Scape Bloomsbury is one of the most central student accommodation properties in London, located in the heart of Bloomsbury (Zone 1) and operated by Scape, the multi-award-winning UK student housing brand. The building is a 2-minute walk from University College London (UCL) and within walking distance of LSE, King's College London, SOAS and Birkbeck. Room types range from shared twin rooms (from £275 per person per week) up to large premium studios (£600+ per week), all bills included and with no guarantor required. The building features 24/7 security, a private cinema room, gym, library and dedicated study zones.
The honest read: this is one of the most central premium PBSAs in London, with the pricing to match. For UCL and Bloomsbury-cluster students who can afford it, the location advantage genuinely justifies a substantial part of the rent. The rest of this guide covers exactly what you get, who it suits, and how it compares to alternatives.
Scape Bloomsbury at a glance
| Category | Detail | Notes |
| Address | Bloomsbury, central London | Zone 1 |
| Operator | Scape | UK Student Accommodation Operator of the Year |
| Distance to UCL main campus | 2-minute walk | Closest serious PBSA to UCL |
| Distance to LSE / KCL / SOAS / Birkbeck | 5-10 minutes' walk | Multi-university coverage |
| Nearest stations | Russell Square (4-min walk), Euston (10-min walk) | Multiple lines |
| Room types | Twin shared rooms, en-suite shared apartments, studios, 1-bedroom apartments | Wide range |
| Amenities | Gym, cinema, library, study spaces, social lounges, 24/7 security | Premium amenity tier |
Where Scape Bloomsbury sits in central London
Bloomsbury is London's traditional academic heart. The neighbourhood is defined by its leafy garden squares, historic university buildings, the British Museum, the British Library and the cluster of central London universities. Scape Bloomsbury sits at the centre of this district.
The transport reality is excellent. Russell Square station (Piccadilly line) is a 4-minute walk. Euston (Northern, Victoria, mainline) is 10 minutes. King's Cross / St Pancras (multiple lines, including Eurostar) is 15 minutes. The Bloomsbury location gives you fast access to the rest of London, and effectively unbeatable access to Bloomsbury's universities.
The universities reachable on foot:
- University College London (UCL): 2 minutes
- University of London Birkbeck: 5-7 minutes
- SOAS, University of London: 5-7 minutes
- London School of Economics (LSE): 12-15 minutes
- King's College London (KCL): 15-20 minutes
- Imperial College London: 25-30 minutes via Piccadilly line
For UCL students specifically, the 2-minute commute is a meaningful daily quality-of-life advantage that no other major UCL PBSA can match.
The wider area: the British Museum is 5 minutes' walk; the British Library is 10 minutes; Oxford Street and the West End shopping are 10-15 minutes; Covent Garden and Soho are 15-20 minutes. Few London PBSAs combine walking-distance university access with walking-distance access to London's main cultural and entertainment districts.
Inside Scape Bloomsbury: rooms and pricing
Scape Bloomsbury offers a wider range of room types than most London PBSAs, which is intentional in their pricing strategy. The options:
Standard Twin Room (shared with one other person): from £275 per person per week. The cheapest option, suited to international students or close friends sharing the cost. Each person has their own bed in a shared bedroom with private bathroom.
Room in Standard Two Bedroom Apartment (Female / Male): from £373 per week. Each resident has a private bedroom in a 2-bedroom apartment, sharing the kitchen and living area.
Medium Studios (Roomy / Brighter / Roomy King variants): from £445 to £499 per week. Self-contained studios with private kitchen, bathroom and living area in one open-plan space.
Large Studios (Roomy / Brighter / Brighter Roomy / Brighter King): from £565 to £605 per week. Larger studios with more space and either roomier layouts or brighter aspects.
Premium King Studio: from £600 per week. The top-tier studio.
All rooms come fully furnished with double bed, study desk and chair, wardrobe and storage. Studios have private kitchens. Shared apartments have communal kitchens.
What's included: bills, amenities and the no-guarantor advantage
A few things about Scape's offer are genuinely competitive in the London PBSA market.
All bills fixed for the year. Electricity, water, heating and super-fast Wi-Fi are included at a fixed rate. This is meaningfully more useful than the variable-with-cap arrangements at many competitor properties, since you have absolute cost certainty for the year.
