Dorchester House

Dorchester House is a vibrant accommodation block that’s home to 590 students, the majority of whom are undergraduates in their first year, although there are 60 postgraduate studio flats. It benefits from having a recently refurbished common room, two study spaces and a gym. It’s within walking distance of our Lansdowne Campus, as well as being close to Bournemouth town centre and university bus routes, and opposite the main train station.

All you need to know about Dorchester House:

ResLifeBU

ResLifeBU is an exclusive programme, only available in BU accommodation, designed to help you enjoy your time in student accommodation to the fullest.

Our ResLifeBU Team supports you across three core areas:

Social – providing inclusive activities and events to help you meet your fellow students and build a great community
Wellbeing – supporting your welfare, health, safety and overall comfort and security
Skills – everything you need for your new independent life, from how to keep your flat clean, to cooking an affordable and healthy meal and tips on managing your budget

Each accommodation has a friendly Resident Assistant (RA) who lives on site and is a current BU student. Having experienced it themselves, your RA has an understanding of what it’s like to move to a new home when you start at uni. There is also a Welfare Coordinator who is a current member of BU staff and is available for any wellbeing issues you might have whilst in residence. Supporting these roles we have the three ResLifeBU Coordinators, and the three ResLifeBU Officers all dedicated to helping you have the best time in our accommodation.

£1.25 of your weekly rent goes towards the funding of the programme – but if you make the most of it, you’ll find it’s worth so much more than that.

Find out more about ResLifeBU

Types of room

There are four types room in Dorchester House:

Standard ensuite (undergraduate) – ensuites rooms are single occupancy and come with a 3/4-sized double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage and your very own ensuite bathrooom and shower. All flats have fully fitted kitchens and dining spaces to eat, relax and socialise.

Ensuite rooms vary in size, shape and layout but are between 12.44 and 16.11 sqm.

Premium ensuite – premium rooms have all the same facilities as the Standard but are larger.

Premium ensuite rooms vary in size, shape and layout but are between 18.96 and 25.14 sqm.

Standard studio (reserved for postgraduates) – studio flats come with a 3/4 double bed, study desk, desk chair, under-bed storage, your very own ensuite bathrooom and shower as well as a fitted kitchen area with everything you require for self-catering.

Standard studios vary in size, shape and layout but are between 18.78 and 24.92 sqm.

Premium studio – premium studios have all the same facilities as the Standard but are larger.

Premium studios vary in size, shape and layout but are between 25.15 and 30.34 sqm.

Advertised prices are based on weekly rent inclusive of an annual bus pass and your ResLifeBU programme.

Location and the surrounding area

Dorchester House is based opposite Bournemouth’s main train and bus station, as well as the largest supermarket in the town centre.

It’s within easy walking distance of all BU buildings on our Lansdowne Campus, and the U1 university bus service to and from Talbot picks up from right outside. At Dorchester, you’re also close to our Students’ Union-run club and live music venue, The Old Fire Station, with the town centre and beach around 10-minutes’ walk away.

Travelling to and from uni (and beyond)

The close proximity of Dorchester House to the train and bus station obviously makes it easy to travel in and out of Bournemouth.

There is no parking available at Dorchester House. However, the university bus service (U1) picks up and drops off right outside the block, with journeys into our Talbot Campus taking around 15 minutes. Your bus pass is included in your rent so you can use this service as much as you need throughout the year, although you can opt out of this if you choose.

The bus pass also includes unlimited travel on morebus zone A services, spanning the wider Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area.

There’s a secure bike shelter within the complex as well.

Facilities and shared spaces

New in Sept 2019! - An on-site gym. Free to use by all residents.

There’s also a modern common room with communal as well as private booth seating that’s open to all residents where you can relax, socialise, watch films, game or play pool.

For when you need to get your head down and study there are three dedicated study rooms you can use for personal or group work.

There are also outdoor courtyard areas where you can chill out in the warmer weather.

The shared flats have between three and seven bedrooms and all have a communal kitchen and living area, complete with comfy seats, a breakfast bar, storage cupboards and all the appliances you’ll need (cooker, fridge, freezer and microwave).

The postgraduate studio flats are all self-contained residential units, with their own kitchen, living space and ensuite bathroom.

Services and security

Your weekly rent includes contents insurance. Find out more about the level of cover.

Your bedroom and common room has high-speed wifi for work and play.

All of your bills are included in your weekly rent so you have nothing further to pay.

As well as having CCTV in the building and secure access, there is also a Dorchester House team member onsite 24 hours a day to provide any help you might need.

The onsite team includes a maintenance operative who will be able to respond and resolve any faults for you in a timely manner.

There is also a ResLifeBU Team who are on hand if you have any wellbeing concerns and they also organise regular social events (see ResLifeBU above)

Booking process and terms & conditions

You can find details of booking dates and our accommodation guarantee on our How to book accommodation page.

When you’re ready to book a room, you can do so via our Accommodation Portal. Your contract will be with the accommodation provider so be sure to check the terms & conditions before you make a booking.

September 2020

We understand that under the current circumstances you will want to know what your accommodation booking means for you. As the BU accommodation portfolio is made up of a number of providers, we’ve gathered details of their contract flexibility and cancellation policies for you to review before you book.

You can find further information in our Coronavirus FAQs.

Management and Code of Standards

Dorchester House is owned and operated by BU's private accommodation partner, iQ Students. However, BU will be your landlord and you will pay your rent to us. Any queries related to your contract or rent should be with your BU Residential Services Team. All other day-to-day queries or issues you might have during your time will be dealt with by iQ Students dedicated on-site team.

BU and iQ have signed this site up to the UUK Student Accommodation Code, which has been developed to encourage the highest possible standards of student accommodation provided by universities and major private suppliers. Find out more about the Code and how it benefits you.

Covid-19 safety measures

Your accommodation contract will be with BU but Dorchester House is owned by iQ Student Accommodation, who deliver and manage the operation for the university.