As you have probably guessed from the title, I am going to be very biassed throughout this blog. But my bias does not make me untrustworthy, because I moved into Passfield in September 2022 with an open mind and it has completely won me over. So yes, I’m biassed, but everything I will say about Passfield Hall is one-hundred percent true.

When choosing where to live at university, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. These include location and surroundings, services, community and cost. I will be explaining why, at least for me, Passfield Hall ticks all of these boxes.

Firstly, Passfield Hall is in arguably the best location of all the LSE accommodations. The first thing I see when I leave for campus are the beautiful Tavistock and Gordon squares, and just five minutes down the road is the huge Russell Square. There are so many surrounding green spaces that you can even forget you’re in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world! In addition to this, the hall is a 20-minute walk from campus, five minutes from Euston station and two minutes from the UCL library – a favourite study spot amongst Passfielders (I’m actually there as I’m writing this now).

I think that the location alone makes Passfield the best accommodation. But on top of this, Passfield has excellent services which over the course of my first year have made my life dramatically easier and less stressful. It is a catered accommodation, so every Sunday-Friday we are provided with dinner. This includes a hot meal, soup, bread, deserts, fruit and yoghurt and it means that you don’t ever have to worry about cooking if you don’t want to. That being said, each floor at Passfield features a communal kitchen with a fridge/freezer and a hob, so if you feel like getting your chef on there’s nothing stopping you! There is no dinner provided on Saturdays; instead there is a brunch service which is equally delicious – my friends and I always look forward to our weekly brunch.

Another thing that I really appreciate about Passfield is the community. I can honestly say that I get on with every single person I’ve met at Passfield. And yes, I know that the people change every year but I’ve even spoken to third-years who had the exact same experience two years ago. It’s not just the students either, everyone I have interacted with including the wardens, the catering staff, the reception team and the housekeeping team (who clean communal areas daily by the way) has been absolutely lovely and helped to make my experience at Passfield amazing. Furthermore, the halls committee (made up of students) organises regular events for all to attend in the common room which often include free food and drinks!

Last but not least, I can’t write about university accommodation without discussing cost. In this aspect, Passfield Hall remains top of the ranking as the least expensive LSE accommodation. This comes at no sacrifice of quality; the reason for the reduced cost is the shorter contracts at only 31 weeks. This brings me onto the only possible downside to staying at Passfield; that students are required to move out for both the winter and spring breaks as well as the entire summer. During this time, the hall is used as a hotel for the public. For me, this has not been too much of an issue (despite the minor inconvenience of packing up all of my things, but this only encourages me to pack lighter) as I am a home student who goes home for the holidays anyway. It’s honestly more trouble for my mum who helps me carry all my stuff down the stairs and pile it into the car! This might be more difficult for international students who may want to stay in London for the entire year. Although, Passfield Hall offers a 20% discount on the hotel rate for residents who would like to remain there over the holidays and you can even stay in your own room if you make your request early enough.

I hope I provided some useful information in this blog, and that you’ll consider Passfield Hall as your LSE accommodation. Come and see for yourself it’s incredible location, super services and friendly, welcoming community.