A student’s guide to Warwick’s campus accommodation 2025

Campus accommodation is undoubtedly the best place to live in your first year, helping you settle into university life, providing general convenience, and, most importantly, serving as a great way to make friends. Choosing the right accommodation is an important decision, and, no pressure, but it will likely have a significant impact on the type of university experience you have as a ‘fresher’. Therefore, it’s vital to weigh up all the options.

And who better to tell you about the hidden secrets and lived experiences of the various Warwick halls than the people who lived there? Featuring coverage of all 13 accommodations, by the students, for the students. Read on to discover your options and learn some of the details the University doesn’t put in the brochures.

Arthur Vick by Anya Mittal

Arthur Vick was my first choice for accommodation, not only because of the ensuite bathrooms, but because it has massive rooms and kitchens. For fellow serial over-packers and hoarders, Arthur Vick is definitely the accommodation for you.

It has a more modern design, with plenty of storage in both the bedrooms and bathrooms. Each flat fits between 10 and 15 people, with whom you share a kitchen, but everyone gets their own cupboards and shelves in the fridges. Arthur Vick is also very central to campus, so you can easily get to Tesco and wake up 10 minutes before your lectures without being late!

Arthur Vick is one of the nicest and more social accommodations Warwick has to offer, and I highly recommend it

One major advantage of Arthur Vick is that it’s completely open inside, so you don’t need keys to access the other flats. It’s also a great accommodation for socialising and is near lots of others, so you can visit your friends.

The only downfalls, in my opinion, are the price and the fact that everyone must move out over the Easter break. However, each room has a large cupboard above the wardrobe to store some things over the holidays. I’ll also never recover from the stress of trying to find a free laundry machine, but at least they were inside the building!

All in all, Arthur Vick is one of the nicest and more social accommodations Warwick has to offer, and I highly recommend it.

Bluebell by Hannah Guthrie

Home to Warwick’s most loaded – and least social – students, Bluebell is handily located closest to the Medical School and also within short walking distance of the Piazza. Bluebell residents enjoy proximity to Central Campus, having only to cross the no-man’s land that is Rootes to get to T-Bar or the Dirty Duck in less than five minutes.

The most relevant of all of Bluebell’s quirks is, of course, the cost. For just £250/week, you too can eat in a confusingly triangular kitchen, shared with seven others from the wonderful potluck that is freshers’ flatmates.

Bluebell’s price point is difficult to move past

But Bluebell is no doubt a nice place to live – if you can afford it – and a good option for those looking for a quieter first-year experience: regular uninterrupted sleep, the ability to actually use your kitchen, and the fire alarm rarely (if ever) going off. Unlike the oddly shaped kitchens, the bedrooms and ensuites are spacious, with big windows and double beds.

While it may not be ‘all bad’, Bluebell’s price point is difficult to move past. The enormous debt (almost 10 grand!) that first years are plunged into, after a measly 40-week contract, is hard to cover with some colourful lights (though not impossible).

Claycroft by Naomi Pandey

Living in Claycroft is one of the things I’d never change about my first-year experience. With the accommodation traipsing the line between shared and ensuite bathrooms alongside the small 8-person kitchens, my daily affairs seemed to go swimmingly.

It is the closest accommodation to Tesco and the Cannon Park Shopping Centre, which, for me, is its biggest selling point. Whenever I saw people struggling with their shopping or switching heavy bags between their hands, I’d always feel a sense of relief that I didn’t have far to walk. In my experience, the people were all great, and it was largely quiet, so sleeping and focusing were never a problem.

Claycroft – it’s convenient, comfortable and cosy, and the best accommodation if you want to grab some Greggs in the morning

Fridge space, though, was definitely sparse, and I’d recommend moving in on the earlier days to snag a fridge shelf. Otherwise, you may end up negotiating your way to a measly half shelf before ultimately deciding to subsist on frozen foods. Lifts are also few, so getting giant suitcases to your room will be a bit challenging when moving in (but people will be there to help!). While Claycroft is a geographically optimal location for most, it can be far from Westwood and the Medical School, so I’d plan for those places accordingly.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend shortlisting Claycroft – it’s convenient, comfortable and cosy, and the best accommodation if you want to grab some Greggs in the morning.

