Is this the world’s most expensive and luxurious student accommodation?



Most students, certainly in the United Kingdom, are happy to reduce their living standards a notch or two as long as they enjoy their time at university and gain the degree that they have spent years studying for.

Halls of residence often consist of cramped single rooms containing the very basics - a bed, desk, sink, cupboard, and if you’re lucky a shelf or two.

Shared kitchens resemble a crumb-fest, with toast crusts strewn across grubby tables and washing up piled high in the sink like a game of Jenga.

But student life in London doesn’t have to be like this - if you’re willing to pay £21,000 (Dh116,980) a month.

Five newly refurbished apartments and a three-bedroom triplex in Mayfair’s Fountain House are being marketed by the property agent Wetherell as “London’s ultimate student pads”. The triplex is thought to be the city’s most expensive.

“Some wealthy overseas students in Mayfair from the Middle East, North America, Asia and Africa can afford to pay over £2,000 per week for luxurious apartments in Mayfair,” it said.

“These students can rival City workers and advertising directors (the other obvious tenants for these luxury pads) and have generous six-figure allowances which enable them to shop on Bond Street, eat at Scotts on Mount Street and enjoy nightlife in elite venues such as Annabels, 5 Hertford Street and Whiskey Mist.”

The two-bedroom apartments are available from £2,250 a month, while the triplex is £5,250 per week. One of the apartments has already been snapped up by an American fashion student, according to Wetherell.

Fountain House is a nine-storey building, originally built in 1935, and takes its name from the adjacent Joy of Life fountain in Hyde Park.

The apartments have been developed by Criterion Capital and the lush interiors come from Alexander James Interior Design.

The two bedroom apartments have woodstrip flooring and mood lighting, integrated Miele appliances in the kitchen, while master bedrooms have deep carpets so students will have to remember to take their shoes off.

Figures from the Government’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reveal that there are 107,000 international students studying in London, 40,000 from continental Europe and 67,000 from the rest of the world.

The largest group of international students come from China (18 per cent), followed by students from the United States (9 per cent).

ioxborrow@thenational.ae

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Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

SPECS

Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now

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Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox

Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900

Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder

Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km

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Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50

Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)

The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV

Power: 360bhp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh282,870

On sale: now

England's lowest Test innings

- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887

- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994

- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009

- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948

- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888

- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018


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