0.1 mi
from nearest campus
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- 3 mins
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Most helpful review
Moving to a new country is always a rollercoaster but the team here at Rosalind Franklin made it much easier. From greeting at the reception to helping when my card key decided to stop working, they definitely facilitated the process of living on my own.
Value for money
Location
Property management
Cleaning
Social spaces
Social experience
Internet / Wifi
Portsmouth Hall Rankings
| Earlsdon Street | #6 |
| Greetham Street | #7 |
| Trafalgar Hall | #8 |
| Burrell House | #9 |
| Rosalind Franklin Halls | #10 |
| Langstone Flats | #11 |
| Margaret Rule Hall | #12 |
| Bateson Hall | #13 |
| Rees Hall | #14 |
| Catherine House | #15 |
*Minimum 10 reviews required to be ranked.
Most helpful review
Moving to a new country is always a rollercoaster but the team here at Rosalind Franklin made it much easier. From greeting at the reception to helping when my card key decided to stop working, they definitely facilitated the process of living on my own.
Value for money
Location
Property management
Cleaning
Social spaces
Social experience
Internet / Wifi
Rosalind Franklin Halls Information
| Telephone | 0300 303 8642 |
| Postcode | PO1 2DF |
| Price from | £184.00 per week for 25/26 (subject to availability) |
| Top tip | With the city centre on the doorstep, Rosalind Franklin Halls is ideally located for the 710 students that go to university in Portsmouth. Visit the website for more information! |
Room Types
Amenities
This property offers a common room, study room, vending machines (snack food) & outdoor social space. Discover more!
Popular
- Common Room
Features
- Common Room
- Communal Kitchen
Internet Access
- WiFi
- WiFi In Communal Areas (All Free)
- WiFi In Room (All Free)
Laundry
- Coin-operated Communal Laundry
People/Staff
- Maintenance Team (Daytime Only)
- Onsite Concierge
Recreational Facilities
- Outdoor Area
Security & Safety
- CCTV / Surveillance Cameras
- Secure Building Entry
Services
- Contents Insurance
Special Policies
- No Smoking
Study Support
- Computer Lab
Transport
- Bike Storage
Travel Times
Rosalind Franklin Halls is within walking distance from Cascades Shopping Centre, Gunwharf Quays & Portsmouth & Southsea station.
University of Portsmouth
University Quarter3 mins2 mins3 mins0.1 mi
Langstone Campus57 mins12 mins19 mins2.7 mi
Solent University, Southampton
Warsash Campus4 hours 15 mins26 mins1 hour 17 mins24.3 mi
Rosalind Franklin Halls Biography
Rosalind Franklin Halls is perfectly located within easy reach of the city centre, filled with all the amenities you could possibly need or want. You also have Gunwharf Quays, Cascades Shopping Centre and numerous bars, restaurants and clubs right on your doorstep. If you are studying at the University of Portsmouth then you’re in luck, as the main campus is less than a ten-minute walk away.
When wanting to hang out with friends, you can choose to relax in the outdoor social space or common room. There is also a study space and vending machines to take advantage of when needing to get some work done.
When selecting your perfect room, you have the option of staying in a studio or en-suite room. No matter what room you choose, you will have your very own private bathroom, comfortable bed, study desk and ample storage. If you decide to stay in an en-suite room, you’ll share a kitchen and living space with your flatmates. If you prefer to have a kitchen to yourself, you can opt to stay in a studio.
Visit the website to book your room today!
Q&A
Q
Hi, where do we store our clothes in the room?
By member10114283 On 1st September 24
Reply from Rosalind Franklin Halls
On 3rd September 24
There is dedicated storage space with a wardrobe, small set of chest of drawers and under bed storage which can be used to store clothes :)
Q
What size of Bed will be supplied in a basic ensuite and will I have to supply my own bedding
By member5113847 On 22nd August 24
Reply from Rosalind Franklin Halls
On 23rd August 24
Our basic ensuites have 3/4 beds. You will need to supply your own bed but we also offer Kitchen and Bedding packs you can purchase. If you are interested in this feel free to reach out to the property tam by emailing rosalind.franklin@unitestudents.com :)
Q
Hi, is there security 24/7?