No guarantor required. Many UK PBSAs require a UK-based guarantor (or a paid guarantor service) for students unable to provide one. Scape does not require a guarantor, which is a real advantage for international students who would otherwise pay £400-£600 to a guarantor service.
The amenity stack:
- On-site gym (free for residents)
- Private cinema room
- Library and study zones
- Communal kitchen and bar
- Games room and lounge
- Meeting rooms
- 24/7 security and reception
The cinema room and library are particularly distinctive amenities at this price tier in central London. Most premium PBSAs offer gyms and lounges; the cinema and dedicated library spaces are less common.
Scape Bloomsbury reviews: the StudentCrowd picture
StudentCrowd shows Scape Bloomsbury with a relatively modest review count (6-7 verified reviews depending on the period), which means cross-platform sources matter alongside official reviews. Across StudentCrowd, uhomes, the Scape website and university student forums, the consistent themes:
Strong praise for the 2-minute UCL walk; the staff support team ("staff is very enthusiastic, giving us a home away from home"); the all-bills-fixed certainty; the no-guarantor structure; the building security and reception; and the location for both academic and entertainment access.
Praised at the next tier: the cinema room as a genuine residents' benefit; the study spaces during exam weeks; the kitchen and bar communal areas; the gym; and the welcome support that Scape provides to international students arriving in London for the first time.
Recurring caveats: premium pricing relative to outer-zone alternatives; some bedrooms being smaller than the marketed size; the central London location bringing some noise on the busiest streets.
In 2025, 94 UCL students chose to book Scape Bloomsbury through one of the major aggregators (uhomes), which gives a useful real-volume signal that students continue to choose the property at premium pricing despite the alternatives.
Who Scape Bloomsbury actually suits
A direct read:
Strong fit: UCL students valuing the 2-minute campus walk; postgraduates and PhD students at any Bloomsbury-cluster university willing to pay premium rent for the location advantage; international students who lack a UK guarantor; couples or friend pairs splitting a twin room to reduce per-person cost.
Marginal fit: Students on tight budgets who can find more affordable PBSA in Zone 2 with manageable commute times; students at universities outside Bloomsbury (Queen Mary, Goldsmiths, City) where the central location is less critical.
Not a fit: Students on the strictest possible budget (Zone 2-3 alternatives run £100-200/week cheaper); students who want non-PBSA private rental.
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FAQs
What is Scape Bloomsbury?
Scape Bloomsbury is a premium student accommodation property in Bloomsbury, central London (Zone 1), operated by Scape and located a 2-minute walk from University College London (UCL).
Where is Scape Bloomsbury located?
In central Bloomsbury, London Zone 1, with Russell Square station 4 minutes' walk away and Euston station 10 minutes' walk away. UCL's main campus is a 2-minute walk; LSE, KCL, SOAS and Birkbeck are within a 20-minute walk.
How much is Scape Bloomsbury?
Rooms range from £275 per person per week (twin shared room) up to £600+ per week (premium studios). One-bedroom apartments are between these tiers. All prices are all-inclusive of bills.
Is Scape Bloomsbury a good Scape Bloomsbury reviews verdict?
The cross-platform Scape Bloomsbury reviews picture is consistently positive, with praise for the central location, the staff support, the all-bills-included pricing structure, the no-guarantor requirement, and the cinema and library amenities. Caveats include premium pricing and central London noise.
Does Scape Bloomsbury require a guarantor?
No. Scape does not require a UK guarantor, which is unusual for UK PBSA and makes the property meaningfully more accessible for international students.
What's included in the rent at Scape Bloomsbury?
Electricity, water, heating, fast Wi-Fi, contents insurance, access to the on-site gym, cinema room, library, study spaces, communal lounges and 24/7 security. All bills are fixed for the year.
Which universities are near Scape Bloomsbury?
UCL (2-minute walk), Birkbeck and SOAS (5-7 minutes), LSE (12-15 minutes), KCL (15-20 minutes), and Imperial College London (25-30 minutes via Piccadilly line).
Is Scape Bloomsbury student accommodation in central London worth the price?
For students at Bloomsbury-cluster universities (UCL, SOAS, Birkbeck) who value walking-distance access to campus and central London entertainment, yes. For students at non-Bloomsbury universities or on strict budgets, Zone 2 alternatives offer better value.
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