Trying to decide between the traditional dorms and the luxury dorms? Living in a Luxury Dorm is similar in many ways to living in the traditional dorms: you live in a true dorm with other UF students, in fully furnished rooms where one check pays for everything. But Luxury Dorms offer many advantages that traditional dorms do not:

1. The Biggest Rooms
   -Luxury dorm rooms are up to 60% larger than traditional uf dorms.
2. No Sign-up Date - Reserve Now
   -UF supposedly lets you choose any traditional dorm you want, but most students will find out their preferred dorm is full before their housing sign-up date. With the luxury dorms, you can sign up now!
3. Newly Built
   -The luxury dorms are much newer than the traditional dorms, and they feature unmatched amenities such as wall to wall carpeting and a complete furniture package
4. You Choose: Private or Shared Bathrooms
   -Have a bathroom to yourself or share with only your suitemates. In most traditional dorms, you share a bathroom with 35+ people
5. The Full Dorm Experience
   -You’ll enjoy social events where you’ll meet other UF students, have on-site pool and laundry facilities, and still be just steps from classes, restaurants, libraries, etc
6. Professional Roommate Matching
   -Luxury UF Dorms provide a professional roommate matching service that’s not available in traditional dorms (which use random assignment by gender only).
7. Closer & Less Expensive
   -Don't let the word "luxury" fool you - the luxury dorms are actually cheaper than the traditional dorms! They are also closer to classes than most traditional dorms so you can sleep in late and skip the bus!
8. Rates Start at $399/mo
   -Traditional dorms start are $568+ up
9. Protected Environment
   -In the Luxury Dorms, you’ll be in a safe and secure environment with an on-site Community Director
10. Assigned Parking
    -Parking near UF campus can be a nightmare, but the Luxury Dorms offer assigned parking, just steps from UF campus

Do yourself a favor and reserve a Luxury Dorm now: Luxury UF Dorms Reservation

Note: For more information about the UF double dorms, check out this site: UF Dorms

Double Rooms Described, by Luxury Dorm Complex

Double Dorm Rooms
are the “typical” dorm style and the most common assignment for
University of Florida freshmen students in traditional dorms.
Luxury Dorms vary from the traditional dorms in that the rooms are
significantly larger, newer, have luxury amenities (such as an improved
furniture package) and often have attached bathrooms and kitchenettes.
Doubles are ideal for students who do not want to have their own room,
would prefer the social atmosphere of a double, or have a smaller
budget. Doubles are significantly less expensive than single
suites. In luxury dorms, placement into the chosen floorplan is
guaranteed with signed housing agreement (as opposed to placement in
the traditional dorms, where dorm preference and room style are not
guaranteed).

At the Ivy House,
each Double room comes equipped with 2 closets (or one closet and a
built-in drawer set), pedestal sink, 2 bed sets, 2 desk sets, window,
mini-blinds, and pre-installed ceiling fan. All rooms include central
a/c and plush carpeting. Bathrooms are located on the hall, shared with
rooms next door. Bathrooms come equipped with jetted Jacuzzi tubs,
showers, and large vanities. Bathrooms are cleaned daily by a maid
service. The Ivy House is female-only. There are 4 styles of doubles at
Ivy House, where the main difference is size/square footage; the
smallest is the Drawer Stack Double, then the Select, the Elite, and
the Premier.

At Windsor Hall,
there are three sizes of Double Suites, and each double suite has it’s
own attached bathroom and kitchenette. Students can choose between the
doubles, which vary in square footage. The Double Suites include 2
captain’s beds (with built in drawers), 2 built-in closet, 2
mattresses, 2 desk sets, window, blinds and ceiling fan. The attached
kitchenettes include a medium sized fridge with separate freezer,
microwave, sink, kitchen countertop and cabinets. The attached
bathroom includes a sink, full-size bathtub and shower, and toilet.

At the traditional dorms (Broward, Jennings, Rawlings), each room comes with 2 beds, 2 dressers, 2 desks, 2 chairs and 2 built-in closets. Depending on the floorplan, the community assigns rooms by gender, either by room, by wing or by floor. There is one common area with a kitchen which includes a microwave, sink, stove and oven. There is one common bathroom area on each floor or wing for all the students. Placement into these dorms or the room style a student selects at the beginning of the housing application process is not guaranteed. Roommates are assigned by random roommate matching.