Cryfield Apartments by Nicole Dowell

Cryfield Apartments, the accommodation previously savoured by postgraduates, was recently flung open to the chaos of undergraduate life. What appears to be a realm of maturity from the outside is quickly disrupted by a bold, technicoloured attempt at modern minimalism in its interior, featuring blue bedrooms, yellow deckchairs, green carpets, and pink kitchen walls. The result? A colour palette that resembles a Rubik’s Cube in the middle of a fever dream.

Once recovering from the visual whiplash, it’s hard to deny what ‘Apartments’ deliver. Each student gets an ensuite bathroom, a comfy double bed, decent storage, and a desk that almost convinces you you’re a functioning adult. It also boasts a large kitchen shared between 8-12 students, perfect for the admittedly rare phenomenon that is Apartments pre-drinks – if you’re lucky enough to end up in a sociable flat. Alternatively, for quieter evenings in, the wall-mounted TV provides the perfect movie night set-up.

These benefits do come at a cost – quite literally. Cryfield Apartments is one of the most expensive accommodations at Warwick, second only to the infamously posh Bluebell

Location-wise, Cryfield is convenient for both lectures and sport as it’s just a five-minute walk to central campus and the sports hub. However, when it comes to groceries, you’ll have to commit to a half-hour hike to Tesco, meaning you will likely end up on a first-name basis with the online grocery delivery drivers.

These benefits do come at a cost – quite literally. Cryfield Apartments is one of the most expensive accommodations at Warwick, second only to the infamously posh Bluebell. Given that this premium price only transports you a few metres of road across from the notorious Rootes, the real question posed is whether the cost is really worth it, or did you pay the premium for peace, privacy, and pastel pink walls? Perhaps, there’s only one way to find out for sure.

Cryfield Standard by Helen Trappelides

Cryfield Standard was always lively, especially due to the massive common room on the ground floor, which connects two corridors. It truly was a social hub for both Cryfield residents and ‘outsiders’ to mingle. We may not have had TVs like Cryfield Townhouses, but we certainly had chat.

I was in a flat of 13, an even mix of boys and girls. During my time in Standard, I lived with exchange students from Canada, Australia, France, and Malaysia! The most unique thing about my Cryfield Block (1) was my bright orange kitchen – some may even label it ‘neon orange’. The orangeness spanned across the kitchen walls and chairs, meaning that, upon entering to make my morning yoghurt bowl, I was suddenly awoken by bright colour, piercing into my eyeballs. (My favourite colour is actually orange, this is not orange hate.)

My bedroom wall may have been connected to the kitchen, which once saw me jolted awake by my flatmate slamming the oven door at 3am while making quesadillas… but don’t let that put you off from experiencing the uniqueness of Cryfield Standard

If you intend to become a POP! warrior or Rootes Grocery Store late-night snack-buyer, then Cryfield Standard is the accommodation for you, given its convenient placement just five minutes from the piazza. Or, if you love nature, then enjoying the sunset on Windmill Hill behind Cryfield is the perfect end to the day, especially in summer!

Yes, my bedroom wall may have been connected to the kitchen, which once saw me jolted awake by my flatmate slamming the oven door at 3am while making quesadillas… but don’t let that put you off from experiencing the uniqueness of Cryfield Standard.

Cryfield Townhouses by Georgia Carwardine

Cryfield Townhouses are 12-person flats arranged with a large kitchen and living space on the ground floor, featuring a sofa and a TV. On top of this, lie three floors of four rooms each, so it’s definitely not your typical university halls style!

In your room, you’ll find a small double bed and an ensuite, but be aware that the wardrobe space is limited, with only a couple of drawers and small hanging space. When it comes to other storage, you have three compartments under the bed (one of which is lockable), which I found to be more than enough space.