By member11112961 On 30th July 24
Reply from Rosalind Franklin Halls
On 1st August 24
We pride ourselves on our 24/7 365 day per year 24/7 team. We have a day team working between the hours of 7-10PM to assist with any queries and a night team between the hours of 10-7AM :)
Q
Some of the floors in the roomhave wood and some of the rooms have carpet and the chair in the picture, which blocks have the wood floor ?
By member1191207 On 16th September 23
Reply from Rosalind Franklin Halls
On 17th September 23
Hello there! we have recently undergone a refurbishment in Block D which has the new spec of flooring which is wooden flooring. The other blocks have newer carpet and will be due to be updated in future years, that we don't have the date of yet.
Q
Can I bring an air fryer?
By member890819 On 6th September 23
Reply from Rosalind Franklin Halls
On 14th September 23
Yes you can bring an air fryer :)
Q
Ask a new question about Rosalind Franklin Halls
All the Answers You Need About Student Accommodation
What tenancy length do I need?
Some students choose to stay during the academic year, whilst others – particularly international students – require a tenancy that covers the entire year. You can also find student accommodation that is available for one or two terms, classified as a “short stay” on our search filters.
Should I stay in catered student accommodation?
This is totally up to you! Catered accommodation means you will be served meals at set times in a dining hall, and you’ll likely have access to fewer kitchen facilities than if you were to stay in self-catered accommodation.
What is a guarantor and do I need one?
A guarantor is a person who signs a contract to agree to pay your rent if you are unable to. Most university accommodation requires a guarantor, and this applies to both domestic and international students.
Will I need to pay a deposit on student accommodation?
Most likely, yes, you’ll need to pay a deposit. This will be refunded at the end of your stay as long as there is no damage to the room or property.
What bills will my rent include?
If you are staying in university-run accommodation or private halls, your rent should include any utilities such as electricity, gas, water, and internet. Students are not required to pay council tax, however you may need to fill in an exemption form so make sure you check with your local council.
What is purpose-built student accommodation?
Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) are residential buildings designed for students. They are often located close to campus, boast modern facilities, include all bills, and often have staff on site to assist residents.
Will my student accommodation be furnished?
Student accommodation is typically fully furnished. Your room should include at least a bed, clothes storage, desk and chair. You’ll likely need to bring things such as bedding and kitchen utensils, but we have a full list here of everything you’ll need.
Read Rosalind Franklin Halls Reviews
> The property is sociable and in a fantastic location. Nevertheless, if you are particularly sensitive to noise, this property may not be the best option for you. > Maintenance issues are often dealt with too slowly and arise too often. There are serious issues with the heating which means it is insufficiently warm or completely non-functional. Unfortunately, the property’s management are not enthusiastic to resolve the matter and maintenance are overly reliant on what appears to be a faulty heating computer system. > Staff are reasonably friendly and polite, and respond to being locked out in good time. > Whilst a sub-contracted company, the facilities provided by Circuit Laundry are uncleanly and not well maintained. There are grossly insufficient washing machines and driers which mean many students have to wait many hours before a machine becomes available. It may be wise for the property to consider an alternative supplier.
Had a lot of issues which the staff have helped me with straight away. Tom on the desk is a life saver!
Thanks for your review- we are glad your issues have been resolved promptly and will pass the kind words onto Tom!
Moving to a new country is always a rollercoaster but the team here at Rosalind Franklin made it much easier. From greeting at the reception to helping when my card key decided to stop working, they definitely facilitated the process of living on my own.
We are so pleased that you have settled in to Rosalind Franklin- we will pass the kind words on to the team! Thank you!
