Summer Stays at the University of Edinburgh

What makes us a great choice for education

Groups return to Pollock Estate year after year because it offers comfortable, affordable accommodation along with excellent service. The campus has everything a group could need in one place, making it perfect for schools. Key benefits offered:

• Coach parking
• Car parking
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the self-catered buffet-style restaurant on-site
• Groups in same buildings
• 24-hour campus security
• Self-contained campus
• Free Wi-Fi
• Landscaped gardens and location next to Holyrood Park
• Access to state-of-the-art, university-owned sports complexes
• Option to rent additional meeting spaces
• Walking distance to main city attractions

There is plenty of outdoor space at the estate – brilliant for a bit of downtime in the fresh air. Adding to that, Holyrood Park is right on your doorstep: it’s the largest green space in Edinburgh (650 acres!), with an extinct volcano and lochs, as well as medieval ruins and historical attractions dating back to the Bronze Age for your group to explore.

In the city itself, the students can visit the world-famous castle with its collection of museums, learn about the history of our planet and cosmos at Dynamic Earth, or visit Edinburgh Zoo - home to UK’s only giant pandas. There are plenty of options when you stay with the University of Edinburgh.

Accreditation and Awards

• 2 star and 3 star rating
• The Green Tourism Award – Gold 
• The Sustainable Restaurant Association – Food Made Good 2018
• Healthy Living Award
• Gold Good Egg Award
• Food For Life Catering Bronze
• Hospitality Assured Premier
• Investors in People Silver

What is typically included on our school trips

Groups staying at Pollock Halls have access to the following facilities, for which we can provide costings:

• University’s Peffermill Playing Fields which include two floodlit water-based artificial pitches, 3G pitches for sports such as rugby and football, 9 five-a-side pitches, 10 grass pitches, a 100 metre synthetic training track and changing facilities; 25-minute walk from the campus
• The University of Edinburgh Sports and Exercise centre only 20-minute walk away, with large gyms, pool, climbing walls, rooms for group fitness classes and basketball and badminton courts.
• Onsite “Oxygen” fitness studios with Technogym equipment
• The Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh’s only 50-metre swimming pool, also sits adjacent to the campus. 

Group Sizes Catered For

Up to 2,000.

Photography, Filming & Audio Restrictions

We do not have restrictions but please refrain from filming or photographing other groups.

Risk Assessment Details

Schools, teachers or group leaders should provide their own risk assessment.

Pricing Information

We offer group discounts, which are based on the number of people attending.

Pricing can vary for each month.

Please contact us directly for a quote.

First Aid Information

We have first aid trained staff on site and we have a 24-hour community support team based in the reception centre.

Available Facilities

• Self-service buffet-style restaurant where all meals are served, all can be packed
• A Bistro and bar
• A general shop 
• Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and common areas
• 24 hour security on site
• Common rooms for a fee (some have pool tables)
• Meeting rooms and class rooms
• Landscaped grounds, including picnic areas for groups to eat packed lunches
• Fitness studio

Accessibility & Disabled Facilities

Yes, we have DDA compliant bedrooms. Please enquire at time of booking to check availability.

Opening Hours & Information

Early June – Early September. Open daily, including weekends and bank holidays.

Testimonials

It has been an absolute pleasure staying at Pollock Estate and working alongside you and your team. Thank you for being attentive to all our needs, even when you had your days off, you still managed to provide us with some form of help. For that we are extremely grateful. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, and I look forward to working with you in the summer again.” - Study Tours International

“Thank you for all your help organising our visit last week. The accommodation was superb, and the food was really excellent. Lee House was a perfect base for us, and we would like to book again for next year.” - Rippon Grammar School

“You have been so helpful throughout, and I know it was far from a straight forward and easy booking. I appreciate all of your help and quick responses while the program was on the ground. They had such an amazing time, and are expected to repeat the program for next summer.” - Academic Programmes International

Other Information

• Age ranges: 11 to 13 years, 14 to 16 years, College, University

• Case Study

Summer Stays at the University of Edinburgh – Pollock Estate – Perfect Accommodation for School Trips

The Centre for English Studies (CES) is one of the leading language schools in the UK and Ireland. CES aim to provide the highest quality English language teaching in a safe and secure environment. Adult and junior students from around the globe undertake courses lasting anywhere between two and twelve weeks.

In Edinburgh, CES operates a year-round school for students over the age of 16 and an international junior school for seven weeks every summer for students aged 12-17. While the majority of students stay with local families, CES is delighted to be able to offer a residential option on Pollock Estate. In July 2019, over 200 junior students stayed at Pollock Estate while studying English at James Gillespie’s High School (class rooms hired out by CES during the summer). It is easy for CES to organize the transport between the estate and the school as it can accommodate 18 buses at one time on site, allowing CES to provide door to door service for their students.

Located in peaceful landscaped grounds adjoining Holyrood Park (at the foot of Arthur’s Seat), Pollock Estate offer single standard two-star rooms with shared bathroom facilities, ideal for large groups of junior students. Three-star single and twin en-suite rooms are also available on request. CES and the University of Edinburgh Hospitality & Events Collection work together to accommodate their specific requests such as housing male and female students in separate wings of the building.

All rooms are booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis with all meals served on-site at the John McIntyre Conference Centre buffet-style restaurant. Summer Stays at the University of Edinburgh can cater for any dietary requirements your group may have including vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free options. The groups often go on excursions at weekends, therefore packed lunches can be organized which include a sandwich, bottle of water, piece of fruit, crisps and shortbread.

By fully occupying an accommodation block, CES students are able to enjoy complimentary use of the common room within the building. This is a great area in which the students can socialize and includes sofas and a TV. Depending on the building, some common rooms have table tennis tables, pool tables and one has a piano.

CES were so impressed with the service and facilities on Pollock Estate that they are planning to use accommodation at the university’s estate again going forward. There are a number of reasons for this:

• Accommodation is all in one building, where possible, making it easier to supervise the students
• There is 24-hour security on-site meaning the students and staff feel safe at all times
• Accommodation and meals are catered for on-site, including catering for any dietary requirements

Daneile, 2018 Group Leader at Centre of English Studies said that the food was ‘excellent, better than a restaurant for both variety and quality’ and the rooms, cleaning service, safety and recreational spaces were all great. This is all in addition to the excellent location in relation to the city centre.

Summer Stays at the University of Edinburgh is able to provide CES with accommodation solutions that are value for money and put the welfare, safety and security of all students and staff first, in-line with CES’ aims as a school. If you are organizing a school trip, it may be the perfect solution for you. To find out more about what the University of Edinburgh Hospitality & Events Collection has to offer, just click here, call 0131 651 2189, or email group.reservations@ed.ac.uk.

Location Information

Pollock Estate is located in the peaceful landscaped grounds adjoining Holyrood Park - the largest green space in Edinburgh (650 acres!), with an extinct volcano and lochs, as well as medieval ruins and historical attractions dating back to the Bronze Age for your group to explore.

It is within easy walking distance of Edinburgh’s Old Town and the City’s major attractions, such as:

• Edinburgh Castle
• Palace of Holyrood House
• Dynamic Earth
• Royal Commonwealth Pool
• Festival Theatre
• The Playhouse
• The University of Edinburgh Sports & Exercise complex
• The University of Edinburgh Peffermill Playing Fields

Edinburgh also has excellent bus links across the city to other attractions such as Edinburgh Zoo and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Room Sizes and Facilities

2* single standard with shared bathroom facilities.

3* single, twin or double en-suite.

Booking information

Reservations Department: group.reservations@ed.ac.uk, +44 (0) 131 651 2189