Personally, I had very few problems with the Townhouses, but if you asked my friends, they’d probably tell you about my (probably unnecessary) hatred for the diagonal ceiling light

There is also a shared storage cupboard on each floor, as well as a downstairs toilet, which is perfect for hosting friends, as you don’t have to keep letting people into your own bathroom! The location is also ideal, being only a five-minute walk away from the main campus and about 10 minutes from the sports centre.

Personally, I had very few problems with the Townhouses, but if you asked my friends, they’d probably tell you about my (probably unnecessary) hatred for the diagonal ceiling light…

Heronbank by Hannah Colechin

I had the pleasure of living in Heronbank during my first year, and such was its appeal that I’m voluntarily returning as a finalist. A full-circle moment, perhaps.

It’s definitely one of the more ‘tucked away’ accommodations, just far enough to qualify as a nice walk… unless it’s raining, of course. The room is surprisingly spacious. I managed to fit all of my stuff into it, and that’s saying something given my hoarding tendencies. The storage was excellent, though a few of the higher shelves could not be reached and remained dusty and inaccessible all year. Each room comes with its own bathroom and a bath. Yes, a bath. Being on the top floor was an added bonus. I had an amazing view of the mysterious dinosaur installations out on the fields.

Despite being known as one of the quieter accommodations, Heronbank has a great location and is well-equipped to meet all your needs

Now, the kitchen. Eight people. One freezer. One oven. One microwave. Every night I wanted to cook felt like the Hunger Games. But nothing bonds students more than fighting for hob space. It may be small, but it’s cosy, I’ll give it that.

Despite being known as one of the quieter accommodations, Heronbank has a great location and is well-equipped to meet all your needs. I’m looking forward to returning, though I think the nostalgia will get to me.

Jack Martin by Anna Bickerton

Fire alarms aren’t getting any less frequent, and rents aren’t getting any cheaper at Warwick, but for those too squeamish to share a bathroom, it is Jack Martin that claims the title of the cheapest ensuite option year-round.

With flats of up to 13 people, ‘JM’ offers the full social roulette: one flat might be hosting karaoke night, another might collectively pretend each other doesn’t exist. Regardless, located on central campus and within stone-throwing distance of the notorious Rootes, there’s always something going on nearby.

Jack Martin is flawlessly situated for you to wake up approximately five minutes before your lecture and still make it to the FAB or Oculus just in time for the start of the (Warwick) hour

Generosity of kitchen sizes does admittedly vary between blocks, but the luxury of the double bed here is not to be underestimated; you realise it quickly becomes your sanctuary from the many colours of university life when you’re sprawled across it, like you’re part of a Brontë novel, following your first attempt at Circling.

Now, to address perhaps the most common concern: moving out during Spring break. While mildly traumatic – it is, in all honesty, more than offset by the peace of mind gained from not forking out another grand in rent.

And it has to be said, of all your options, Jack Martin is flawlessly situated for you to wake up approximately five minutes before your lecture and still make it to the FAB or Oculus just in time for the start of the (Warwick) hour.

Lakeside by Megan Green

When I received the email telling me that I had been accepted into my first-choice accommodation, Lakeside, I was nothing short of thrilled, and my year there completely lived up to my high expectations.

Lakeside has the perfect balance between practicality and luxury, with its ensuite bathrooms, kitchens shared between up to eight students, and it being only a short, scenic walk to central campus. Plus, if you’re like me and often frequent the Sports Hub, living in Lakeside allows you to roll out of bed just five minutes before your morning yoga class, thanks to its proximity to the necessary facilities.

I would recommend Lakeside to anyone coming to Warwick, in large part due to its brilliant location

While only one of the four blocks of Lakeside has been recently renovated (primarily to modernise its kitchen facilities), all offer a wonderfully easy living experience, as well as ample opportunity to socialise with neighbouring bedrooms, alongside nearby flats.