Overall one of the best value for money accoms and modern kitchen although wasn’t a fan of the wet room
We are so pleased you enjoy living at Rosalind Franklin! We will pass the feedback onto the team- thank you for your review :)
AVOID! 1. the building is right next to the clubs and I could not fall sleep because of the noise that continues till 2 am. 2. the building is falling apart, in my flat the ceiling was leaking for 10 months, every time it was raining the corridor had a massive puddle and they told us they are not able to fix it because it need ''special assistance'' 3. all drying machines have rust, once they ruined 9 pieces of my clothes and the reception team said they cant do anything about it because the dryers and washers are not their problem 4. my door was locking me out for 6 months, i requested so many times to get fixed, but they never fixed it properly, I ended up leaving my door open for 2 months 5. rude staff 6. silverfish and bugs everywhere 7. kitchen shelves broke down first week 8. the lift breaks down every two weeks and they don't fix it for 2-3 days 9. no people on the reception after 9pm 10. no security, everyone can come in 11. people smoke weed in the gardens and so on
Josh is a very cool receptionist and is always smiling and willing to help with anything you need.
Thanks for your reivew! We will be sure to pass on the lovely message to Josh!
All staff are helpful. Recently I got locked out my flat on the Sunday and Cam let me back into my flat and helped me with an issue to do with my keycard and was overall really nice and helpful
Thank you for your 5 star review! We will pass kind words on to Cam :)
Just wanted to say thanks to Luke and Hannah in the reception so helpful and nice.
We will pass the message on to the Rosalind Team!
Its very good! People are nice. Rooms are great.
This is great news! Thank you for your kind review! We are pleased you like your room :)
As I am in block D, everything is broken and old and it is still the same price as the refurbished and new blocks. It shouldn’t be the same price and they could have done a few things to make sure D block is acceptable
We are sorry to hear you are not satisifed with your room! Could you please come to the reception and get in touch- we'd love to discuss this further with you, and see what we can do to improve your stay :)
The location of the building is so convenient! Shops are just around the corner, nightclubs and pubs are mere seconds away from the door, and all university/study buildings are only a short walk away. The chimes from the guildhall clock are beautiful, and being on the 8th floor comes with a gorgeous view of the city. All staff go out of their way to make you feel welcomed and at home, they are always super helpful and friendly, particularly Hannah at the reception desk. The kitchen is brand new, clean and really modern, me and my flatmates love to hang out there. All in all, Rosalind Franklin is a great accommodation to be in!
Thank you for your review! Rosalind Franklin is indeed one of the closes university halls to all university buildings as well as general local amenities such as cafes, the University gym and sports centre and night time entertainment too! We will be sure to pass the message onto the Rosalind Franklin team with your kind words as well! Thank you :)
Easy check in and very nice staff. Could be cleaner but still nice.
Thank you for your review! We are glad your check in was seamless and will be sure to pass the message on to the team!
Lovely staff and great interaction with those that live there!!
We are so pleased you have had a great experience at Rosalind Franklin :) Thank you for your review
It's very welcoming and nice place for you to have privacy and be socialable
We are pleased you have been able to find the perfect balance between private and social! We are so pleased you feel welcomed :)
I like the magic mirror thwive got here
We are pleased you have enjoyed the events! Let us know if you have any other event suggestions for Rosalind Franklin!
It was easy to settle in, everyone was helpful especially Hannah and Danny at reception & the location is very convenient for getting to different buildings.
We are so pleased that you are settling in well to Rosalind Franklin- we will be sure to pass the message on to the team!
It has been a pleasant experience moving in everyone but especially Hannah and Dani were very helpful with my enquiries and ensuring I felt safe
We are pelased you had a pleasant check in experience moving in- we will pass the message on to the team :) We pride ourselves on being safe and secure so we are glad you feel safe living at Rosalind Franklin
Sue the house keeper is amazing she is always polite and and always ensures she has a smile on her face Hannah and Jake from reception are very helpful and are always there for any needs and enquiries that we have. A realy good team here at Rosalind Franklin
We agree! We will pass on your kind words to Sue! We will pass it on to the lovely Rosalind Franklin team too!
Lovely receptionists and help out with anything, especially Jake, Hannah and Sue!
We are pleased you are enjoying our stay with us so far. Our team is always happy to help 24/7, with a day team and a night team, only a phone call away! We will pass the message onto the team at Rosalind Franklin :)
Great value for money and is everyone is very helpful, especially jack, Hannah and Sue
We are pleased you think so! We will pass the message on to the team at Rosalind Franklin :)
Love staying in these halls, staff are amazing especially Jake, Hannah and Sue!!
Yay, we are so pleased! We will pass the message onto the wonderful team at Rosalind Franklin!
