iQ Elliott House is a student residence at 8–11 Hillside Crescent, Edinburgh, built around a Georgian townhouse wing. Rooms run from £249 a week for a Bronze En Suite up to £391 for the Diamond Duplex, all bills included. The University of Edinburgh is about a 30-minute walk.
The price spread across the eight room types is £142 a week. Over a full contract that is the difference between comfortable and stretched, so this guide starts with the room-by-room breakdown rather than burying it.
Every room type, size and price
| Room type | Size | Per week | What you get |
| Bronze En Suite | 16.5 sq m | £249 | Private en-suite, kitchen and living area shared with one other resident |
| Copper Mini Studio | Not published | £280 | Compact self-contained unit, private kitchen and bathroom |
| Copper Studio | 16.5–18.5 sq m | £281 | Self-contained, private facilities |
| Bronze Studio | 15–17 sq m | £309 | Self-contained. Suitable for single or double occupancy |
| Silver Studio | 18–19 sq m | £311 | More generous studio, private facilities |
| Gold Studio | 20–22 sq m | £316 | Larger living space, singles or couples |
| Platinum Studio | 24–25 sq m | £345 | Most spacious studio |
| Diamond Duplex | 28 sq m | £391 | Two-level apartment, designed for sharing |
Three observations worth making, because the table alone does not tell you what to do with it.
The Bronze En Suite is the outlier, and it is the smart buy for most people. At £249 it is £31 cheaper than the next option, and at 16.5 sq m it is larger than the Bronze Studio at 15–17 sq m. What you give up is a private kitchen — but you share it with exactly one other person, not five. For most students that is a good trade for £2,000+ over a contract.
The Bronze Studio makes little sense on paper. At £309 it costs £28 more than the Copper Studio and can be smaller (15 sq m against 16.5). Its stated advantage is double-occupancy suitability. If you are not sharing, look hard at why you would pick it over Copper.
Silver and Gold are £5 apart. £311 versus £316 buys you roughly 2–3 extra square metres. If you are choosing between them, take Gold.
The Copper Mini Studio's floor area is not published. Ask for it in square metres before you book — "mini" is doing unspecified work in that name.
What is included in the rent?
All utilities — electricity, gas and water — plus contents insurance and superfast Wi-Fi.
What is not published online: deposit amounts, contract lengths, cooling-off terms and guarantor requirements. These matter, particularly for international students who may need a UK guarantor or a larger upfront payment.
Ask the property team these four questions before you pay anything:
- What is the booking fee, and is it refundable?
- How long is the contract, and what dates does it run?
- Do I need a UK guarantor, and what if I do not have one?
- What happens if I withdraw before the tenancy starts?
For context on how much iQ booking fees vary: the fee at iQ Grove in the same city has been listed at both £100 and £225 by different agents, and iQ Astor House in Plymouth at £149. There is no single iQ figure. Get yours in writing.
How far is Elliott House from the universities?
| University | Journey |
| University of Edinburgh | About 30 minutes on foot |
| Edinburgh Napier | About 30 minutes by bus |
| Heriot-Watt | About 30 minutes by bus |
Thirty minutes on foot is a real commute, and it is the main thing to weigh against the building's quality. Twice a day, five days a week, that is five hours a week walking.
If a short commute is your priority, Elliott House is not the strongest option in Edinburgh. Our guides to Buccleuch Street, which is about a minute from the University of Edinburgh, and Salisbury Court at ten minutes, both put you considerably closer.
What Elliott House offers instead is the building itself and the Hillside Crescent location — near the Omni Centre, the Edinburgh Playhouse and St James Quarter, with tram, bus and rail all close.
The Georgian building, and the Neil Armstrong connection
Elliott House incorporates a Georgian townhouse wing, and the building was previously owned by the RAF Club. Its guests reportedly included Neil Armstrong and John Glenn.
That is genuine character, and it is unusual in purpose-built student accommodation, which tends towards identical modern blocks. If living somewhere with a history matters to you, this is a real differentiator.
It also has a practical consequence, which brings us to the main criticism.
Are the rooms at Elliott House cold?
Cold rooms come up repeatedly in resident feedback, and it deserves to be stated plainly rather than softened.
This is what you would expect from a period building in a Scottish city. Georgian construction and modern insulation standards are not natural allies, and Edinburgh winters are long, dark and wet.
What to do about it: ask specifically which part of the building your room is in — the Georgian wing or the modern section — and ask about the heating system and how it is controlled. A room you cannot heat properly is a genuinely miserable place to spend a Scottish January, and this is a question the property team can answer in thirty seconds.
The other recurring criticism is noise, which follows from a city-centre location on a main road. Ask which side of the building your room faces.
What do Elliott House residents say?
The positive feedback is consistent and specific. Residents describe staff as friendly, rooms as comfortable and the amenity set as unusually complete:
"Stayed here for two years and can say it is the best accommodation I've ever stayed in!"
"This place is AMAZING, you have everything you need: social spaces, gym, study room, cinema, everything."
Both of those are provider-shared reviews, so weight them accordingly. The independent picture is more mixed, with the cold-room and noise issues above appearing alongside genuine praise for staff and facilities.
That combination — good building, good staff, cold rooms, some noise, long walk to campus — is a fair summary of what you are buying.
What facilities does Elliott House have?
Gym, cinema room, study rooms, social lounge, games area, library, on-site laundry, bike storage, common kitchen areas, 24/7 security with CCTV, secure entry, on-site staff and accessibility features.
The gym is worth pricing in. A discounted student gym membership runs a few hundred pounds a year, so an included gym meaningfully narrows the gap between Elliott House and a cheaper building.
Parking is street permit only, which in central Edinburgh means it is effectively not an option. Plan without a car.
Who should live at Elliott House?
Good fit: students who want a studio with genuine privacy, anyone who values a full amenity set in the building, people who like the idea of living somewhere with architectural character, and students happy to walk or bus to campus.
Poor fit: anyone who wants a short commute, students sensitive to cold, light sleepers, and anyone on the tightest budget — £249 a week is Edinburgh's mid-to-upper range.
Compare with iQ Grove Edinburgh, which offers free dual occupancy in studios, and see what student accommodation costs across the UK. Once you have somewhere to live, our free things to do in Edinburgh guide is worth a look.
Frequently asked questions
How much is iQ Elliott House Edinburgh?
From £249 per week for a Bronze En Suite up to £391 for the Diamond Duplex Apartment, with all bills, contents insurance and Wi-Fi included.
What is the cheapest room at Elliott House?
The Bronze En Suite at £249 per week. At 16.5 sq m it is also larger than the Bronze Studio, which costs £60 more, so it is the strongest value in the building.
How far is Elliott House from the University of Edinburgh?
About a 30-minute walk. Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt are each roughly 30 minutes by bus.
Are the rooms at Elliott House cold?
Cold rooms are a recurring theme in resident feedback, which is consistent with a building incorporating a Georgian wing. Ask which section your room is in and how the heating is controlled before booking.
Is there parking at Elliott House?
Street permit parking only, which in central Edinburgh is effectively not a workable option for students.
Does Elliott House have a gym?
Yes, along with a cinema room, study rooms, social lounge, games area and library.
What is included in the rent at Elliott House?
Electricity, gas, water, contents insurance and superfast Wi-Fi. Deposit amounts, contract lengths and guarantor requirements are not published online — ask the property team directly.
