Gowar Hall is the only place to live at Royal Holloway

If you’re OK with the hill to humanity that is


Trying to figure out which halls is best to live in at University is probably more difficult than finding a university in the first place.

When it comes to Royal Holloway, it’s quite clear that Gowar Hall is the winner.

Do you want to live in a ski chalet? Of course you do. Anyone who says otherwise is obviously fancy enough to have already lived in an actual real life ski chalet or well, they’re lying to you.

We might as well be in the Alps

By living in Gowar you’d technically be living in an equivalent to The Pad – just without all the money, with more people, minus the complementary 32-inch flat screen tv’s and… okay, maybe it’s not quite The Pad, but this is second best when it comes to accommodation.

If you study at Royal Holloway, you’re probably thinking ‘How can Gowar be the best, when Wedderburn is exactly the same?’

This might seem valid at first, although if you want to shower – with hot water – then you should give the twin building a miss. Besides, could you really live day in, day out being called a ‘Weedaburner’?

Practically luxury

Picture this: you’re coming in from a night-out at the enthralling SU or the electrifying Medicine and, as every student does, you get the drunken hunger.

Unfortunately you live in Egham and more specifically you live on campus, and are detached from any opportunity of gracing your lips with luxurious grease from fast-food – unless you’re willing to walk for what seems like an eternity or spend over £15 for delivery.

Oh, the horror. But wait, you live in Gowar so you have a kitchen. Chuck some chicken nuggets in the oven and you’re all set. Panic averted.

Having a kitchen is a life saver

Another obvious benefit is having that wonderfully spacious en suite – no more sharing a bathroom with near-strangers or having to wait for a shower.

Gowar Hall may not be as aesthetically pleasing as Founders building, but I can assure you it is not all it’s cracked up to be.

According to current residents there are many problems with Founders such as, the tiny pantry kitted with two microwaves to fifty students which they are guaranteed to all be using due to the greasy catered food, the communal toilets and the presence of security guards.

Not as great as it might seem

Reid and Runnymede are adequate enough, but what’s with the single beds? If by any miracle you bring someone back to your ‘humble abode’ and they decide to stay the night, get ready for commitment because the only possible sleeping situation is cuddling.

Williamson, Tuke and Butler might be the newest accommodation and in a more reasonable location, but they are also very close to Medicine, so imagine your quiet night in being interrupted with UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ. Not ideal.

Kingswood – No, actually lets just ignore Kingswood. We all know why.

Where would you eat takeaway in catered halls?

If you can put up with the hill up to humanity, Gowar is the number one spot when it comes to Royal Holloway’s campus accommodation.