An Ultimate Ranking Of First Year Flats And Dorms At University of Warwick Coventry
So, you’ve gotten an offer to study theatre studies at the University of Warwick Coventry? Congratulations – the easy part is over. What’s the difficult part, you ask? Finding the perfect dorm room to give you all that artistic inspiration (be it from the chilled-out atmosphere or your not-so-chill flatmates). Here is the official ranking of the best accommodations at University of Warwick Coventry, from best to worst.
1 & 2. Jack Martin and Arthur Vick
Jack Martin and Arthur Vick tick all the boxes – en suite bathrooms, cheaper than say BB, and located on central campus, just minutes away from the student union and bus interchange. The only downside is that the let terms are 34 weeks, meaning you need to move all your junk out during the Easter holidays.
3. Bluebell
Bluebell is one of the most luxurious accommodations. Similar to JM and AV, it pretty much ticks all the boxes – double beds, en suite shower rooms, close to central campus and a quiet environment to study. Cons? The price. At £176 a week , this is the most expensive accommodation (some might argue not worth it)…
4. Tocil
The only reason why I placed Tocil at number 4, is because of the shared bathrooms. Now don’t get me wrong, a shared bathroom is not (despite prior beliefs) the worst thing in the world. It does however, make quite a big difference. Tocil again, is relatively quiet and in a great location – close to the sports centre and other central campus amenities. It is also relatively close to Canon Park Shopping centre (one of the closest, after Claycroft). All these things combined with the relatively low price, make me wonder if perhaps I should have put Tocil higher up in this list.
5, 6 & 7. Sherbourne, Lakeside, Heronbank
Great for the scenic atmosphere, especially if you’re one of those people who enjoy being in the midst of nature (a.k.a being awoken by geese in the morning). All in all, these three accommodations are quite similar – all have en suite rooms. Keep in mind though, that if you do get Sherbourne, you might get a shared room. Biggest downside? Location. The walk is longer than you think (made worse by the cold winter) and, even if you do get a seat on the shuttle bus, more often than not, you’ll just want to stay in your room all week.
8. Whitefields
These cute little houses next to Rootes will intrigue you for the whole of your first year if you don’t end up going inside to actually have a look. Sharing a small house with about 5 other people mean that you do end up bonding (or falling out with) other people quite quickly. All in all, the location and price make Whitefields a relatively good accommodation, not to mention the ‘living room’ communal area you get as well as the kitchen.
9. Claycroft
Claycroft is one of the quietest accommodations so it’s great for people who just want a chilled out vibe away from the hustle and bustle of central campus. That being said, it is about a 15 minute walk from the bus interchange and more importantly, about a 3 minute walk to Tesco. (priorities…) The good thing about Claycroft is that even though you don’t have en suite rooms, you only share the bathroom with one other person. Be wary though – the water pressure in the bathroom sinks at Claycroft is questionable.
10 & 11. Cryfield and Redfern
Cryfield and Redfern are your bog standard accommodations. Neither bad, nor good. They are however, some of the cheapest rooms on campus (which is always a plus). Despite not actually being right on central campus, it’s only a short 2 minute walk from the bus interchange and other central campus buildings. One thing to keep in mind though, is that Cryfield has a 34 week long let and so you would have to find somewhere to store all the trash you’ve accumulated during the Easter break.
12. Rootes
This is a tricky one. Maybe putting this at the bottom of the list was a little harsh since there are a lot of advantages to staying in Rootes – namely: it’s on central campus and very close to places like the student union, Costa coffee, Rootes grocery store and the bus interchange. Believe me, location is something you have to consider very seriously, especially if you’re a bit of a party animal and don’t want to have to make that long trek all the way to Lakeside. Rootes is also one of the cheapest, at £99 per week, meaning you can fund your next short film.
Downsides to Rootes are the quality of the rooms (New Rootes is better than Old Rootes but you don’t get to choose which one you’re allocated to), the fact that you have to share a kitchen with a small village (approximately 15 people) and have to share bathrooms and toilets with your whole corridor. Rootes is the party haven – which is good if you’re an extrovert and gain energy from being surrounded by many people. However, it does depend – if you do end up getting Rootes, it doesn’t necessarily mean your nights will be full of loud music and drunk people. There is quite a big probability, though.
Keep in mind, you might end up getting a shared room if you do apply for Rootes.
13. Westwood – a.k.a miles away
Let’s be honest. The whole point of staying on campus is the fact that you’ll actually be on campus. The only thing going for this accommodation is the fact that it is close to the post room (but with amazon lockers in central campus and the free shuttle bus going from campus to Westwood post room, it’s not that much of an advantage) and the fact that it is close to the Westwood games hall.
Sure, it’s great for people who would prefer more of a quiet environment but to be honest, it just gets a bit gloomy especially in the winter months. Don’t forget, you actually want to make as many of those 9am lectures as you can (you are after all, paying £9000) – staying in Westwood will definitely make you wonder if this month’s budget will allow for an Uber into campus.
But.
Just remember – this ranking is subjective! All of these accommodations are great in their own ways (although some more than others) and as I always say, it’s the people that make the place great. So pick the accommodation that best suits your preferences and don’t forget that even if you end up getting a terrible room and lousy flatmates, it’s all character building at University of Warwick Coventry.
