Alliance House, london

Good-ish value, with some caveats: Overall, if you are in a rush, anxious about finding your own place, a fresh undergrad, don't cook much, can afford a single flat, or don't want the hassle of paying bills. I would definitely recommend. If you are more London-friendly and have the time, I would find your own place for better value/privacy/less hassle cooking. +ves: + Newington Green is a nice/cute central-ish micro-neighbourhood + Transport links are varied with busses, Mildmay/Windrush Lines at Canonbury, or 20 min walk (7 min Lime Bike) to H+I Victoria Line + Many organic high-end grocers, cafés, and boutiques on the Green (if you have the money) + Close to Clissold Park, Angel, Dalston, Stoke Newington, Islington + About 30 min to City Uni by bus (depending on time of day/waiting/which part of campus etc). + Staff are nice/helpful + Most packages will be signed for you by the concierge. + Laundry room includes proper dryers (working 95% of the time) so you can go from dirty to clean/fully dry clothes in about 2 hours. + if you get a single flat (M-Block) you will be at the front/main/period part of the building, with the Green right on your doorstep + Fast internet + Heating included -ves/things to know: - For the amount you pay, you could get a studio flat in another neighbourhood that may be 10/20 mins further from campus, or a larger flat/house share with friends for cheaper - For maintenance reasons/room inspections, expect people to be entering your room once or twice a month, whether you are there or not, with very late/wide-range notice. Bear that in mind if you wfh/call a lot, and for privacy reasons - Most staff are nice, but some take a prison warden-esque approach, checking drawers/wardrobes/toilet bowls/under the bed etc. So make sure any personal items you don't want inspected are hidden or not in the room. Mini-fridges or dorm-style appliances are strictly prohibited - Curtains only open from one side, the side where you'll be sitting at your desk, so expect to be visible from the outside even if they are slightly open, and/or for bright courtyard lights shining in at night. - Windows only open about 3 cm - Kitchens are placed on corners with windows all around with a panopticon feel, and sharing with 8 people makes timing/cooking awkward. Plenty of freezer space, but fewer than 8 fridge shelves - Kitchens only include two electric-resistive hobs and two fanless ovens. Expect to buy your own/see multiple sets of cutlery/knives/kitchen utensils/air-fryers/instant-pots/chopping boards/kettles etc - Newington Green is a very upper-middle class and relatively residential, don't expect many shops/restaurants on a student budget, unless you walk about 20/25 min to Dalston - The only local casual food options are a chippy, pizza, or Turkish. The Tesco Express seems under-stocked, - If you get D block or the upper floors, there is a long outside walk to leave the premises to street level. This adds an extra 5 mins of travel/walking time. There are no side exits - This includes getting to the only common room/post/laundry, and to pick up food deliveries. There is no way of contacting your room from the front so you need to be waiting out front for food deliveries/package deliveries that require ID (e.g. shaving razors, kitchen knives which are impossible to find in stores due to local crime reasons) - The en-suites are very small (you can shower sitting on the toilet). There is one bolted on shower-head with no handheld. Expect hot water to go about once/twice a month -The sinks are extremely small and awkwardly placed with separate hot/cold taps. There are no shelves/storage so you will need to buy multiple stick-on caddies. - Walls are thin regarding noise - The single bed mattress feels quite springy and is not secured to the cot-like base, so you can't sit up without the mattress sliding off - Intensely bright fluorescent main lights - internet requires virtual sign in, so getting smart bulbs, or non computer/phone devices (e.g. home servers, or e-readers) to connect may not work

Perfect for City students. Lovely rooms for the price, friendly reception staff (especially Susan and Carlos) and an overall great experience for my first time living away from home!

I enjoyed one year of my life at Alliance House. The place is beautiful and friendly, safe and clean, very good access to bus routes tho a bit far from tube. Staff and people there are all very nice and kind especially Carlos and Esmat were really friendly and helpful.

Just moved in here a week ago and am already impressed. My room was exactly expected. The grounds and courtyards are beautiful and kept up well. The week I moved in, the house hosted a welcome party with pizza, beers, and sodas. The party was a lot of fun and tons of students showed up. It was the perfect time to get to know all the people I'm going to be living near for the next year. The senior residents were very kind and welcoming.

I've lived here for the past 2 years and have had an amazing experience! The rooms are great value for money and it's a reasonable distance (20 mins by bus ) to City university. The staff are amazing, especially Pham (Maintenance worker) and he always gets issues with the room sorted as quickly as possible. The reception staff are friendly are provide good assistance, Rahena is really nice and easy to talk to and always helps if you have a problem and goes the extra mile