0.3 mi
from University of Reading - Whiteknights Campus
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https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/accommodation/locations/mackinder-hall
Most helpful review
The accommodation was a short walk from some of the main lecture halls and quite close to the library and coop. It was very clean as a cleaner came in every week and the bins were cleared multiple times a week. The rooms were a good size and the walls between each room were a good thickness so you couldn’t really hear who was next to you.
Value for money
Location
Property management
Cleaning
Social spaces
Social experience
Internet / Wifi
University of Reading Hall Rankings
| Student Castle Reading | #2 |
| Stenton Townhouses | #3 |
| Kendrick Hall | #4 |
| Wessex Hall | #5 |
| Mackinder Hall | #6 |
| Bridges Hall | #7 |
| Childs Hall | #8 |
| Wantage Hall | #9 |
| Stenton Hall | #10 |
| St. Patrick's Hall | #11 |
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Most helpful review
The accommodation was a short walk from some of the main lecture halls and quite close to the library and coop. It was very clean as a cleaner came in every week and the bins were cleared multiple times a week. The rooms were a good size and the walls between each room were a good thickness so you couldn’t really hear who was next to you.
Value for money
Location
Property management
Cleaning
Social spaces
Social experience
Internet / Wifi
Mackinder Hall Information
| Telephone | +44 (0)118 200 5011 |
| Postcode | RG1 5JN |
| Top tip | Mackinder Hall offers comfortable premium self-catered rooms a short distance from the University's academic buildings. Visit the website to find out more. |
Room Types
Single Rooms - Premium Ensuite Room
Amenities
This property offers shared kitchens, Wi-Fi, short walk from bike shed, post boxes, 24-hour laundry facilities, utility bills & basic contents insurance included. Discover more!
Features
- Communal Kitchen
Internet Access
- WiFi
People/Staff
- Maintenance Team (Daytime Only)
Services
- Cleaning Service
- Contents Insurance
Special Policies
- No Smoking
Travel Times
Mackinder Hall has easy access to Park Eat, local shops, cafes & local attractions.
University of Reading
Whiteknights Campus7 mins3 mins7 mins0.3 mi
Mackinder Hall Biography
Located 0.7 km from central Whiteknights campus, you can find Mackinder Hall. The accommodation is conveniently placed with numerous academic buildings situated a stone’s throw away.
Residents can benefit from being a short walk from a bike shed, post boxes and 24-hour laundry facilities. As an added convenience, there is high-speed Wi-Fi, utility bills and basic contents insurance included.
Students can take advantage of having their own private bedroom and bathroom while sharing a fully equipped kitchen with flatmates. These en-suite rooms make up eight-bedroom flats and are furnished with storage space, under-bed storage, study space and a single double bed.
Contact Mackinder Hall for more info!
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 Mackinder Hall Reviews
Good proximity to the university, quite bad connection to town and the station. The staff working in the building, especially the cleaners, were lovely.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Good halls in a ideal location on campus with good wifi and cleaning
Hi, Thank you so much for your review. We're glad you had a great experience living at Reading! Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
I've made some of my closest friends living in Mackinder, the location was really good and we had a vending machine as well! The laundry was close and receiving packages was also really easy with Park Reception
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re delighted you had such a positive experience living at Reading. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
I had a great time staying at Mackinder during my first year. It was regularly cleaned by friendly staff, and my room was in excellent condition. I would highly recommend to a friend.