Very kind a helpful receptionists. So super nice love Jake Sue and Hannah.❤️❤️❤️
This is music to our ears! We will be sure to pass the message onto the team :) Thank you!
The first 2 weeks have been great
This is music to our ears! We are so pleased to hear your first 2 weeks with us have been great! Let's look forward to many more!
Jake and Hannah at reception were really friendly towards me making me feel more welcome.
We are so pleased you felt welcome and enjoyed check in! We will be sure to pass the message onto the team at Rosalind Franklin!
Accommodating and friendly for me
We are so pleased you have been happy with Rosalind Franklin Halls so far! Keep an eye out for more events in the next coming weeks...
The best halls location in portsmouth
Rosalind Franklin is most definitley perfectly situated, within 5 minutes walking distance of most university buildings, lecture theatres, night clubs, pubs, restaurants and the university library! We are pleased you think so too!
Nice, clean, the most amazing localisation ever
We are so pleased you think so- thanks for your review!
Jake, Hannah and Sue were very welcoming
Thank you- Team Rosalind are the best! We will pass the message on to Jake, Hannah and Sue! Thank you for your review :)
Robin is the best person ever. Give him a raise
Thank you for your recommendation! We will let robin know he is the best person ever (we think so too...)
Robin H is super friendly and helpful. Deals promptly with issues and makes me feel welcome.
We are so pleased Robin H has made you feel welcome! We will be sure to pass the message onto him!
Very friendly reception team specifically Jake Hannah and Jo. Reliable and great location
We are so pleased you have had a great experience so far with the reception team at Rosalind! We will pass the message on :) Thank you for taking the time to write your review
Good team at the reception :) Hannah Sue and Johannah
We will be sure to pass this message onto the Rosalind Franklin Team! Thank you for your kind words
A really nice accommodation in the centre of Portsmouth. Near most of the lecture halls and the clubs so perfect for first years
We are pleased that you have had a good experience living with us so far!
Hannah and Jo and very helpful. Jo is very smiley and welcoming and Hannah helped fix my door. Both always say Hi when I walk in. Two very friendly and welcoming people :)
This is great news- we are pleased your issues were attended to quickly by the Rosalind Franklin team, and we will be sure to pass the message on!
Great , I love living here especially Hannah
We are so pleased you love living at Rosalind Franklin! We will be sure to pass the message on to Hannah :) Thank you for your kind review
Really good and helpful staff, Jake and Hannah were very helpful as well. Made me feel so at home
Thank you for your kind review! We will be sure to pass the message onto Jake and Hannah :) Our home is your home
The location is perfect and the kitchen is really good but the rooms could be cleaner
We are so pleased that the location is great for you. Our Portsmouth properties are very central and all within walking distance of the campus and local shops etc. We will endeavour to invesigate your experience in regards to kitchen and room cleanliness- thank you
Staff at Rosalind Franklin are very welcoming and friendly. Especially Hannah and Jack,they have helped me on multiple occasions when I had problems. The Cleaning staff also very friendly and keep the place clean all the time. The location is excellent, it is perfect getting to university buildings within 10 minutes. The university library and sports centre are on 5 minutes walk from Rosalind Franklin. As well as Surrounded by multiple shops and cafes, which is a nice way of spending time with friends. Overall very nice accommodation would recommend staying here!
Wow! Thank you for your kind review and kind words about the Rosalind Franklin team! We will be sure to pass on the message to Jack and Hannah!
Comfortable flat rooms and good size kitchen, good security too
Thank you for your review- we pride ourselves on being safe and secure so you can have the best experience whilst staying with us as possible
a lovely accomodation within the heart of portsmouth, great internet speed and social opportunities
We are pleased to hear you are enjoying living at Rosalind Franklin so far! There will be plenty more social opportunities coming soon with a calender of events throughout the year
The entire team is incredibly patient and helpful, especially Tom :)
We are so pleased to hear this feedback! We'll be sure to pass the message on to Tom! :) Thank you
Good, I enjoy living in these halls and I have no complaints apart from more social spaces
Thank you for your positive feedback and we're really pleased you really enjoyed living with us in Rosalind Franklin! We are continously working on ways we can improve our accomodations and the outdoor spaces as well as common rooms. This year we are pleased to be partnering with the Guildhall Village, who will provide us with a common room space for our students to use. Thank you for your review, and for staying with us and good luck in the future
Based on my time here I cannot recommend living at any unite property. During my time here the staff were so non understanding of any of my issues and almost made me homeless while applying for an extention on top of losing some of my parcels. I would not live here and would tell anyone whos thinking about living here to apply for an accomodation which isn’t run by unite students.
