We’re celebrating after being shortlisted for three categories at the prestigious GSL Awards 2025 — and achieving our best-ever results in the GSL Index Survey.
Host recorded exceptional performance in this year’s GSL Index Survey, including:

• Earning Platinum Certified Operator status for the second consecutive year — recognising consistent delivery of excellent student experiences.
• An overall Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +41 — the highest ever achieved by Host — compared with a large operator benchmark of +20. This marks a remarkable +21 point increase in just two years.
• A highest individual property NPS of +83 — reflecting the outstanding experience provided at local level.
• 88% satisfaction rating (with 53% of residents rating their accommodation as ‘very good’) — significantly above the national average.

These results led to Host being shortlisted in 3 categories for the GSL Awards:

• Best Private Housing
• Best Customer Service
• Best Value for Money

The GSL Awards are the only industry accolades based entirely on verified feedback from students — making this recognition especially meaningful.

Sam Hollex, Director of Operations at Host, said:

“We’re proud to once again be shortlisted for the Global Student Living Awards — an achievement that matters so much to us at Host because it comes directly from the students who live with us. Being consistently recognised year after year is a reflection of the hard work, care, effort and attention our teams bring every day, creating places where students feel supported, included and truly at home. Thank you to every member of the Host team across the UK.”

Host operates student accommodation in cities across the UK providing value-for-money, high-quality, well-managed living environments where students can thrive both academically and socially. For more information, visit: www.host-students.com

The winners of the GSL Awards 2025 will be announced in London on 16 October 2025.

About GSL

The GSL Awards [https://gslglobal.com/awards/] are based exclusively on direct feedback from tens of thousands of students across 200 universities and colleges every year. With no written nominations and no ‘expert’ judges, the Global Student Living Awards are uniquely credible and highly prized.

Data for the awards are collected through the GSL Index [https://gslglobal.com/index/]. Registration for universities and student accommodation providers to participate in the next wave of the GSL Index, is now open.

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The modern and popular Village at The Viaduct student accommodation is in the city centre viaduct area of Durham.

The Village is only a short walk to Durham’s bus station which provides direct access to Durham University within 20 minutes, meaning you can escape campus and be in the heart of city centre life.

The Village at The Viaduct comes with all-bills included, you’ll just need to choose whether you’d like an en-suite or studio room. And when it comes to relaxing after a long day studying sit back in our spacious communal lounge and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Durham.

The city of Durham is a wonderful and historic area in the north-east of England with the River Wear looping around the Cathedral and Castle. It is a compact yet varied city with plenty to offer.

The city’s easy to get around. Spend your student days walking its cobbled streets, finding hidden gems and popular haunts. Explore Durham University’s Botanic Garden adventure tails. Go on a tour of the Castle. Or explore the UNESCO world heritage site celebrating over 1,000 years of religion, education, and pilgrimage.

Top places to see in Durham.

1. Durham Cathedral.

Durham Cathedral has been a place of worship, welcome and hospitality for almost a millennium, inspiring all who come. Built in 1093 to house the Shrine of St Cuthbert, Durham Cathedral is renowned for its magnificent Romanesque architecture and spectacular location at the heart of the Durham World Heritage Site.

2. Durham Castle.

Durham Castle is a Normal castle which has been occupied by the University of Durham since 1837. The facility is open to general public through guided tours, but it is used as a working building and is home to over 100 students.

3. Escape Rooms Durham.

A real life escape game has arrived in Durham. You and your team will need to solve a series of puzzles in under an hour, can you beat the room? Great for team building, stag/hen do’s or just a great way to spend an hour with friends or family!

4. Durham Climbing Centre.

A keen climber or fancy trying it out? Just pre-register online, watch the safety video and book your slot. A great fitness activity solo or with friends.

5. Rio Brazilian Steakhouse.

Authentic Brazilian Churrasco dining experience, right in the heart of Durham. The perfect place for a meal out with friends or family whilst you stay in Durham.
Specially trained Gaucho Chefs are on hand to serve their exquisite meat cuts that are continuously carved at the table in a traditional Rodizio style.
You’ll find the restaurant located inside the Walkergate Durham Shopping Centre.