Hi, Thank you so much for your review. We're glad you had a great experience living at Reading! Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Was a nice place to live for the year. But the security was a joke
Hi, Thank you to taking the time to share your feedback and review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed your time living in Mackinder Hall. We're sorry to hear that security fell below your expectations. All accommodations are monitored by 24/7 CCTV and regular security patrols day and night. If you ever need to contact security in an emergency, you can do so by calling 0118 378 6300. If you need to contact security in a situation that is not an emergency, you can do so by calling 0118 378 7799 or email security@reading.ac.uk. If you would like to discuss further or share more detailed feedback, please do reach out on accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or 0118 200 5011. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Very pricey. However probably because of the area, modern room and kitchen and bathroom. Cant really go wrong
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Wonderful room! I recommended it to my friends who would stay in campus this year. Very close to the business school and I made a lot of friends there.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
It was a nice start to my uni life and ideal for me. I knew I wanted an en-suite and partial catering so mackinder halls on the meal-plan was perfect for my first year.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Absolutely loved it, no real complaints
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Overall, it is a nice place to stay however it is most certainly not worth the price, many of my friends at other universities pay much less and have bigger accommodations in similar locations that are mostly much nicer.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback and review! We're glad to hear that you found the accommodation to be a nice place to stay. We're sorry to hear that the pricing fell below expectations. We continually review our offering to ensure our rooms offer value for money and offer a range of room types to suit varied budgets. All our rents are inclusive (utilities and WIFI) so there are no unexpected bills to pay plus your bills and rent will be fixed so you won't face any price increases. If you would like to discuss further or share more detailed feedback, please do reach out on accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or 0118 200 5011. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Overall, I enjoyed a good year long stay in Mackinder Halls, I thought my room and kitchen were very nice and practical, however, the costs of the rooms are probably too much for most people to bear, and for what you are getting it really is not great value for money.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback and review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay at Mackinder Hall and found your room and kitchen to be both nice and practical. We understand your concern about pricing and we're sorry to hear that it did not feel like great value for money. We continually review our offering to ensure our rooms offer value for money and offer a range of room types to suit varied budgets. All our rents are inclusive (utilities and WIFI) so there are no unexpected bills to pay plus your bills and rent will be fixed so you won't face any price increases. If you would like to discuss further or share more detailed feedback, please do reach out on accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or 0118 200 5011. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
I very much enjoyed my stay at Mackidner and will miss living there due to the convenience that comes with living in halls.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
It was a really lovely dorm experience. I truly think Mackinder is the best. It was not too far from most of my lectures
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Mackinder was amazing, however for the price i feel like the social areas could've been much improved as although the kitchen was great for £215/pw i feel like we should have been provided with some other form of social space with a more living room like feel with comfortable sofas rather than the plastic chairs. it could also be difficult to socialise with other flats as the kitchens would get overcrowded. the wifi was usually perfect would run at a good speed and rarely had issues once it was fully sorted during freshers week. the social experience was great in my block personally however i know others from different blocks did not have the same experience. every tuesday the cleaners would come and the kitchen and hallway would look fab and our bins would also be regularly changed by staff from the uni so absolutely zero complaints there! whenever we had an issue with something in the flat it would be quickly fixed, and it was a great location for campus!
Hi, Thank you so much for your review, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We are pleased to hear you had a positive experience with the WIFI, the cleaning and maintenance teams and enjoyed the location. There are JCRs and common rooms in all halls, therefore socialising is not restricted to flats. Home@Halls also put on events in the common areas to bring students together. If you would like to discuss this further or provide more detailed feedback, please contact accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or phone 0118 200 5011. Kind regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
The onlu problem i faced was the elevator in block H were for approximately 2 months it was out of order and i was in the 4th floor so it was not a pleasing excperience otherwise everything was great
Hi, Thank you for your review, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We are pleased to hear you had an overall positive experience living at Reading. The lifts in the halls are tested to the highest standards. However, as with all lifts occasionally they can break down. We have set response times for resolving all issues reported to the Halls Hotline. This will be advised to you once it is reported either over the phone, by email or app. If a specialist part or contractor is needed in order to fix the matter the above times may be extended, and you will be advised. Where possible, we will provide you with a temporary solution in the interim. If you would like to discuss this further or provide more detailed feedback, please contact accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or phone 0118 200 5011. Kind regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
My time spent staying in Mackinder Hall was great, located on campus it was close to main facilities such as lecture halls, laundry facilities and park bar, all of which I frequented regularly. Kitchen was cleaned once a week and bedroom was very spacious and comfortable.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Amazing balls experience. Really lovely rooms and furnished to really high standard. Maintenance was amazing, always came to fix anything within the hour. Perfect location for me as all my lectures were in the business school and it’s a 5 minute walk away.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Very clean and tidy upon moving in. Upkeep was always immaculate. Only thing I would change is to have sofas in communal areas.
