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Southside halls of residences are located on Prince’s Gardens, right next to the main school campus. Unlike many of the other halls (eg: Gardens, Beit Hall), which have historic architectural styles, Southside halls are more modern and contemporary in design.
Living in Southside has many advantages. Most people would agree that the hall is well furnished and its interior resembles that of a hotel. Rooms are practically brand new, floors are well carpeted and facilities (lifts, washing machines, dryers etc.) are well maintained. All rooms are en-suite, and the spacious kitchens come equipped with microwave ovens, stoves, freezers, and individual lockable cupboards. However, there are only a limited number of lockable freezer/fridge compartments, and it is not uncommon to hear rants from fellow hall mates about their food being stolen from fridges. The common lounge comes equipped with a pool table, ping pong table, table football etc. too.
The heating system at Southside Halls is excellent, and you need not worry about shivering from the cold during winter.
Undeniably, one of the best things about living in Southside is the convenience it brings. It is just a stone throw’s away from the main school campus, allowing you to sleep in longer on school days. Being close to the library also made life much easier for me when I needed to print notes/work on projects. Furthermore, the university sports facility, ETHOS, is located right across Prince’s Gardens (outside Southside halls), making it much more convenient to head to the gym/pool. There is also a mini convenience store (Essentials) and a mini restaurant (Eastside bar) located in Princes Gardens, although prices of items sold can be slightly more costly.
Southside is also close to the South Kensington tube station and thus travelling around is convenient. The Knightsbridge shopping region is found right behind the halls and you’ll be able to find a variety of fashion shops as well as the famous Harrod’s departmental store there.
For those who enjoy outdoor activities, Southside is located near Hyde Park too.
However there are downsides to living in Southside halls as well. The local supermarket, Sainsbury’s, is located slightly further away (about 20 min walk). Personally, I stayed in a twin room right next to the kitchen, and the noise levels can get too high sometimes.
Also, it is easily one of the most expensive halls to live in. The cheapest room is the twin room and costs £120 a week while the premium single room costs £195 a week.
My only piece of advice for those who wish to stay in Southside would be to reserve for yourself a personal fridge compartment on the first day that you arrive to prevent your own groceries from being stolen!