Universities in Durham.

The world leading Durham University is the only university in the city, and has put the location on the map as an ideal place to be a student.

Why study at Durham?

Durham University has over 27 departments and schools offering over 330 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Whatever your interest or passion, there will likely be a course for you. Their research-led education will challenge and inspire you to achieve the best.

Durham Students Union.

A students’ union with a purpose. Making changes for students, with students, in their interests.

Durham SU was created by students in 1899 to bring students from across the university together.

Join an active group, there are plenty to choose from. From Angling to Bollywood Dance Society. Don’t see the group you are looking for? You can apply to start your own group.

Have an interest you’d like to explore further? Durham SU have a wide range of Interest Groups from Pottery to Coffee Society that you can join.

Want to find out more? You can join our waiting list for September 2024. For updates and news from Host visit us on Facebook and Instagram.

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The joint venture is seeded with two Host-owned operational Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) assets in Leicester and Colchester, a PBSA development project in Bournemouth and a purpose designed co-living development project in Guildford (CGI Imagery below).

In addition, there is an immediate identified pipeline of over £250m of PBSA developments totalling more than 1,000 beds in the prime Russell Group university markets of Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

Together, Partners Group and Host intend to expand the JV through further developments in the PBSA and co-living sectors, creating a large and market leading portfolio of £1bn GDV. The JV will look to bring the firms’ combined expertise, experience and financial strength to bear on other UK PBSA and co-living schemes, aimed at meeting the strong and growing demand in the living sector for high quality, sustainable, amenity-rich and professionally managed accommodation with best-in-class service.

Rahul Ghai, Managing Director, Co-Head Private Real Estate Europe, Partners Group, said:

“A return to normality and strong demand fundamentals are making the post-COVID student accommodation sector in the UK an attractive investment opportunity. The sector is a key thematic focus for us and benefits from long-term tailwinds, such as favourable population growth trends and rising enrolment rates, as well as the continued strength of the UK’s higher education offering globally. The JV has a robust pipeline, and we look forward to hosting students across some of the most dynamic cities in the country.”

Peter Holden, Managing Director, Co-Head Real Estate Asset Management, Partners Group, added:

“We look forward to working with Host in this Joint Venture to continue to provide safe, energy-efficient assets to meet the increasing need for good value housing in key undersupplied university cities throughout the UK.”

John Nesbitt, managing director at Host, said:

“Host is excited to be working in joint venture with Partners Group. We have a shared ambition to build a new portfolio of top quality PBSA and Co-Living projects in the ‘Living’ sector, which offers strong sector fundamentals and growth.”

Michael O’ Flynn, Chairman and CEO of the O’ Flynn Group, said

“Our experience over 25 years in providing student accommodation in Ireland, the UK and across Europe will clearly benefit the joint venture. This is a unique opportunity, through Host, to collaborate with Partners Group in the development of PBSA and Co-Living projects. The scale of the joint venture will quickly position the JV as a leading player in a sector with significant growth potential.”

JLL Corporate finance has advised Host on the Joint Venture with Partners Group.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Partners Group:

Partners Group is a leading global private markets firm. Since 1996, the firm has invested over USD 170 billion in private equity, private real estate, private debt and private infrastructure on behalf of its clients globally. Partners Group seeks to generate superior returns through capitalizing on thematic growth trends and transforming attractive businesses and assets into market leaders. The firm is a committed, responsible investor and aims to create sustainable returns with lasting, positive impact for all its stakeholders. With over USD 127 billion in assets under management as of 31 December 2021, Partners Group provides an innovative range of bespoke client solutions to institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and private individuals globally. The firm employs more than 1,600 diverse professionals across 20 offices worldwide and has regional headquarters in Baar-Zug, Switzerland; Denver, USA; and Singapore. It has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2006 (symbol: PGHN). For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

About Host:

Host (formerly Victoria Hall Management Limited) in conjunction with Tiger Developments, part of the O’ Flynn Group of companies which has extensive interests in the property sector in Ireland, has more than 25 years’ experience providing student accommodation with nationwide coverage and strong university relationships in most cities. It has developed and acquired more than 10,000 beds and currently operates circa 8,000 student beds across 28 sites in UK, Ireland and Europe, undertaking the day-to-day management of the properties, as well as the marketing of accommodation and recruitment of students from the UK and abroad.