Hi, Thanks so much for your review. We’re glad you had a great experience living at Reading! Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Uni accom is fascinating for freshers as you can meet various ppl in flat and also well structured. Also the facilities are quite alright.
Hi, Thanks so much for your review. We’re glad you had a great experience living at Reading! Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Mackinder has nice rooms and shared spaces. The rooms have a nice small double bed which is perfect because it doesn't take up too much space in the room, there is lots of storage space (including under the bed!), the kitchen is so nice with 2 separate 4 pot hobs and 2 extractor fans. We also got an ironing board and a hoover along with our flat. Most people in Mackinder were sociable, there is also a really nice study space in Hurley that anyone in Mackinder can get into with their keycard!!!! There are also benches in the middle with some little grass patches that look really nice in the summer so you can sit out there with your mates. Also, security did regular rounds and maintenance was fabulous they responded so promptly to any queries we made on the app. It's also only like a 10-minute walk from central campus and park place is literally 10 seconds away. The only flaw I'd say would be the aesthetically unappealing bathroom which could easily be vamped up with some decor.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
My experience at Mackinder was amazing, the rooms have everything you need and very large desk space, the people there are very kind and welcoming, the property maintenance and security is very effective and you won’t struggle getting in contact with them. The location is also ideal, 2 minutes away from park eats, 6 minutes from co op, less than 5 minutes from henley business school. Overall I would definitely recommend staying at Mackinder.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
The home@halls app is useful and the UI design is clear. Staffs are helpful when having issues. I wish I could join more hall’s activities cuz I didn’t join that much last year.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
The Location is very close to Park Bar and Henley business school. Additional furniture for the common area for socialising would be an extra plus. But overall a decent student hall.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Halls were always cleaned by friendly staff and issues were taken care of very quickly. If you were paired up with sensible and cooperative people, keeping the kitchen clean was not difficult. However there were some students that were too loud and even throwing rubbish out the windows ( I was bottom floor). This would mostly stop after being reported though which was good. Overall, the experience was 4/5.
Hi, Thank you for your review! We are pleased to hear you had a positive experience with the cleaning and maintenance teams and that any issues you faced where quickly resolved after reporting them. Kind regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
I’s difficult for them to control loud crowds walking pass these locations in the middle of the night. As value of price, the price for it has increased over years and with the inflation affecting everyone, it’s hard to afford staying in a good place.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate here at Reading! Thank you for your feedback regarding noise, your accommodation is monitored by 24/7 CCTV and regular security patrols. We continually review our offering to ensure our rooms offer value for money and offer a range of room types to suit varied budgets. All our rents are inclusive (utilities and WIFI) so there are no unexpected bills to pay plus your bills and rent will be fixed so you won't face any price increases. If you would like to discuss this further or provide more detailed feedback, please contact accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or phone 0118 200 5011. Kind regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Good location, just a 5-minute walk to Henley Business School.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
The accommodation was a short walk from some of the main lecture halls and quite close to the library and coop. It was very clean as a cleaner came in every week and the bins were cleared multiple times a week. The rooms were a good size and the walls between each room were a good thickness so you couldn’t really hear who was next to you.
Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we really appreciate it here at Reading! We’re really pleased you enjoyed your time living here. Kind Regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
No sofas or any proper communal area so makes individuals more likely to remain in their room
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! There are JCRs and common rooms in all halls, therefore socialising is not restricted to flats. Home@Halls also put on events in the common areas to bring students together. If you would like to discuss this further or provide more detailed feedback, please contact accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk or phone 0118 200 5011. Kind regards, The Reading Accommodation Team
Although I unfortunately got put in a single sex flat without asking, I have managed to make friends outside of my flat. The wardens are firm but fair. Although I would say it is quite expensive, the experience is good
Difficult because it was during covid!