Although the price point may seem relatively steep compared to some other ensuite accommodations, I would recommend Lakeside to anyone coming to Warwick, in large part due to its brilliant location – secluded, but close enough that you can make your dreaded 9am without setting an alarm hours earlier!

New Rootes by Will Moores

Living in Rootes, new or old, is great fun, although there is a difference, and it’s worth exploring. Old Rootes is the Stalinist whitewash accommodation near Bluebell. New Rootes is a more modern, brick affair close to Whitefields, which, despite lacking Old Rootes’ signature interconnected blocks, makes up for it with its superior looks.

While I shared a fridge shelf with one person and a kitchen with an estimated 17, the vast number of students in Rootes remains one of its greatest strengths. Rootes allows you to meet tons of other students, many of whom are very social and will help you meet even more people. This underpins my principal advice: don’t bother paying for expensive accommodations if your primary concern is sociability. The cheap ones, like Rootes, are the most fun.

Rootes offers scenic views of Bluebell and Whitefields, allowing you to see the highs and lows of wealth distribution

In terms of facilities, New Rootes has surprisingly spacious rooms, featuring a large desk, a single bed, and a huge window that lets in loads of light and can be great for tanning if you time it right. It also comes with a sink, which is extremely useful, though you have to share a bathroom. You’re given four showers per floor; however, I was never left waiting in line to use them. There is also a bath, which, while socially unacceptable to use, is nice to have.

The kitchens are well-sized, though will likely be in a near-constant state of mess, outside of the one morning a week the cleaners come. Moreover, Rootes offers scenic views of Bluebell and Whitefields, allowing you to see the highs and lows of wealth distribution. What’s more, there was always something ridiculous, if loud, going on outside, be that an organised ‘fight club’ (which, officially speaking, I’m rule-bound to disavow), competitive trolley racing, or the drunken antics of stragglers returning from the nearby Copper Rooms.

Rootes is known as the most social accommodation for a reason; this, combined with its central location, fun people, and reasonable price, makes it a fantastic place to live.

Old Rootes by Martin Day

If you’re in for the Rootes experience, you likely want the whole nine yards. Sure, you could stay in the polished, feel-good brickwork and faintly clinical atmosphere of New Rootes – but why miss out on bolted-shut windows, a total lack of heating, and your front door coming clean off its hinges and not being replaced for a week? One could argue you never really lived in Rootes if you didn’t wake up to the sound of your floor’s boiler quite literally howling because a valve came loose, only to inexplicably spend the next three days persuading Accommodation Maintenance you weren’t lying.

Speaking earnestly, though, the shared experience of living in a building falling apart around you is actually nicer than it sounds. There’s an immediate solidarity with your dozen-plus kitchen mates in the suffering, and an instant respect/pity earned when you tell others where you live. The location, right beside the Copper Rooms and piazza, is phenomenally convenient, and feeling POP! literally vibrate through the floor every Wednesday becomes almost soothing. Socially, it is undefeated as the best place to make friends in Freshers’ Week. Without question, I would live there again, screaming and all.

Sherbourne by Tom Ryan

When you tell someone in Fresher’s Week that you’re living in Sherbourne, you’ll probably be met with one of three questions: “Are you in Old Sherbourne or New Sherbourne?”, “How are you going to walk to Tesco from there?”, or – perhaps most worryingly – “Have you seen any silverfish in your room yet?”

As a former Sherbournian myself in my first year, I am here to reassure you that you don’t have to worry about the answers to any of those questions if you end up getting allocated to – what I’d say is – one of the best accommodations on campus.

Of course, bagging a room in New Sherbourne (blocks 7-9) is ideal, especially considering you’re paying the same amount of rent as those in Old Sherbourne. However, blocks 1-6 are perfectly liveable too – if anything, you can nab some great benefits in the old blocks, from an even more spacious kitchen (Sherbourne’s kitchens are already spacious enough!) to a shorter walk to pick up letters and parcels.