About O’ Flynn Group:

The O’ Flynn Group has been in operation since 1978. It is a leading builder of new homes across Ireland and manages a wide portfolio of commercial properties in Ireland and the UK. O’Flynn Group identifies, masterplans, develops, builds and manages high quality properties in Ireland and the UK. Developments include residential, commercial, retail, industrial and student accommodation.

About JLL:

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $19.4 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 100,000 as of March 31, 2022. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.

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The Locations.

The seven new locations expand our existing accommodation options in Birmingham, Coventry and Exeter and also marks a welcome return of Host to Wolverhampton.

• Birmingham – Queen’s Hospital Close.
• Coventry – Sky Blue Point and Gosford Gate.
• Exeter – Northernhay House, The Northfield and Trust House.
• Wolverhampton – Heantun Point.

A fresh new look.

As well as welcoming the new locations to the Host family. We’re delighted to announce that Aventicum have instructed us to complete a refurbishment programme across these locations. And with much of this refurbishment work scheduled to be completed in time for the 2021/22 academic year, students moving into (or returning to) these locations in September can expect a completely new look.
We recognise that student accommodation is much more than just a bedroom and a place to sleep, it’s your home and should feel like one. The refurbishment programme will provide students living at these locations with a more comfortable, stylish, and social place to live than ever before. While also benefiting from Host’s Hassle-free, all-inclusive approach to student living.
We’ll be sharing more details of the refurbishment project on the Host blog and social media accounts in the coming weeks.

Commenting on the portfolio acquisition Christophe Tanghe, Managing Director for Aventicum Real Estate said:

“We are very excited to enter the student housing sector in the UK, home to some of the world’s best higher education institutions, that will benefit from favourable university-age demographics and rising university participation rates.
While Covid-19 has disrupted campus life for many students, the proven operating resilience of student housing through economic cycles continues to attract more institutional investment capital to the sector. The properties that we have acquired provide for many asset management opportunities that we look forward to pursuing with our partner Host.”

John Nesbitt, Managing Director of Host added:

“Host is committed to providing the best student housing and services in the country. We’re looking forward to working closely with Aventicum, with this appointment strengthening our geographical reach, taking our Host brand into new cities. And providing more students the opportunity to live in, study and enjoy our hassle-free, all-inclusive offer. We will be modernising the acquired assets and their facilities, giving students the same comfortable, stylish and safe places to live as our other award-winning accommodation.”

Host a private student accommodation provider, is the student facing brand for Host Student Housing Limited, offering all-inclusive student accommodation in the UK and Europe. Host currently has over 12,000 beds across 23 cities for the 2021/22 academic year.  Visit www.host-students.com for more information. 

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Gold accreditation means that we’ve got the policies in place but more than that, it means everyone – from CEO to apprentice takes ownership for making them come to life.

We want to thank everyone at Host for their contribution and dedication because this is an amazing achievement for all of us. Only 17% of organisations achieve gold and at the crux of it, it means that every single person is involved in supporting each other and is doing their best to make work better.

Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate Host. Gold accreditation on We Invest in People is a fantastic effort for any organisation, and places Host in fine company with an array of organisations that understand the value of people.”

Neil Hawthorne, who in addition to his role as National Health & Safety Manager at Host, oversees the Investors in People accreditation, commented “Our We Invest in People assessment was a great opportunity for us to hear from our people and we’ve learnt a lot from what they told us. We’ve got recommendations and an action plan so that we can keep making changes, keep improving and keep moving forward.”

At Host, we believe that the success of our organisation begins and ends with people. If we make work better for everyone, they will be stronger, healthier and happier; and so will our organisation.

Learn more about the Investors in People accreditation.

For the latest company news, updates and job openings, follow us on LinkedIn and check out our Careers page.

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We understand that COVID-19 has been, and still is, a worrying and uncertain time for everyone. That’s why we’re committed to doing whatever it takes to protect our students and staff and minimise the risk of coronavirus at our accommodation.