Comparison Chart: Double Room, Luxury Dorm vs Double Suite, Traditional Dorm

Quick Facts

• Air-Conditioned? Yes. Ivy House and Windsor Hall both include central air-conditioning.


• Co-Ed?
  
  
  • Ivy House: female-only dorm
  
  
  • Windsor Hall: 2 buildings. One is female-only; the other is co-ed by room.
  
  


• Located walking distance to UF classes? Yes.


• Located walking distance to UF dining halls? Yes.


• Night manager service on site? Yes. Will perform lock outs, answer noise complaints. 24 hour emergency also available.


• Bathrooms:
  students should consider if they would like to share a bathroom or have
  their own private bathroom. Bathroom style chosen on housing agreement
  is guaranteed.

Photos and Virtual Tours

Photos			Virtual Tours
			Windsor Hall Double w/ Bathroom & Kitchenette Ivy House Double Broward Double
Windsor Hall Double	Windsor Hall Exterior
Ivy House Double	Ivy House Kitchen & Dining Area
Ivy House Foyer	Ivy House Living Area
Ivy House Exterior	Click on image to see UF Traditional Dorms

• To view additional Ivy House photos and virtual tours, visit the Ivy House website.


• To view additional Windsor Hall phtotos and virtual tours, visit the Windsor Hall website.

A few incoming freshmen have asked what their options are for housing both on and off-campus. Several questions have been posted about off-campus dorms and how those work, so I thought I'd give a quick summary.

Types of Dorms:
* On-campus dorms - publicly owned and university managed dorms for students
* Off-campus dorms - privately owned and privately managed dorms for students

Examples of on-campus dorms for UF Students:
* Broward Hall
* Beaty Towers
* Trusler Hall
* Hume Hall (honors)

Examples of off-campus dorms for UF students:
(there are only two in Gainesville):
* The Ivy House - female only, luxury dorm

* Windsor Hall - 2 buildings (one is co-ed, the other female-only) luxury dorm

Suite-Style Dorms:
(attached bathrooms)
* Windsor Hall Off-Campus (guaranteed placement with housing agreement)
* Hume On-Campus (no guaranteed placement with housing agreement)
* Beaty Towers On-Campus (no guaranteed placement with housing agreement)


What is an off-campus dorm?
Off-campus dorms are one of the two types of dorms available for UF students. Even though they are considered "off-campus" dorms, they are actually located closer to many of UF classes and libraries than many of the dorms that are technically ON campus. They are also walking distance to sororities, inter-mural sporting events, club meetings, etc. They are called "off campus" because they are not owned by the state. They are private entities which are professionally managed, and they offer completely different structures than the on-campus University of Florida dorms. They should probably be called "near-campus" or "nearly-on-campus", but they are commonly called "off-campus dorms".

UF's On-Campus Dorms: how do they work?
It's important to remember that on-campus housing is run on a LOTTERY SYSTEM which means that there is NO GUARANTEE that you will actually receive housing on-campus OR that you will receive your dorm preferences. On your housing preferences, you will decide which of the following 3 things is most important to you. Choose from:

(a) Living with your request roommate (if not A, than receive random roommate assignment)
(b) Living in one of your requested dorms (placement into one of these dorms is not guaranteed)
(c) Living in your requested room style: single, double or triple (placement into style is not guaranteed)

Students who say that living with their requested roommate is most important are less likely to receive the style and dorm placement (Beaty, Broward, Hume, Jennings, Lakeside, etc) that they request. It's important to keep in mind that these are preferences and not get your heart set on these requests. Many students are terribly disappointed when they receive their Fall housing assignments in July. Getting your heart set on your preferences just sets you up for disappointment later--- especially since most students request the same dorm placements.

It's also important to keep in mind that you are lucky if you get housing placement on-campus at all, because it is not guaranteed, even after you send in your housing agreement. With over 10,000 students admitted and less than 6,000 on-campus single-student dorm spots, you can see that many students must be turned away each year. And that 10,000 includes the non-air conditioned dorms!

