Bernard Sunley is one of the 5 halls in the Evelyn Gardens area. Like the rest of these halls, it’s a 15-20 minute walk to the South Kensington campus. Evelyn Gardens is a relatively safe and secure district, with lots of nice cars in the area. The hall itself is one of the smallest in Imperial College, with a total population of about 90 people. There are five floors, and each floor has its own kitchen, as well as shower facilities and washrooms. The hygiene habits of most ang mohs mean you’ll never have to wait for your turn to shower, although you may not get to use your favourite stall each time.
The twin and single rooms cost 100 and 153 pounds per week, respectively. The rooms come in varying sizes, so if you’re lucky you’ll get a big, spacious room with windows that can open, and if you’re not so lucky, don’t worry! Even the smaller rooms are comfortable, and the plus side is that they heat up during the winter much more quickly. The ceilings in townhouses such as Bernard Sunley also tend to be quite high, so you won’t feel cramped or squeezed in. Do note that the heating system for all rooms shuts off at 11.30 pm, so if you’re staying up to study or game then that’s the time to start putting on the extra layers.
The kitchens on each floor are equipped with two hobs, ovens, toasters, fridges and freezers. Every person also gets his own three-tiered cupboard, freezer cage and fridge compartment. Do remember to bring locks for the first two; standard locks will suffice. The fridge compartments aren’t lockable, which means that you may find half of your milk missing, or sometimes even the whole bottle. This doesn’t happen very often, however, but if it does occur a lot then let the hall senior or sub-warden on your floor know.
Out of the three common rooms in Bernard Sunley, two have flat-screen LCD TVs, while the third is dominated by a (free) pool table and a foosball table (also free!). Hall events are commonplace, with nightly activities and weekly hall breakfasts. The wardening team is also very friendly, so don’t fear talking to them.
The Evelyn Gardens hall office is also located in Bernard Sunley Hall, so picking up packages, reporting defects and requesting housekeeping services can all be done in shorts and slippers even in wintertime. The hall has a single and double guestroom available for use, and it’s cheaper than external rates, so if your friends come over to London and need a place to stay, don’t forget to offer them the hospitality of Bernard Sunley! Do remember to book them early, though.
Like the rest of the Evelyn Gardens halls, Bernard Sunley Hall is just a two-minute walk away from Marks & Spencer’s and a Local Sainsbury’s (kind of like a big 7-11). You can buy most of your daily essentials here, although the selection is much more limited than the big Sainsbury’s along Cromwell Road (about 20 minutes’ walk from hall). In addition, Cineworld’s Fulham Cinema is right across the road from the Local Sainsbury’s. The Gloucester Road and South Kensington tube stations are both about 8-10 minutes’ walk from Bernard Sunley, and there are direct buses to Chinatown, Oxford Circus and Victoria Coach Station from the bus stop opposite Local Sainsbury’s.
All in all, Bernard Sunley is a very pleasant place to stay. The walk to and from school is far from unpleasant, but on the plus side, you’ll have some very pleasant conversations with your friends. And who knows, you might even find a (insert significant pause) friend!