We’ve been working hard to adapt our accommodation and our service to ensure that our students are kept safe; but can still have the best possible living experience whilst at university or college.

In recent months we’ve introduced a number of measures and additions to Host’s procedures to ensure an even higher standard of cleanliness and safety at our accommodation. Changes include social distancing measures, protective screens at receptions, hand sanitising stations and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Following an in-depth review by the British Safety Council (BSC) we have achieved the BSC COVID-19 Assurance Accreditation. This means our organisational policies, procedures and arrangements in response to the control of COVID-19 within our accommodations meet the current UK government guidelines.

As the situation surrounding COVID-19 changes, our arrangements and policies are continually monitored and adapted to ensure their effectiveness.

Here is our British Safety Council COVID-19 Assurance Certificate.

For more information about our response to COVID-19 and FAQs, please visit our Coronavirus Guidance page. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest news and updates.

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And whilst 2020 has seen big changes to our day-to-day lives and life as we know it, one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to protecting the environment and the planet we live on. That’s why our #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign is back for its third year…

It’s time to go green

As we launch the #HostEnvironmentalPledge 2020/21 we’re asking all residents and staff at Host to pledge their commitment to making a change to help protect the environment.

Whether it’s turning off appliances when not in use, taking shorter showers or turning lights off when leaving a room, these small actions can reduce energy usage; which in turn will reduce the levels of greenhouse gas emissions being released into the environment.

And this year, we want to take the campaign to the next level; after all, when it comes to protecting the environment, it stems far beyond saving energy. So, as well as reducing energy usage, we’ll be encouraging our students and staff to make other changes to help protect the environment. These include:

• Recycling
• Using reusable items
• Travelling responsibly
• Buying less plastic
• Buying sustainable products

What your pledge means

It goes without saying that if we all take action to reduce energy usage, recycle more, reuse items and the like, then we’re one step closer to protecting our planet.

But what’s more, if we can reduce our overall consumption by 1% then at Host, we will donate £10,000 to charity. If we make a 2% reduction, we’ll donate £20,000, 3% is £30,000 and so on. So, through this campaign, not only does the environment benefit but so do three fantastic charities we’ve chosen to work with.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and us not being able to run the 2019/20 campaign and support our nominated charities to the full extent we’d have liked to, we’ve decided to continue supporting BulliesOut, Planet Patrol and World Land Trust for our 2020/21 campaign.

In making their pledge, all our students will be invited via email to choose one of the three charities above to support; and we will make the donation to that charity on that students’ behalf.

Collect your free Host reusable water bottles

To help get off on the right foot with being environmentally friendly, we’re giving every student living with Host a free reusable water bottle as part of the campaign. The bottles come in a variety of colours and have been made from medium density polyethylene, which is 100% bio based and derived from Brazilian sugar cane ethanol, which has zero impact on the Amazon rain forest or food production. Students will be able to collect a bottle from their accommodation’s reception or common area upon making their pledge.

Stay up to date with the progress

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and check out our news page for the latest updates. We’d also love to know what changes you’re making and which charity you’re pledging to make the changes for. You can also share any of your own top ‘green’ tips with us – remember to use the hashtag #HostEnvironmentalPledge.

Do you want to be a green champion and help us on our quest to reduce energy and become greener? If you are passionate about the environment and want to get involved please email us at info@host-students.com – we’d love to hear from you!

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For the 2019/20 academic year, these charities were: BulliesOut, Planet Patrol and World Land Trust. And as we prepare to launch the 2020/21 campaign, we’re delighted to announce we will be donating £20,000 to these amazing charities.

Earlier in the year, our staff and students voted to support one of the three chosen charities named above; meaning the amount of money that each charity receives will be proportionate to the percentage they received in the vote.

Commenting on the donation, John Ripley, National Operations Director at Host said: “We are pleased to make this donation to three great causes. 2020 has been a challenging year for us all, especially for the charity sector who have seen numerous fundraising events and activities cancelled. We hope that this donation will help make a difference in supporting the wonderful work that each of these charities do within communities through the UK and around the world.”

