes, the radiator is never on so my room gets freezing - and when it does come on it is really noisy. There is also a really loud air purifier in my room (although not in all rooms) so it’s pretty hard to sleep.
Great WiFi, lovely cleaners, good location
West Downs was good apart from I feel it was a little overpriced. However, I did like living there and it had a very good and sociable atmosphere. The main issue I had was that my room was directly underneath the kitchen and if anyone even breathed or walked up there it was REALLY loud and so I couldn't really work or sleep in there for the whole year. Great if you are a heavy sleeper or very sociable person though.
Had no boiler for a month and given no alternative in winter and ended up with pneumonia.
Bloody brilliant, let’s say it’s minimalist but beautiful. It’s like a literal big family and village and the best campus in Winchester and looking at other uni’s. One of the best in the country
Favourite halls over Burma and Queens, spacious rooms with a flat/apartment feel
They are great. The appliances are a bit old but overall great accommodation.
Great fun, WiFi is a terrible, and they’re now building on the green space that we would use for sport and games.
Beautiful street and great facilities.
Really lovely, is up a hill and too expensive (but cheaper than the others)
Didn't really like halls but then it's not for everyone.
West downs lovely place to love
West downs is the cheapest accommodation, I didn’t actually apply to live there but ended up there anyway which was really annoying at the start. That being said, I have made some amazing friends and it’s definitely the most social place to live.
Has everything you could need. Simple but nice and felt at home the whole year I spent there.
There were nicer halls than West downs, but I've seen worse
My room in first year was really nice and big - bigger than my own room at home! Cleaners came regularly and always left everything nicely. Only had the kitchen to socialise in which was a nightmare when people were trying to cook whilst everyone was in there as it wasn’t very big. The cookers were ancient and took ages to cook anything so hopefully they will be updated soon.
The flat is good, except there should be two ovens in the kitchen when we are 7 people making dinner at the same time. Otherwise, the rooms are really spacious and at a convenient location.
The rooms have mould, the cleaners are rude and the WiFi is awful
Best place to live on campus! It’s the hub to UoW!
So happy with my accommodation, great shop nearby and lovely street
I did not stay in halls, but they are very expensive
West downs is a very nice location and very pretty.
Good value for money but there were frequent issues with the radiator when I lived at West Downs which was not good
Don’t like in a hall so I cannot review
While we’ve had problems in the past this is overall the best accommodation site for Winchester
This is the university's best accommodation for social life. Not to mention it's cheaper than the rest and is genuinely more pleasant. The West Downs campus is very green and peaceful, and I've loved my experience here.
It was a fun place to live in first year! Not as modern as the other halls available but it’s more sociable
West downs was really nice. It had a good community spirit, was very reasonably priced, and the rooms were really nice. Far better then the student digs I've had since for my master's.
A horrible rooming service providing a kitchen in need of renovation as well as the room with mould being frequent and the carpets being stained. Beds are old and firm and for paying £100 plus pounds per a week with your only communal area being the kitchen and your bedroom having several issues it is a total waste of money however, the people you meet are some of the best and has a great student life culture.
I was placed in an en suite in west downs and I'm loving to because it means I have my own space and having my own bathroom means more privacy. Walking up the hill from campus to west downs isn't that fun but could be a lot worse.
very good value for money, easy to be social with other flats; wifi very good, has its own little shop
I love how sociable West Downs is. Even though it’s not the new fancy accommodation please don’t think you are disadvantaged in any way - I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!
Great value for money with the en-suite bathroom, placed on campus with an easy walk to town
The West Downs site could do with a common room area
I spent one of the best years of my life in West Downs. The student village is perfect for meeting new people and all members of staff are friendly and welcoming. I've spoken to lots of people who lived in Burma/Queens and wished that they'd chosen West Downs. Although the rooms themselves might be nicer elsewhere (debatable as the West Downs rooms are much bigger, with big windows and wide open kitchens), the layout and setting is not very social. West Downs is perfect and I wish I could re-do my year there :)
It would have been a great place to live, any other year, however the building work has disturbed our flat beyond description, as I write this there is a non-stop siren wailing somewhere on the building site
If you like social life it's perfect at West Downs. It's very cozy here and for the price it's ok. In your room there is a single bed, a table, a shelve, a sink with a mirrow and a wardrobe. All public spaces will be cleaned like every second day. If you choose the quiet area be aware that probably you will have a fan in your room which is running all the time (also during night). This can be sometimes be annoying. Wifi is not always working very well.