And the silverfish? Well, I never had any in my room… hopefully that’s evidence enough that you’ll be safe from an infestation in Sherbourne

On the topic of walking, people will often exaggerate the walk time from Sherbourne to absolutely anywhere else on campus. Granted, you’re not going to be able to roll out of bed five minutes before your lecture like your friends in Tocil, Jack Martin, or Arthur Vick, but you’ll still be able to make it to your 9am and feel well-rested, I promise. And what’s more, if you’re a gym lover like me, Sherbourne is perfectly located for the Sports Hub – no need for an unnecessary pre-workout walk.

And the silverfish? Well, I never had any in my room… hopefully that’s evidence enough that you’ll be safe from an infestation in Sherbourne – but, legal disclaimer, I can’t make any promises in this regard.

So, Sherbourne: spacious and modern rooms, large kitchens (perfect for socialising – though not party central like some of the other accommodations), a decent location, but far enough away from campus that you won’t be woken up by those who’ve made it to the end of POP! every Wednesday. Certainly, don’t despair if you’ve been allocated to Sherbourne, you’re about to have the best nine months of your life.

Tocil by Ben Tanguy

At £131 a week and a mere 5-minute walk from the Piazza, Tocil is arguably the most conveniently located, affordable, and quiet accommodation Warwick has to offer. For those seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of Rootes or the isolation of the Lakeside Village, Tocil is a great middle ground. If you’re a humanities student like me, the FAB is right next door – a godsend when it comes to last-minute dashes to 9ams. It’s also easier to resist the siren call of Co-op and Curiositea, since it’s a manageable 15 minutes from Tesco and Aldi.

In a rarity for often crowded campus accommodation, some top-floor flats hold only six people while retaining the kitchen size of a 12-person flat, leaving a spare fridge for use as a drinks cooler. A full-size flat is no less manageable, however, providing a sense of community that makes up for the lack of a shared common room. Tocil also has a 44-week contract, meaning there’s no need to move out during the holidays; you can keep your fairy lights, posters, and empty bottles in situ. Finally, shared bathrooms are a minor inconvenience, but pay dividends in the form of spare cash for Jägers at POP! or late-night kebabs.

Westwood by Eva Mair

Westwood is Warwick’s most eclectically rustic accommodation option – perfect if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live in a mash-up of a nature documentary, a low-budget sitcom, and a minor construction site.

This reasonably priced accommodation is technically on campus, but only if you measure distance with a generous heart and long legs. You’ll become intimately familiar with the brisk 15-minute power march to central campus that begins full of optimism and ends with a mild existential crisis by the Humanities building. Nonetheless, you’re just a stone’s throw from Tesco and Aldi, which is perfect for last-minute wine runs and crying in the freezer aisle when you realise you’ve spent all your money on the Greggs in Cannon Park!

The Westwood flatmate experience comes in two setups: you’ll either know everyone, or respond ‘Who?’ when someone mentions your flatmate two doors down

Westwood’s kitchens are legendary – not for their cleanliness, but for the anthropological phenomenon of 16 people trying to cook pasta at once using two questionable hobs and one mysteriously sticky microwave.

The Westwood flatmate experience comes in two setups: you’ll either know everyone, or respond “Who?” when someone mentions your flatmate two doors down. If you’re lucky enough to get the former, the social life is undeniably busy – I met some of my closest friends through Westwood bonding!

Some don’t go through this character-building experience, though. If you are one of the truly blessed who live in Arden, complete with a cinema room, music room, ensuite bathrooms, and easy access to the post room, the Westwood experience is one of luxury, tranquillity, and the smug sense of superiority that comes with living better than all the other plebeians on Westwood campus.

Each block has a common room that technically belongs to no one, which means it belongs to everyone. It’s where you’ll bond with your 45 honorary flatmates, pretend to study, and definitely not get distracted by Mario Kart tournaments, movie nights, or impromptu group therapy sessions about the state of the bins.

Living in Westwood is not for the faint-hearted, but it is for the soft-hearted, the social butterflies, and the Aldi enthusiasts. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (mostly while holding a broken showerhead), and by the end of the year, you’ll either be a better person or a permanently chaotic one.