<p>I just got a letter about "The Castillan" residence living area and had a couple of questions. Is The Castillan located directly on the UT Campus and Does the rent/housing cost from The Castillan apply to our tuition bill? Also it says theirs unlimited/meal plans available so are these plans only for The Castillan eatery's or anywhere on campus?</p>
<p>bump... S got this letter, today, too. What is this about co-curricular and leadership activities? Isn't this a private dorm?</p>
<p>It is a private dorm.
Not affiliated with UT.
They have R.A.'s and committees and stuff like an on campus dorm would have. I suppose that is what they are talking about.</p>
<p>They have very convenient parking.</p>
<p>You can only eat in their own Castilian dorm cafeteria if you have their meal plan. Also if you have a friend who lives on campus and you want them to be able to eat lunch or dinner with you it is possible but quite expensive according to my daughter who lives on campus and her friend who lives in the Castilian.</p>
<p>With the on campus meal plan, you can eat in Jester if you are over on that part of campus for classes around lunch time or you can eat in Kinsolving if you are near that part of campus around lunch time, and there are a lot of little extra places where your Dining Dollars or Bevo Bucks work.</p>
<p>If having easy access to your car as a freshman is a high priority for you, the Castilian is good for this. And it is quite close to campus; I'm not knocking it. Being on campus is just more convenient.</p>
<p>^thanks for the info!</p>
<p>Just don't stay there. UT gives out your information to private dorms so it appears "official". There are more horror stories about that place than a haunted house. The management is terrible, and it is a plainly a **** hole.</p>
<p>The Castilian isn't that bad...Towers is the most overrated private dorm by far. I was in an elevator at Towers that dropped three stories with me in it. The other two elevators at the time were both out of order.</p>
<p>Castilian has a good dining hall as far as dining halls go, but it isn't anything amazing. Security is non-existant. A non-resident can walk in and take the elevator up to the residential areas with no trouble.</p>
<p>I know people in most of the private dorms and everyone says the best stuff about Dobie. But in the long run, it doesn't really matter where you stay. It's a 50 square yard room with two bunk beds regardless of which building you stay at.</p>
<p>Really when you see this place, its amazing. I live there now and this place is 1) the cleanest dorm on campus 2) the best food on campus 3) the best location – right smack in the middle (but across the street from campus).<br>
You should know that there are a couple of bad posts about the Castilian on this board and others but go check this place out for yourself. You wont’ find a nicer staff anywhere and the maintenance of the place is top notch. The elevators are great. A couple years ago they had a heating issue that was fixed with all new equipment from what I hear - it just won’t happen again – what are the chances. Visit Dobie and its like a prison. Towers is like a dump. On campus is a guess – sometimes ok and sometimes not. I would live here again in a second.</p>
<p>longhorndude, you work for Castillian’s marketing dept.? ;)</p>
<p>Seriously, I think you do!</p>
<p>I tried to get a job with them but they’re all full for next year’s staff. They know I love it here.</p>
<p>you aren’t fooling anyone, longhorndude</p>
<p>To repeat what I said on another similar thread:</p>
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<p>from what I have heard the building sold to new management in 2008 and they put a lot of money into the building. I can notice some things but other things (like elevator equipment and heating equipment are hidden).</p>