This was an amazing accommodation location wise. Very close to most university buildings. However there isn’t much communal space so meeting new people was a little difficult. You’d have to get invited to flat parties in order to interact with more people than just your flat
Best place to live in Portsmouth
Upon moving in and seeing the grey walls and paint- stained carpet, I struggled to accept that I would spend the next year in this prison. I did not have to worry however, as as soon as I unpacked and made my room my own with some home comforts, I absolutely loved it and was so sad to move out at the end or the year. I had the best flatmates and owe this halls for introducing me to the best friends I have at university and whom I know I will continue to be friends with way beyond graduation. It was so lovely to live in a flat with people of the same age, and our whole floor got along which made the social experience amazing! Although not one for nights out, I can’t ignore the brilliant location of this halls and enjoyed being a short walk away from town. I also loved being able to roll out of bed and get to a lecture within 10 minutes! There was a major incident involving an ex flatmate but the reception staff as well as security Were Excellent in dealing with her and keeping us safe
Best halls socially but not modern like many of the others.
a ver para los españoles que no sepáis dónde leches alojaros, os recomiendo esta resi. La calidad no es la mejor, pa qué mentirnos, pero es de las más baratas y encima os pilla cerca de todo (los edificios de la uni, las discotecas y los supermercados). La cocina es super grande o sea yo me la esperaba mucho más pequeña. encima tiene muchisimos armarios y si tenéis suerte os puede tocar una cocina con 4 frigos como a mi. la cama es de 90, asi q alome algunos estáis acostumbrados al tamaño. El baño es pequeñico, buah y encima la ducha no tiene cortina ??? sigo sin entenderlo. Lo bueno es q en le wilko o en el tesco venden cortinas de ducha asi q ntr. Vais a amar la ciudad y espero que os toquen compañeros tan geniales como los mios. Vais a ir con mucha ilusión y no os importará mucho si las instalaciones podrían ser mejor o peor (tb os digo q arreglan las cosas bastante rapido) asi q id a x la resi q os salga más rentable.
I read awful reviews of the Rosalind Franklin, but I have to say that the halls are not that bad tho. Kitchen is really bigand spacious (amazing for pre drinks), the oven might be a little bit too old but it isn't a big deal. the rooms are alright with really big desks, and the closet is nice, the beds are single tho. The bathroom is quite small (the shower is tiny af). I'm not gonna lie to you, you will not care that much about your room or kitchen bcos you'll be partying all the time and having a great time. The best thing about this accommodation building is that it is right next to Astoria and Mr miyagi's (and Gida as well!!). Rosalind Franklin has the best location for everything tbh, it is near every university building and every pub (literally everyone goes to this accommodation for pres). You will complain about the quality of the bilding during your stay, but I can assure you you will miss everything about Rosalind franklin.
Very good reliable WiFi’ through entire building, easy access to university buildings and very close to the clubbing scene.
- large kitchen and rooms - good WiFi - staff are friendly and helpful - maintenance requests always dealt with properly and quickly - best location for a halls, right next to lecture buildings
I wouldn’t choose to stay here for my 1st year- the fact that they are increasing the rent for future new students this year is ridiculous. The negative list is endless- for a couple quid more a week you get way nicer rooms, functioning appliances, social areas and no bugs (e.g Catherine / greentham / trafalgar and others.
Love this accommodation. Before arriving I read many negative reviews but I’ve had nothing but a good time here. Out of all the accommodation the rooms are the most spacious, the kitchen is very big in all flats. It’s a very social accommodation and I definitely recommend as its central to everything.
You don't need to upgrade your wifi it's a con... loved this halls so close to town
Great place to meet people. Can be very loud and a bit of a mess. However the cost compared to the other halls is so good for what you get.
