Frequently asked accommodation questions

Accommodation is available from 1 July – 22 September at Prince’s Gardens.

A provisional booking is made if you opt to book with us directly on a non-refundable rate. To confirm a provisional reservation, you are required to make a full pre-payment within 72 hours. Once the payment is received, your booking will be confirmed.

Once you make an online reservation you should receive your confirmation shortly afterwards. In case the confirmation hasn’t reached your inbox, please check your spam in the first instance and then get in touch with us if you haven’t received anything.

If you booked through an online travel agent (for example, Booking.com, Expedia), you must contact them directly.

Yes, if you have booked a flexible rate, you will be able to pay at the property on arrival. Please note that we are a cashless business and only accept payment via debit or credit card.

If you have booked a non-refundable rate, pre-payment is required. You will be sent a link to pay for the reservation online within 72 hours of booking. If payment is not made during this time, the reservation will be cancelled.

We accept payment by credit or debit card only. Unfortunately, we do not accept AMEX.

We do not accept payment by cheque, bank transfer or cash.

We do not offer discounts for Imperial students. If you are a student looking for accommodation over the summer period, please contact studentsummeraccom@imperial.ac.uk.

Yes, we have a special rate for Imperial alumni and staff.

To book, please contact the team directly. You will need to provide either your alumni number or CID to access the special rates.

Yes, you can if we have availability. Please note the price for the additional nights may differ from the original booking payment. You may also be asked to move to another room for the additional nights.

Yes, you can amend the dates, or cancel your stay. However, the following terms will apply:

Refundable bookings

• Before 14.00 48-hours prior to arrival: 100% refund
• After 14.00 48-hours prior to arrival: No refund

Non-refundable bookings                                        No refund if cancelled at any point

If the booking is made directly with us, you can cancel it via e-mail or over the telephone.

If you made your reservation via an online travel agent (e.g. Booking.com, Expedia etc), you must contact the booking agent directly to make changes or cancel your reservation. Please note, individual terms and conditions, including additional fees and charges may apply.

Check in is from 14.00

Check-out is by 10.00

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee an early check in. If the room is available, then we will endeavour to check you in early.

We cannot offer a late check out. Summer is a very busy period and guests must vacate their room by 10.00 in order to clean and prepare it for the next guest’s arrival.

If you do not vacate your room by 10.00, you may be subject to a full extra night charge.

Please get in touch with us to arrange postage immediately. There is a £10.00 charge for every lost key card.

The halls operate a 24-hour reception, so you can check in at any time after 14.00 on the date of arrival.

It is a condition of your booking with us that any person who is under 18-years-old must be accompanied by an adult whilst staying at our accommodation. Our staff have the right to ask for photographic identification if they believe you to be under the age of 18 and have the right to refuse entry to persons under the age of 18 that are not accompanied by a responsible adult.

The following items are provided in all properties:

• Bed linen
• One hand towel and one bath towel per guest
• Toiletries (Shampoo, conditioner, soap)
• One bottle of water per guest

Tea- and coffee-making facilities are also provided in the bedrooms.

Hairdryers are available to hire at Reception for £10.00 deposit, which will be refunded on return of the hairdryer.

Our rooms do not have fridges.

If you have a medical condition and need one to store your medication, please advise one of the reservation agents in advance.

We do not have TVs in any of our bedrooms. A TV is available in the common areas.

Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout our properties, through Sky Cloud. Simply select ‘The Cloud’ from your available network list and follow the instructions.

Cabled internet is available in all bedrooms, guests are required to supply their own ethernet cable.

Some kitchens will be available to guests with access to a fridge-freezer, however, guests are not permitted to cook. A kettle with tea and coffee is provided in bedrooms.

Each property has a laundry facility with access to washers, dryers, irons and ironing boards available to be used for a charge (£2.30 for a machine wash and £1.30 for a dryer cycle).

Laundry rooms are located in the basement of each property. All machines operate using a mobile app which can be downloaded to your iPhone or Android phone. Details can be found in the laundry room. If you don’t have a smart phone, please ask at reception for information on alternatives.

Washing powder is not provided.

Unfortunately, we do not have air conditioning. However, a fan is provided in each room.

Yes, you can receive mail while staying with us. The letter should include the full property address, your name and room number.

Please note that we are not responsible for damage or loss of mail and packages.

We have a limited number of accessible twin bedrooms available at Prince’s Gardens.

Please note, they are subject to availability and should be requested in advance.

The accessible bedrooms provide:

• A bedroom call point by the bed
• Socket for a vibrating pillow
• Visual fire alarm
• Walk in shower with low seat and emergency cord
• High shower rail
• Low level toilet and sink with grab rails

If you require special assistance, please email the team in advance before your arrival.

Standard bedrooms (only available in Beit Hall) have access to shared bathrooms.

En suite bedrooms have a private bathroom in the room (toilet and shower).