On being informed of the donations, this is what our nominated charities had to say…

“We are incredibly grateful to Host for supporting BulliesOut through their fantastic Environmental Pledge campaign. This wonderful donation will enable us to support and empower more young people who have been affected by bullying, providing mentoring, skills-based activities and training; all of which will positively impact on their well-being and mental health. On behalf of BulliesOut, thank you very much!”

Host Marketing Team with Linda James, CEO of BulliesOut

“The generous donation from Host will have an extraordinary environmental impact. Not only will it allow 1,400 trees to be planted in the ground, it will also cover the cost of seedling nurseries, plot preparation and tree maintenance so each and every sapling can thrive. We would like to thank Host for supporting our mission to restore depleted habitats in Brazil, Kenya, Malaysian Borneo and beyond through our Plant a Tree scheme.” 

Photo credits: NCE and ©Fundación Pro-Bosque

“We are incredibly grateful that Host chose to support Planet Patrol through their brilliant Environmental Pledge campaign. Planet Patrol is all about using people power to drive change, so we are so thankful to all the students and to Host who support our movement. The donation will allow us to grow our clean up network and gather vital data on litter that pollutes the environment, so we help shape evidence-based solutions.”

A litter clean-up on the water way organised by Planet Patrol.

Stay up to date with the latest information about the 2020/21 #HostEnvironmentalPledge and our nominated charities via our news page and our social media pages –Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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With the final preparations underway to ensure the best possible living experience for our residents, we wanted to share with you a glimpse of our progress and how far we’ve come.

The development of 27 Magdalen Street so far

It’s hard to believe that in June 2019, our future 252-bed student development, was still a mere hole in the ground. But with the site cordoned off, machinery on-site and building work underway, there simply was no stopping us.

Fast forward to the start of 2020 and in the space of just seven months, the site had completely transformed. The three blocks of 27 Magdalen Street were now already standing tall and our on-site Marketing Suite opened.

In March, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we had to temporarily close the doors to our Marketing Suite. However, not even a pandemic could stop us from ensuring this development was on time for completion.

By May, the interiors were coming along nicely, and the kitchens were already being fitted. Not to mention the fact we were so excited to see our beautiful brushed steel signage go up on the front of the building.

How do things look now?

So, with six weeks to go until 27 Magdalen Street opens, we’re pleased to say that all three blocks (A, B and C) are complete. We just need to add all the final finishing touches such as furniture in the common areas and reception.

The exterior and courtyard areas are having the finishing touches made to them too, and our internal signage is up; so, you’ll have no problem finding your way around the buildings.

And as for the Marketing Suite, that’s reopened, and our management team are on hand and available for viewings.

Student life at 27 Magdalen Street

If you’d like to learn more about our student accommodation in Colchester and living with us, please contact us on +44(0)1206 700 970 or email us at colchester@host-students.com; we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also follow 27 Magdalen Street on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

If you can’t make it down to our Marketing Suite to see the accommodation for yourself, you can take a virtual tour below.

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At Southampton Crossings you can choose from severn room types with En-suite rooms starting at £144pw for a 51-week contract OR if you’re studying at the University of Southampton a 38-week contract is just £162.50pw and we’re just a 20-minute bus ride from campus too.

Feel like a bit more privacy? Then we have three studio room types to choose from starting at £190pw.

Why Southampton Crossings?

To start Southampton Crossings is situated right in the centre of town, meaning you’re in the perfect location for both the University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University (A four minute walk). You can shop ’til you drop at Westquay with all the high-street regulars including H&M, New Look, Hollister and Jack Wills. Or tantalise your taste buds at many of the popular bars, pubs and restaurants that guide you from Southampton Crossings through the town centre down to the waterside at Ocean Village.

Fancy staying in?

You can sit back and relax with friends in the common areas including a Karaoke lounge or enjoy some sunshine on the roof terrace. And if you’re feeling energetic, why not work up a sweat in the onsite gym? There’s even a top floor dining suite that you can book out for dinner parties with your flat mates.

Sounds good?

Find out more about living at Southampton Crossings and how to book your room.

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