Student campus preparing to become "Scotland's largest hotel"

A STUDENT campus in the heart of Edinburgh is set for its busiest year yet – as it prepares for the annual summer transformation into Scotland’s ‘largest hotel’.

Following a £10.7m investment to refurbish part of Pollock Halls (Holland House), the team tasked with operating the campus is hoping it will further boost occupancy throughout the summer season, where it can house over 1,880 visitors at any one time.

Owned by the University, and operated by the Accommodation Catering and Events division under their commercial brand Edinburgh First, the converted student accommodation offers a broad range of room options, perfect for all budgets from large groups to single travellers.

Lyndsay Wilkie, Director of Business Development, Edinburgh First, said: “Our Pollock Halls campus offers affordable and quality accommodation options to people from all over the world.

“Most people would expect our campus to be quiet over the summer months when our students have left, however in June, July and August it takes on a totally different atmosphere as we welcome thousands of guests visiting our wonderful city.

“Our campus, once again, really comes to life, and this is particularly evident in August when festival goers and performers alike come together to celebrate the incredible culture and arts scene in Edinburgh.

“The size of the campus creates a truly unique buzz, almost like its very own small community. The variety of rooms available at Pollock Halls means that we are able to accommodate a diverse range of guests with varying budgets, from school groups and festival performers to couples who are looking for something slightly different and more affordable.

“We’re continually investing in our student accommodation to ensure we meet high quality standards. This not only benefits the students but also our summer guests.”

In order to convert the site into an expansive hotel, the Campus is swiftly transformed from its term time role as halls of residence, into a slick, commercial offering in late May and early June.

The epic job involves a dedicated team of approximately 150 housekeepers, maintenance workers and receptionists who work to clean, signpost and ready the accommodation for summer bookings.

Lyndsay added: “Each year we take on the enormous operation to give our accommodation an entire change of purpose. It’s a real team effort to get the campus turned around and make any required repairs in such a short space of time but it’s a hugely exciting time for everyone involved.”

The Residences at Pollock Halls have shared bathrooms and rooms for 890 people, Holland House at Pollock Halls offers en-suite bedrooms and sleeps 350 people, while the three-star Chancellor’s Court and John Burnett House at Pollock Halls are also en-suite bedrooms and have rooms for an additional 640 guests.