I loved staying at MacKinder, my bedroom was so nice, I was so happy with it! It had an en suite and a big bed which I was lucky to have! I made so many friends in halls and was socialising all the time.
The cleaners were great and always friendly. Rooms were very nice.
Loved my time in Mackinder hall in first year. My only critique is we pay this money and we do not have a socialised seating area like bridges there is only chairs and table.
My experience here was good. The hall itself was perfect for what I wanted, it succeeded my expectations. It was nice as it made me settle into university way better. The social space was not as good as other halls as it did not have a sofa but I think I’m just being picky! Overall, it was lovely, well managed by the officer or the building and kept clean as every Friday we had a cleaner.
Definitely not worth the price. I’d choose a stenton Townhouse over it, but the location is good (next to park bar)
Loved my time in Halls, the cleaner was friendly and always cleaned providing we cleared the surfaces. Location wise, it’s fabulous.
Way too expensive everyone was doing drugs and nothing ever got cleaned. Other halls were much more sociable
Mackinder was very sociable and central to everything you needed.
Best decision to chose this halls, such a good location and atmosphere
As far as I’m aware there wasn’t any social spaces outside the individual flats. Park bar is very close and is a very social space (but not linked with the hall itself). The rooms are the best you’ll find on campus, double bed, en suite etc. It’s a luxury compared to most. It’s expensive but the location and amenities mean they can charge that much.
amazing halls, always kept clean
Too expensive for what it is but very useful in terms of proximity to campus and the town centre.
Good quality and location; near student bars and main campus. However, lacking in coordinated socialising.
Constant noise complaints for having a good time, halls full of students who don’t go out, lot of snobs
very nice and new accommodation. Fast response from the staff when anything broke in the flat.
Highly overpriced but all reading halls are! No social area in flat except kitchen but we've never had a problem and park bar is 2 minutes away. Closest halls to campus, better rooms have views ove playing fields. Mackinder isn't amazing but it's the best you will get - at least out of the park group halls.
So noisy - on one side everyone walks past your room to get to/from union shouting and screaming and on the other you are woken by the sports on the field in the morning.
Perfect location and flats are lovely with lots of space for socialising
I love Mackinder cos its premium and its so close to campus. Hardly a 5 min walk to my home building. Park eat is close as well.
Perfect start to university. Allows comfort and easy access to everything on campus.
The best halls on campus, near to everything you need and close to Park bar meaning it's great for the social side of uni life
completely overpriced, but so is every other hall in the whole of Reading
Great location as it's near everything(mainly park bar). Great bunch of people despite them being posh gits haha.
I have met many friends from Mackinder and everyone is lovely. Everyone seems to be respectful in regards to noise and you're always welcome over to people's flats even if you don't know them that well! The location is great with it being a five minute walk to the middle of campus where everything is.
Lovely accommodation, ideal position on campus, however quite expensive considering the quality of cleaning services and management supplied. Social life is excellent though.
Very modern Great location Very comfortable
Overall lovely place to live but showers are not great, radiator doesnt work
Expensive and small. good for generic people not for alts. Cleaners.
Loved the halls, on campus. Ideal location and facilities were great
Very expensive but an amazing hall
no problems at all! If there ever were, they were sorted immediately. Great social environment and location is perfect!
great halls, ensuite and double beds
Expensive but nice place to live. Not the most sociable of places due to the flat layout. Good cleaning service, but prone to complain about marks on the white corridor walls.
No lounge area so can sometimes be difficult to socialise
Best halls at Reading University, slightly overpriced (like all halls) but nevertheless, best experience of my life.
Lovely rooms and en suite bathrooms with huge kitchens. Not a huge community feel and the jcr are pretty bad this year but the location is ideal