While I was in a really good location the price I payed for what I got is ridiculous. It was £131 per week for a hall with WiFi that constantly wasn’t working, Damp everywhere in my room, a walk in shower that leaked all over the floor, an oven that didn’t really work. I felt very alone living in this hall, absolutely no social activities to make sure everyone is included. It is awful.
All halls are great and it’s hard to review all these characteristics because most people are too busy having fun to care quite honestly.
Great budget halls but considering I was paying more when it was taken over by Unite, I would have expected more changes than just new chairs in bedrooms
Loved it, social hub of the uni, everyone ended up knowing everyone it was great
Good halls but could be cheaper
I am not sure where to start...I hate it to be honest with you. Cheaper and better accommodation - houseshares, other halls, private. The best part is the fact the bedroom is a good size. The courtyard is full of drunk people till like 4am most days, people smoke both cigarettes and...other things so your room and the first floor always stinks. Silverfish are my only friends here because my housemates are social and there's no common rooms other than the entrance room with a pool table. When I moved in my bathroom was gross and had to hoover and clean, strange marks on the walls and floor which was a bit disturbing. Maintenance don't really seem to be that great, we still have a broken sink and I know other people here with blocked bathroom pipes, gross smells and paint peeling off walls. I feel so sorry for the staff having to deal with the disrespectful students that destroy the hallways ceiling tiles, leave rubbish and food everywhere etc. Honestly do a houseshare xD
Very nice and great location. One of the more affordable options too!
It’s not up to the expectations. They still need to improve
Good halss with a lot of good social spaces.
James Watson is a modern hall with decent kitchen sizes (sort of makes up for the crappy common room). Bedrooms are okay, not a bad size but desks could have been bigger. Everything seemed to break when I was there - maintenance were pretty good at fixing it quickly. I was never sure about the receptionist hours but I found that they were hardly ever there? This is also a security issue as it is very easy to get inside this place without a card.
If you like stuffy hot rooms with limited window access then this is the accommodation for you! On pictures the rooms and kitchen look decent but once you’ve moved in you’ll notice things falling apart very easily with walls coming off and water leaks in the kitchen. However, you’ll never be lonely as you have the silverfish to make friends with!
In serious need of a refurb. If you’ve booked in take a mattress because the ones on the beds are hard you can feel the springs and they are uncomfortable. The paint in my room was peeling off the walls take photos of all damage in room prior to unpacking so you have a record. Kitchens need replacing as draws were broken and all they did was screw it closed rather than replace. The cupboards were a bit loose. The hoover smelt horrible. Very little ventilation and room always too hot. Rooms are really small. Shower had mould in the silicon and to close the door you have to squeeze round the toilet. When I arrived it was obvious no maintenance had been done over the summer the flat door was hanging off. Kitchen needed some repairs and the lock on my door didn’t work. For £133 a week it’s a rip off. The government seriously needs to review student accommodation charges as it appears they can charge what they like as students have little choice.
Honestly save your money and go elsewhere. This place is the worst possible accommodation in Portsmouth. They have silverfish everywhere and the WiFi is s***. There is only one pool table and nothing else to socialise with. They always have issues with no water and something is always broken.
Great fast wifi (free, but fast fiber internet only costs about £14 a year). Very helpful, social and nice stuff (except a few who act very stuck-up as if you owe them something). There is only one small pool table space as the common room, although the pool is free and if noones playing its great to play with friends. The smoking area is nice, although i feel bad for the people who have windows directed to it. There's a lot of drunk students, some are stupid but most are funny, you will probably become very social living here if youre not already. The cleaning ladies are nice and they have to go through a lot of sh*t, so i respect them a lot. A lot of students grew up with no sense of respect towards neighbors and super bad hygiene. You will probably be mad about a neighbor never helping with cleaning the kitchen and throwing the bags. Theres also a chance you will end up on spottedpompey, the Pompey's equal of WSHH. The location is GREAT, everything close! Lower the price though...
