<p>What are the dorms like at McGill? Reputations? Best locations? Costs and quality?</p>
<p>Costs go from slightly under $500/month for a typical, single dorm room in the oldest residence buildings up the mountain (Upper Rez), to $1000/month for a double room in La Citadelle, the fancy schmancy hotel on Sherbrooke that just saw its first year as a residence.</p>
<p>Upper Rez:
these buildings are in an arc around the dining hall, partway up the mountain. they all have the same kind of rooms; the most typical dorm-room-like, they are tiny single rooms with barely room for a twin-size bed and a desk. since they’re on the mountain, it’s farther to campus and gets harder to go up in the winter when it gets icy.
-Gardner - more hipster reputation, especially compared to the other upper rezs. Has historically had connections to Solin in terms of social overlap.
-Molson (top 2 party rezs) - bros and biddies abound. Beer pong, etc. - that kind of thing.
-McConnell</p>
<p>converted hotels:
-New Rez (top 2 party rezs)
rich bros and biddies from the greater toronto area (also high american/intl student population). lots of drinking, coke, etc. Arguably the best caf (tied with RVC), has a grill and the most popular items are things such as steak and cheeseburgers/fries. Double rooms (you have a roommate) feature KING-size beds and a minifridge or 2. Each double room has a bathroom. The biggest rez with around 600 kids - you won’t know everyone here, unlike a lot of other rezs. That can be a good or a bad thing. If you’re spoiled and wanna party, this is the place for you.
New Rez is the farthest hotel rez from campus. It’s on Parc, between a 10-15 minute walk to campus.
-Carrefour
Also a lot of rich kids, but not as much of a stereotype here. Two years ago (my year), it was the friendly party rez. Mostly double rooms (roommate), all with queen size beds, half have a separate bedroom inside and half you sleep in the same room as your roommate. Nice bathtub (the jets don’t work, sorry), some have walk-in closets. Each double room has a bathroom.
Around 300 kids. Historically pretty great floor fellows, though those change from year to year. Nathan, the hall director, is super nice, engaged to his boyfriend, and a (counselling?) psychology professor.
The caf sucks. They tried to be the “healthy” rez caf, but then got a wall of beef jerky and tons of candy and the like. Beware of food poisoning, double-triple check what you’re buying if you’re vegetarian, check for mold on the pre-made packaged takeaway food. It’s a nice eating space, though.
Carrefour is 3 or 4 blocks away from University, the first street of campus. It’s a lot closer than New Rez, and a couple blocks from RVC. Cross street Sherbrooke & Aylmer. Sherbrooke is one of the main and busiest streets in Montreal - expect sirens and other busy street noise. Right next to the music building and music library, so a lot of music students also live here.
-La Citadelle
REALLY spoiled rich kids - rent is around $1000/month!! Super fancy modern hotel, pretty much across the street from Carrefour on Sherbrooke. This will be its second year as a residence, so not really a reputation yet.</p>
<p>other:
-RVC
This and Prez Rez are the only two ACTUALLY basically on campus. They’re across the street from campus on University, so if you want to hop out of bed and be in your calculus lecture within 10 minutes, this is the one to go with.
One all-girls wing and one co-ed. Single dorms with twin-size beds again. RVC is a pretty beautiful building attached to the music building, rooms like the West Wing are gorgeous (it’s a lounge with antique couches and a piano).
-Prez Rez/University Hall
Also across from campus on University, the tiniest rez. Around 30? people live here. It’s next to RVC.
-Solin
Where the cool kids live. In St. Henri, it IS a metro ride away, but it’s so worth it. I wish I’d lived there. You live in an actual apartment, so you have two roommates, but you all have your own rooms (and kitchen and common space). Really sunny nice apartments RIGHT at the Atwater metro (and Atwater market!) This is definitely the rad/hipster rez.
Although it’s apartment living, it’s still residence. You will have a floor fellow and there will be floor events etc., but you can cook for yourself instead of eating ****ty caf food!
Definitely for the more independent.
Also, the Solin floor fellows for the 2013-2014 year are SPECTACULAR. The coolest people ever. Try to learn as much as you can from them!</p>
<p>So in order from closest to campus - farthest from campus:
Prez Rez/Uni Hall AND RVC (Royal Victoria College)
[some MORE houses]
Carrefour
[some MORE houses]
Citadelle
New Rez
Upper Rez - Molson, McConnell, Gardner
Solin</p>
<p>All of the Rez’s arguably have the same rent +/- 200$</p>