I live at one of LSE’s Halls of Residence – Northumberland House, to be specific – and it’s located just a minute’s walk from Trafalgar Square. In my opinion, it is one of THE BEST HALLS at LSE. But don’t let me influence your opinion. Read and decide for yourself.
- This is as “central” as it gets.
Northumberland House is a mere 15-minute walk from Buckingham Palace, a 10-minute walk from Leicester Square, a 5-minute walk away from The Strand and get this! 10 Downing Street is just behind, on the parallel road behind Northumberland House.
Not only that, it is located on the opposite side of the river bank where the London Eye is. This means you’re just a bridge away from one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Apart from this, it’s also really close to LSE (17-minute walk), which is really helpful, especially if you’re the type of person for whom punctuality doesn’t come very easily ( definitely NOT me 😛 ).
- You’re exposed to loads of events that take place at Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square hosts a variety of events every year. You can almost be certain that for any important event (like New Years, Christmas, St. Patrick’s day and other cultural festivals), there WILL be a huge event at Trafalgar Square with food stalls, markets, etc. So, when others are planning on what bus/tube to take to get there, all you need to do is just put on your shoes and step outside! Over the last couple of months, I’ve been to so many different events and been exposed to a variety of different cultures – their food, music, dance, etc.
A lot of movements (Women’s March, Climate Change March, etc.) also take place at Trafalgar Square and it is a really unique experience.
- Music floats through the street
Street musicians are a-plenty, along the road from Charing Cross Station to Trafalgar Square. As a result, there’s always music in the area. Since my room faces the main road, I can hear it quite clearly. As a musician, this perk is a huge deal because it is very therapeutic, especially when you’re feeling the pressure of the workload on your back.
- The route to LSE is awesome
There are several routes to and from LSE.
- You have, what I’ve decided to call, the “London Route”, where you pass many “London-y things” like Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross Station, The Savoy Hotel, Novello Theatre to get to LSE.
- You have the “Riverside Route”, where you walk along the Thames to get to LSE.
- You have the “Let’s get tempted to spend money” route, where you walk through Covent Garden, St. Martin’s, and Leicester Square, passing by fancy shops, cute pop-ups and an array of cafes. However, this route is quite long though so be sure to leave halls earlier than usual!
- The place is ALWAYS lively and ALWAYS beautiful
No matter what time of the day it is, I find the walk back to halls always beautiful. In the morning, you get to admire the city in its natural light. At night, the city lights up and has this warm glow that makes you feel like you’re part of a movie. Since Northumberland IS in the centre of London, it is almost always lively, and as a result, it can be slightly noisy. However, this has really helped me settle down quicker. I’m a city girl and if this place had been super silent and eerie, it would have been harder for me to adapt so quickly. Dealing with homesickness or bad days are easier when you’re living right in the centre of one of the world’s most famous cities.
Moving out is going to be tough, but living at Northumberland has given me opportunities to experience things beyond my wildest imagination and I am practically neighbours with The Queen!
To anyone looking for possible student accommodation, or if you’re just visiting London, I’d definitely suggest booking your stay at Northumberland House. Trust me, you won’t regret it when you move in and you’ll be overflowing with memories when you move out.