Terrible experiences! Main Door not working, couldn’t come into flat not even from the master key unite students staff own, room 5 days to solve the problem with hassle and arguments with the team! Night time staff and day time staff have no communication between each other when you report a problem in the night and go down the next day to reception to update you on the situation they have no clue what is going on terrible experience! DO NOT STAY HERE. Heating during the winter is bad and the room remains cold, heating switches on for 3 minutes and then switches off and decides that it’s enough done enough heating! Internet doesn’t work properly on all devices and,switches off! There are Shower floods, common room is not really a room but more of a pass through to get to all the flats only contains a pool table really not worth £133 per week. Not all building works outside are made aware, had builders lifts at the start of the academic year outside my window playing d&b music @7AM
This is such a great halls, definitely the best in my opinion. Great balance between quality and cost. Other halls can be very expensive, or a bit grim.
Don't listen to half of these reviews!! I remember reading some of the reviews on this website last year when applying for university halls and it put me off so much but do not be put off by them! Living in James Watson is SO much fun! The location is absolutely amazing, it's so close to the library, the majority of lecture buildings, the gym, Gunwharf and 5 minutes walk from the town centre. You don't need to get public transport anywhere because everything is so close! Most of the staff are really helpful, the only downside Is the lack and awful quality of laundry facilities but hey ho just take your washing back home to your parents lol! It is directly opposite one of the main nightclubs Astoria and is one of the most social halls! The facilities are a little outdated but the rooms and kitchens are massive, bigger than the newer halls such as Catherine house! Overall I have loved living in James Watson and would defo recommend it to anyone, especially due to the location.
Overall, this place is pretty terrible. The building is infested with silverfish. You can find them everywhere although you probably won't find one everyday. There is a terrible shortage of washers and dryers (8 washers for the whole building I think) and the laundry rooms and tiny and cramped. It's a very noisy place to live: at night time there is constant noise from shouting drunk people and you can hear the bass from the clubs, even with the windows closed. The "common room" is literally just a pool table by reception with a TV that normally plays bad music. Everything is very ugly and old: in my flat, there was cracks in the ceiling and the kitchen skirting board was ripped off, leaving black marks all over the place. The appliances are all old and there is very little space in the fridges and freezers for everyone. As for good points, The WiFi works fine most of the time and the halls are close to everything due to being in the city centre.
James Watson has been a o k a y experience so far. We are on the 6th floor but our flat is infested with a ton of silverfish which is revolting. I've seen too many in our kitchen and a few in my bedroom. The appliances in James watson are quite outdated but the bedroom space is rather nice and I would in fact say it is the most social place to stay. The location is the best out of all of the other halls but if you get placed in a bad room you will not be able to get much sleep due to noise from clubs and other flats kitchens if they're situated right outside your bedroom window! The wifi is pretty good, it's fast but has sometimes turned off randomly at around midnight. The common room in James watson isn't really a common room - it's just a pool table lobbed with a few sofas situated right to the stairs. If you have a look at Greetham hall - their common room is really nice. The hall is okay price for money but I do wish I had looked at Greetham or private housing.
Outdated. Everything breaks and I mean EVERYTHING. Chairs, stools, cooker, kitchen taps... One time the cooker broke mid-meal and reception said it was "too late to fix" IT WAS 7PM. They couldn't help meaning 6 of us had to live off take aways until maintenance fixed it. THERE ARE BUGS EVERYWHERE. Silverfish overpopulate the building. So be prepared to find them running on your carpet, and if your clothes if you leave them on the floor. Never experienced these bugs before, but apparently they are 'normal'??? Not to forget the fire alarms across all 3 blocks because some drunk students have decided it will be funny to smash the alarms, or smoke in their rooms at 4 am. This can happen 3 times a week. And if you forget your keycard, you're not allowed back in by security, so good luck!! You cook and smell like you've been deep fried. And prepare to hear everything that goes on in rooms next to you, as they're paper thin. You will meet good friends though & all suffer together.
the maintenance is the worst, they are not approachable and not friendly, and they certainly take ages to get things fixed, i mean months
Absolutely waste of your money. There is no security, desk is open few hours a day and nothing works. Maintenance requests take ages to be reviewed. They don't fix anything and the cleaners are a joke. Met some amazing people living there but would never ever recommend unite to anyone.