We do not offer interconnecting bedrooms. If you are staying as part of a group, we can request bedrooms next to each other however this is subject to availability and is not guaranteed.

No overnight guests are allowed.

No, the maximum occupancy is two people per room. As an exception we will allow one child under three to sleep in a cot in the room or share a bed with their parents.

Where available, we can provide a cot free of charge. Cots are subject to availability and should be booked in advance.

Yes, where available we can provide a cot free of charge. Cots are subject to availability and should be booked in advance.

During your stay:

• Beit Hall and Prince’s Gardens: bedrooms are cleaned, and linen changed every three days.
• Woodward Buildings and Kemp Porter Buildings: bedrooms are cleaned, and linen changed, every seven days.

England operates a smoke-free law, and it is illegal to smoke in any of our buildings. Imperial is a smoke-free campus: guests will not be permitted to smoke within 20 metres of Prince’s Gardens. Guests will be issued with a fine if caught smoking on the premises.  

Yes, breakfast is available at all of our properties for an additional charge.

Breakfast is served in the Senior Common Room restaurant, which is approximately a three-minute walk away.

Guests will have the choice of either a full English, or a continental breakfast.

Traditional English:

• Full English breakfast includes: Cumberland sausage, bacon, free range eggs, sauteed mushroom, baked beans, plum tomatoes, hash brown and a selection of toast.
• Vegan Full English breakfast includes: Soya bean, potato and thyme sausage, baked beans, sauteed mushroom, plum tomatoes, hash brown, black pudding and a selection of toast.

Or

Continental:

• Chilled protein selection: Sliced ham, sliced turkey, sliced salami, boiled eggs.
• Selection of cheese, toast, butter and vegetable spread served with sliced white and brown bread.
• Selection of daily pastries (gluten free options available): Croissant, pain au chocolate, maple pecan plait, cinnamon whirl, raspberry crown, apple lattice, vanilla flavoured crown topped with glaze.
• Fresh fruit and yoghurt
• Greek style yoghurt, vegan style yoghurt with hand rolled roasted granola.
• Fresh fruit: banana, apple, easy peel satsuma.

Beverages:

• Freshly brewed coffee.
• Traditional English tea: Earl grey tea, fruit infused teas, orange juice, apple juice.

Central London

There are plenty of food outlets available on campus including (please note that opening hours may vary and are subject to change).

Library café

Monday to Friday: 08.00 – 18.00
Saturday: 10.00 – 17.00

Essentials Convenience Store (Ground Floor Wilkinson Hall, Eastside Halls, Prince’s Gardens)

Monday to Friday: 08.00 – 21.00
Saturday: 09.00 – 17.00 Sunday: 10.00 – 16.30

Alternatively, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes near South Kensington Tube station and High Street Kensington.

Guests staying at Prince’s Gardens are able to purchase a day pass to the Ethos Sports Centre which has a gym, swimming pool and group exercise classes.

Guests are welcome to leave their luggage prior to check in or after check-out at their own risk in a designated area in all halls of residence. Please note that your luggage can only be stored for up to 12 hours.

Prince’s Gardens

We have a limited number of car parking spaces available at South Kensington for guests, which must be booked in advance.

A fixed rate for overnight parking is available at a cost of £22.00 per night.

Please note: Outside of these times, the following car park charges apply.

• Up to one hour: £3.00
• Up to two hours: £6.00
• Up to four hours: £11.00
• Up to six hours: £16.00
• Up to nine hours: £21.00
• Up to 12 hours: £26.00

Booking

You must pre-book your parking space before you arrive to avoid being turned away. To book, please email car.park@imperial.ac.uk and provide:

• your car make and model;
• your registration (licence plate) number;
• your arrival and departure date.

Unfortunately, camper vans, mini buses and coaches are not able to park on site.

London congestion charge and ULEZ

Although South Kensington is not in the congestion charge zone, if your journey passes through central London you are liable to pay the congestion charge, at a rate of £15.00 per day.

The congestion charge operates.

Monday to Friday: 07.00 – 18.00
Weekends and bank holidays: 12.00 – 18.00

Vehicles which do not meet the new ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) standards must also pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. ULEZ operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

To find out more, and how to pay please visit the Transport for London (Tfl) website.

Limited disabled Parking is available at Prince’s Gardens subject to availability. Disabled parking is charged at standard rate.

We do not provide any transport from any London destination. However, London is well served by public transport.

We do our best to accommodate special requests, however these are not guaranteed.

Yes, we do allow registered guide dogs to stay with their owner. Please let us know in advance if you will be bringing a guide dog with you. No other pets are allowed.

We have CCTV monitoring all our properties, and there is also an electronic swipe card access system to all building entrances.

Our residences have 24 hours security on site to support you.

All of our properties undergo annual assessment with Visit England. In 2023, we were awarded four-star (Campus Accommodation category) for all of our properties.