Off-Campus Dorms: how do they work?
These dorms are newly-built, luxury dorms for UF students which offer apartment style dorms or single, double and triple dorm suites. All dorm rooms have air-conditioning, luxury bathrooms, gourmet kitchens; additional amenities (like private bathrooms or Jetted Jacuzzi bathtubs) vary deciding on which floorplan and dorm you choose to live at. All off-campus dorms offer luxury amenities and luxury services, for students who are looking for their best housing option. One of the most important distinctions for UF students is that there is NO LOTTERY with off-campus dorms. That means that when you sign your off-campus dorm housing agreement, you are GUARANTEED placement into both the dorm AND the room style that you request.

For many students, this is one of the top advantages of the off-campus dorms: you can have the peace of mind of knowing that you are getting exactly what you request in off-campus dorms. If you sign up for a single dorm room, you are guaranteed placement into a single dorm room. If you sign up for a double dorm room, you are guaranteed placement into a double dorm room. They offer a social, luxury setting where it’s easy to meet other UF students, and yet quiet enough to study and relax after a long day of classes.

If you are interested in an off-campus dorm, it's important to sign up early (just like on-campus). Because they only sign as many housing agreements as there are rooms, and because the luxury amenities create a lot of demand for off-campus housing, it's important to sign up early, while spots remain available.

"I am applying to UF for Fall 2012. When should I apply for housing? How do I know which to housing to sign up for?"
For both on and off campus dorms, it's important to apply and make your reservation as soon as you apply to the University of Florida. For on-campus dorms, your housing priority date is based on your housing application date (which means that delaying to sign up could cause you to be placed in a non-air conditioned dorm OR to miss out on receiving housing all together). For off-campus dorms, it's even more important to sign up early, because there is such higher demand for the nicer off-campus dorms. Remember that off-campus dorms are often closer to UF classes than on-campus dorms, they are the same price as on-campus dorms but up to 40% larger than the on-campus rooms, with guaranteed placement into the choosen floorplan. Most students who check out the specifications and amenities for both on-campus and off-campus dorms choose the off-campus dorms (with Windsor Hall specifically being their favorite choice). Therefore, Windsor Hall fills up faster than any other dorm. Be sure to research early and make your reservation as early as possible. Many students make their reservations in November and December, for Fall 2012 move-in.

"I was accepted to UF for Spring 2013. What dorms can I live in during Fall 2012 if I want to come up to Gainesville with my friends who were accepted for Fall?"
This year, a large number of students who applied for admission in Fall 2011 at the University of Florida were accepted for Spring 2013 instead. No matter when you start, what's most important is that you were accepted to UF, one of the best colleges in the nation-- Congratulations! Many of the students who were accepted to Spring 2013 at UF have decided that they want to move up in the Fall 2012 semester so that they can become familiar with Gainesville, join clubs, participate in student events (including UF FOOTBALL games-- woo hoo!). One option is to take classes at the local community college (Santa Fe) in the Fall and transfer those credits over to UF in the Spring. That's a great choice. Unfortuantely, you will not be able to move into any of the UF on-campus dorms until Spring 2013. However, you do not technically have to be attending classes in the Fall 2012 semester in order to live in the off-campus dorms. Consider all your options, and congratulations on your acceptance to UF!

It's already time to begin making your final housing decisions for Summer B 2012, Fall 2012, and Spring 2013!

Most of you have probably thought, "I got into UF, now what? Where will I stay?" With so many things to think about and so many options to choose from, it looks like a lot of incoming UF students have TONS of questions about their housing options. Choosing the right place to live is definitely a priority, but a lot of times this single decision is made without much information, photos or advice from current University of Florida students.

There are many different kinds of dorm styles with so many different environments to pick from. Depending on the dorm style and type you choose, you could be assigned at random and live with a new person OR you could choose the place you live in, and if you have a friend (or friends), live with them! Traditional campus dorms don't let you choose where to stay or who to stay with- but LUXURY dorms do. Dorm choices vary in styles and floorplans. Some dorms are carpeted, while others aren't. Some dorms are set up to be a very social environment, while others are set up to allow for privacy and quiet.

Use the info below to get started on making a final decision on your UF housing choice. I'd recommend starting with the link Best dorms for incoming UF freshmen.

Other Dorm Info:

Some places are affordable and others can probably make you wonder if the cost is really worth it. Location is another important factor to consider in choosing which dorm you want to live in. There are some dorms less than half a block away from the area where UF classes are usually held, and some are as far away as being on the other side of campus from classes. Some dorms have amenities and features that others don't, so it's important for you to have the information you need to make the right decision.