When I first found out I had got West Downs I was a bit annoyed to say the least, but from the moment I got here I feel in love with the place. The whole of west downs feel like a proper little village with it's own little shop. The accommodation felt much more like a house rather than a flat, making living there all-the-more better. The cat that lives at west downs also helped me feel more at home as it loves to be cuddled just like my cat at home. West Downs was the best place I could have gone an dI'm thankful I got it.
Such a lovely social halls. Loved my year living there.
Hood value for money, although areasof the halls could be updated to allow for an enjoyable stay.
Really good, wears downs very social. Little bit more of a walk from the campus but amazing
West downs was my last choice when picking my uni accomodation, however I ended up there and i am so glad i did. Was dreading sharing a toilet- but its absolutely fine and so much cheaper that i wouldn't change it at all. The most social out of the uni accomodations, got to know so many people around my flat and in my block. The grass areas outside is great for when it gets sunny. The walk to campus about 15 minutes and hilly is deffinately worth it!
The beauty of West downs is you truly feel like part of something, completely integrated free to wounder and socialise. It's patroled and 24/7 cctv so you are always safe!
Cleaners dont seem to actually clean, just sort of sit on the stairs outside lol
West downs defiantly has the best student environment! It feels like a little village and I'm glad I moved here, will be sad to leave
Best place to live on campus with the best social life.
It has been great, feels like home and when you leave you meet with the other houses giving you more chances to make friends
Beautiful setting and I love the feel of WD. The cleaners are reliable and do a thorough job as well as being very friendly. The kitchens are spacious and location is perfect even if you have to carry your shopping up the hill. If there's a problem and you go about it I the right way issues are solved on the same day if they can be and its just a lovely place to be.
Everyone is very friendly and talks to others with all the shared facilities. Cleaners are lovely and clean communal areas for you, only downside is kitchen space is small
West Downs in my opinion is the best accommodation for the uni. Most people I talk to in other accommodation wish they were in WD! Despite the distance from the uni (a 5 minute walk, compared to Burma and Queens which are both on campus) and the fact that it is up the hill it is brilliant. The rooms are spacious and feels like a home, the newer accommodation feels more like a hotel, block rooms and smaller. Considering this is the cheapest accommodation I am very very satisfied! It is also the most sociable accommodation with lots of room to have predrinks etc.
By far the best location at Winch, so glad it was my 1st choice
Good value for money, very sociable. It's the halls furthest away from uni but still only a 10 minute walk so great if you're running late! Management can be very strict with the noise and parties which people are surprised about as people expect it to be really relaxed! Also the cleaners only wipe the surfaces, Hoover the floors and occasionally mop the kitchen.
Everything you need from student halls
West Downs were definitely the best halls at Winchester
Very nice friendly setting and very social
Really big rooms compared to queens and Burma. I nice get away from the uni while still being on campus.
Love being in west downs - a lot more happens here than any of the other halls - but that does mean sometimes it's a bit noisy!
Lovely area to live in - very social community and shop on campus
Best time here, Very socialable campus best place for BNOC's
Better than some of the more expensive halls as the rooms are twice the size (even with an en-suite). Kitchen sizes vary between different flats - some will have a balcony attached - but most are a reasonable size. West Downs is the most social student accommodations with many flats throwing parties where you can meet others who live near you.
these halls are very social and are the cheapest, the best place to be during freshers
West downs is a really good and social community, it isnt that loud at night and you can really feel like you are apart of something. Even though it is old it is really good and the kitchens and rooms are medium size. Overall west downs is really good.
West downs is where the parties are!!! If you are a party guy, you will go for West Downs!!!
Amazingly large student accommodation and amazing atmosphere
Very nice halls, more homely than the others and great value for money. Plus nowhere near as many fire alarms as Queens or Burma.
Good fun, always a nice vibe around the student village and there's always people around. The houses are nice but a bit worn with age.
I live in a shared bathroom place in west downs and I was scared going into it, but it's actually just fine, I only share with 4 people and both spaces get cleaned every two days or so! It's the furthest halls from main campus but it still isn't that far, the laundrette is around the corner as well as a small shop. The only things I can complain about is living next to a nursery and when you plug our toaster in it trips the electrics, but other than that it's alright for the money which is a lot cheaper than an en suite place!! :)
Love it. West Downs is where the party is at!
