Potterrow, edinburgh

I booked this through Booking.com. It wasn't a term-time let because the student accommodation allows agents to rent out rooms for daily stays during off-seasons, which makes it highly affordable. I was initially worried when I read the lastest reviews here, but I sincerely don't understand what went wrong with their experiences. I understand there were slighlty conflicting instructions for checking in on booking.com, but I think it might just be an AI pitching in. I got even more worried when I knew that no one at reception during weekends. But, I got a message on booking.com 1 hour before check in with all the details and how I should obtain the keys to my room (without the need for a staff memeber). It was in a locked box outside where you use the PIN they provide you to get the key. It was honestly a relatively straightforward process with no hassles. Just wish they sent it earlier. The room is beautiful with everything you need, a fully equipped kitchenette (oven, fridge, hob, utensils) and the area downstairs with the cinema and billiards are amazing. I really did not expect this for the price I paid. I honestly wish I could give more than 5 stars.

As a second-year resident, I have had a very positive experience at Potterow and would confidently recommend it to other students. The accommodation is centrally located, right next to the main university campus, which makes getting to classes incredibly convenient. The studios are well equipped, with an oven, microwave, and a small but practical bathroom. The facilities are great and well maintained, offering everything you need for comfortable student living. The staff truly stand out—they are consistently friendly, approachable, and very helpful. They are always happy to answer questions or assist with any issues, which makes living here feel easy and stress-free. Whenever there is a maintenance issue, you can report it through the app and someone is sent to fix it promptly. Overall, this is a great place to live when you’re starting university.

My experience was two stars: one for the location and another for how modern the accommodation looks, but many things were not handled properly. In the guest portal, they asked my partner and me for many documents to verify that we are students. However, when we arrived for check-in at 2 PM, the reception was closed and nobody was there waiting for us. We had to call Booking.com, and the advisor kept us on hold for 15 minutes. We were standing outside the accommodation and only managed to get inside because another guest opened the door for us. After about one hour, someone finally arrived and went to pick up our key from outside the property. While we were waiting, we saw a group of four children, around 10 years old, running through the accommodation and opening and closing doors, even though the Booking.com listing clearly states that this is an adults-only property for guests over 18 years old. When the person returned with our key, they told us we still had to wait for the room to be cleaned, supposedly no more than 30 minutes. In the end, we only entered the room at 4 PM. The room was not properly cleaned and we were given only one towel. The room also seemed designed for just one person, as it did not match the photos shown on Booking.com and there was only one chair. I informed them that I needed an extra towel, but since there was no receptionist available, nobody could help me. There was also no hair dryer in the room.

Our son has been staying in Potterow for close to two years now. The staff is amazing, always friendly and helpful. The installations are great, there is a gym, a cinema room, a common dining room, a quiet study room..... The studios are well equipped and cozy. The location couldn't be better. Our son is very happy. We highly recommend it.

Potterrow is located right next to most of the essential university buildings which makes commuting to classes very easy. Plus, thanks to its location, I have access to many cafes and grocery stores as well. The location of it also helps me feel safe and secure due to how its positioned somewhere rather often populated. Besides that, the accomodation itself is super clean, the rooms are nice in design and hold everything needed to get by and the staff members are very nice. I even rarely leave my room due to how comfortable and nice my accommodation is! I highly recommend staying here! The price is worth it :D