The stairs constantly stink of piss and all you hear all day and night is thug boys screaming on the courtyard outside. The staff speak no English and openly admit they dont know what to do half of the time. Several people have been locked out of their rooms for days on end because the batteries have died in the card readers on their doors and the staff say that they don't have time to come and fix it. If theres a block-wide maintenance issue, beware that the maintenance staff have the right to access your property with our without your presence or your consent, and yes they will simply open your door if you dont open it for them. They dont speak any English either so don't bother trying to reason with them. Nothing is ever going to get fixed. Ever. Dont even try it because the amount of times I've been told it will be done 'today' would make your head spin. The only communal space is the one pool table by the front door which Is also always dominated by thug boys.
Although the rooms are a little small I think that there is a lot of space in the rooms. It's lovely having your own bathroom in your own room. The kitchen space is really nice and the seats provided are really comfy and it's nice and colourful with the green wall in the kitchen and the different colour seats! It's really close to every building it takes less than 10 minutes to walk to the furthest uni building from James Watson and is nice and close to the town center and gunwharf quays. Overall I've really enjoyed living in James Watson.
1st floor stinks of weed constantly. Right in the centre of everything, everything of interest is no greater than a 8 minute walk away
Overall James Watson is not worth your money. The lift breaks down constantly for one, so if your on the top floor it sucks. Students break the ceiling and after big nights its all over the floor along with takeaway boxes. The internet is appalling unless you connect to the ethernet cable. If someone is sick in the hallway its never cleaned properly. The sealant in a lot of the windows are broken and Ive had a problem with mould several times. Even after telling them im asthmatic it took them a month to clean it
Absolutely horrible place to live, I've requested a move to Trafalgar as their rooms are much bigger and much cleaner/ nicer. If you're unlucky enough to end up with a room like mine opening onto the courtyard you better be happy with the sound of people screaming and throwing up until about 3am... As well as the useless maintenance who try to blame you for everything. Not to mention how disgusting everything is, the stairs in A block smell of pee and the walls and carpets are all stained, the ovens are old and only just work and the plugs in the rooms are dodgy and if you try to use more than one plug or the Hoover it flicks the fuse switch. The WiFi is AWFUL in a block on the corners and they try to blame you for it and refuse to fix it. It's just a horrible prison like place which gets so so hot at night even with the window open. Which barely opens. Maybe 10cm?
Excellent location but takes forever to get anything fixed, and the fire alarms go off about twice a week!
Really bad experience here. Incredibly noisy so impossible to get a good nights sleep. Internet crashed many times. Bad value for money.
Location is all this halls has to offer. I was lucky to live with some great people and we ended up with a big social group, but no common rooms, the place was a mess every morning the rooms were awful and the staff were miserable. WAAAAY too expensive
Perfect location, lots of fire alarms, expensive compared to other halls or student houses in Portsmouth.
Great, friendly staff and nice rooma although lifts kept breaking and the wifi was bad.
James Watson was not fun to live in. It was always noisy and people would trash the place, break the lifts and destroy the roof tiles to the point where they banned us from having guests! The reception is literally never open so you have to either ring bateson or walk over there. Not that it's far but if you have opening times for a reception the it should be open in those times. However you get the student experience here, parties till they bam you from having flat parties and you can't bring anyone home so as they Id you at the door you can barely get WiFi anywhere but the kitchen. On the plus side the cleaners are an assure delight and if you get locked out and they're around they'll let you in for free. But if they aren't you face a £12 charge.
modern, gauche, well located. s******
Great for location but you pay way too much considering the amount of things you find broken in the flat
It's a very good Hall, the building is nice in an amazing heart of the city location. Sadly people that don't know how to look after themselves ruin the experience by breaking stuff in the building.
Very tidy and clean kept halls. Central location is perfect.
Bit loud but very central and close to university, large number of people and student support are amazing
rooms are an okay size, MAINTENANCE IS AWFUL NOTHING EVER WORKS AND THERE IS NO SENSE OF WELFARE FOR STUDENTS, if you lock yourself out you have to pay... Security is good that's about it. But if you're looking for constant partying this is the place to be! Never boring and can always here a couple parties on the go!