Some flats look run down but that's expected with it being the oldest (and cheapest) option available. Great social community and su shop and washing close by. My flat had a large kitchen/communal area however others were smaller. Cleaning depends on who you get, some cleaners were friendly and did a good job, others were not and constantly complained. Overall it's a good choice
Pleasant halls although not very well maintained. Silverfish infestation in the kitchen really put you off ever eating or cooking fresh. Cleaners wouldn't clean if you were in even if you offered to move.
had the best few weeks in west downs, great for making close friends with flat mates
West Downs Student Village is the perfect accommodation for anyone looking to make friends at University. The downside to these halls of residence is that you do have to walk up a rather steep hill to get home from a lecture but I seem to personally be getting used to it and I'm feeling much healthier for it, saves you paying out for the gym! I live in a shared bathroom accommodation and the showers are meant to be better than those that are in en suite accommodation in West Downs and my cleaner comes every day apart from the weekend so minimal cleaning is required, you only need to do your room! My room has a sink basin with a large cupboard underneath. You do not have a "living area" in this type of accommodation but the kitchen area is good to socialise with housemates in, plus there is a pub right opposite the village if you're looking for a more lively atmosphere. My "house" is directly opposite the West Downs garden so I have a lovely view and the houses/flats are stylish.
Right at the top lots of hills to walk. Nice sized room
excellent accommodation. I am in a 1 bed self contained flat as I have a 2.5 year old. So impressed! Its small and not ideal to share a bedroom but so worth it! Feel very safe and well looked after by the uni.
Some rooms are too close to social areas thus making it difficult to sleep/study when people are in the kitchen
A very average hall, maybe not worth accommodation fee. Not very comfortable or homey, won't be staying in this hall. However, wifi as adequate as the rest of the campus, maybe and okay hall for some but not others.
I loved West downs for its social aspect. Ot was so communal and even though I didn't get on with the people in my house I made amazing friends in the houses around! Couldn't have asked for a better place to live socially wise.
Nice grass area outside, however was placed in a flat completely out the way of the social life on the main strip. Room was extremely small, felt like a prison after a while. My roommate was arrested and expelled, my other roommate thought I was conspiring against her. No area in the flat that is comfortable to socialise in. Cleaners don't do a lot of cleaning in kitchen but are friendly.
West Downs was an excellent halls of residence! Although it would of been nice to have a sofa and more lounge area for a social space. Instead of the kitchen being the only social space abalible.
Really sociable place to live, feels like home a few days after arriving. Management is great, and maintenance team responds quickly to issues that arise. Cleaners were all friendly and visited to clean kitchen every other day. Common area could be improved slightly, as only place to socialise with the house is at the dining table, with no other seating provided other than dining chairs. However really enjoyed living in West Downs, very sad to leave!
West Downs was amazing! It was like a year round holiday camp. Such a social layout; truly a little village for the students, and so much fun. Also, the West Downs cat (his name is Craig, you cannot dispute this) is the most wonderful creature you'll ever meet.
Brilliant spacious accomodation. Worth the extra money
Kitchen was on the small side for 7 people, not enough cupboards/fridge shelves and only 1 oven! Room was very good value for money, and the shower was excellent.
I love the arhitecture and the vibe that the buildings give.
Better halls than most get! Excellent location and great social space for students
The halls were a small community. We shared a house rather than a hallway which I loved! They were designed as a street and so sociable for every one! The bedrooms were a Great size and the house iteslf.. Although old.. Was great! Security were around 24/7 and maintenance always appeared fast! Cleaning.. She wasn't great!
the best halls at Winchester, amazing and very large rooms, more than enough space and facilities, great cleaners everyday, perfect location for the university and town!
I chose west downs mainly for the money, but I didn't realise how much the social experience was the best. There are two other halls that I have friends in and have said that west downs is so much better.
Absolutely beautiful place to live and incredibly good if you like community. The cleaners come once every week day, and they get very antsy about washing up so make sure it's done if you live in West Downs! Perfect if you're planning on doing Buisiness or something, but trust me you get used to the hill down to main campus (unless it's freezing, then you never get used to the hill).