Some people like living in a very social environment, while others prefer more time to themselves. Some don't mind sharing a bathroom with 30 other people while others prefer their own bathroom. Hopefully with the information I've provided, you'll be able to make smart decisions and find the perfect fit for you in choosing where you'll live during your time at the University of Florida. Go Gators!

As part of an upcoming series, I'll be posting questions and answers from University of Florida students about which is the best UF dorm rooms for freshmen who want single or double suites.

It may suprise you. There is no "best" dorm or apartment for all UF students; it varies by student personality and priorities. For some students, the best housing choice is an on-campus dorm. For other UF students, an off-campus dorm (those located right next to campus and under the independent management) is a better choice. Off-campus dorms in many ways provide better services to residents, better guarantees on availability, assignments and preferences, and often: better amenities and bigger dorm rooms. Some answers include:

The Best Options:


Windsor Hall Dorm - (luxury dorm) the only dorm where you are guaranteed placement into a Single room with an attached bathroom. For those who want the social environment of living in a double room, Windsor is still a great option for three reasons: 1) Windsor's Double dorm rooms are much larger than the traditional UF dorms like Broward, Rawlings and about 2x the size of Beaty. 2) Each Double has an attached private bathroom. 3) Need even more space? Choose their Large or X-Large Doubles. They're huge.

Choose Windsor Hall if you want: * Guaranteed placement into your preferred dorm room style * Biggest double dorm suite at UF * Attached private bathroom * Attached kitchenette * Best deal (same price as Broward and Jennings, where you share a bathroom with 35-40 other people)

Windsor Hall Detailed Info: * Windsor Hall photos & tour * Virtual Tours on website * Photos on website * or visit the Luxury Dorms for UF students page



The Ivy House Luxury Dorm - (luxury dorm) the only option for students wanting to live in a female-only dorm. The Ivy House is located on UF's sorority row and offers Single, Double and XLG Triple dorm rooms. One of the most popular features at Ivy House are the bathrooms, because they contain private, Jetted Jacuzzi Bathtubs.

Choose Ivy if you want:

* Last female-only dorm at the Unversity of Florida
* Upscale bathrooms. They're huge, have jetted Jacuzzi bathtubs and daily maid service. Not bad for a dorm bathroom, eh?
* Maid service. Daily in the common areas.
* Live on Sorority Row.

Ivy House Detailed Info:
* Ivy House photos & tour
* Virtual Tours on website
* Photos on website
* or visit the Luxury Dorms for UF students page

Biggest Double Dorm Suites at UF



Windsor Hall Luxury Dorm - has the largest size double dorm suites out of any that the University of Florida students can find. Unlike the other traditional dorms, the students are guaranteed placement into the largest size (the XLG Double Dorm room suite) when they sign, provided that they sign up before they are fully reserved for Fall. For floorplans, visit the Windsor Hall - biggest double dorm suites and view the X-Lg Double Suites with attached bathrooms

Traditional Dorms: (best dorm if you can't get one with air conditioning) As I explained, the best fit varies by personality and needs. For some (especially those who have severly limited budgets), Thomas (which has NO a/c) is fairly cheap and a great option. But a few more dollars per month can get you far better dorm room placement for Fall 2011. Though all are acceptable, the worst ones aren't nice at all (some don't even have air-conditioning). And remember: housing preferences on UF campus are NOT guaranteed for on-campus dorms. You could request a Broward and be placed in Thomas. In fact, there's no guarantee that you will be placed in any of the dorms you request. Be sure to read the on-campus housing faq here before signing up! * Most commonly requested on-campus dorms: Beaty Towers, Hume, Broward, Jennings

Several of the dorm options are not actually owned and managed by UF or the state of Florida-- which means that they cannot place you in temporary triples and must guarantee you placement when you fill out your housing agreement (or lease). The only two options which offer these features are Windsor Hall and Ivy House-- which make them two of the best choices for dorm rooms for UF students and especially for incoming freshmen.

For more information, visit: * Luxury Dorms for UF Students

UF recently revamped their housing system. In the past, you would put down your housing preference and UF would assign you to a room of their choice. However, since there is very limited space in the most requested traditional dorms, most people wouldn't get the dorm they wanted.

Now you can choose any room at any dorm. Sounds great, right? Here's the problem - there are still the same number of dorms available, and still the same amount of students requesting them. Unless you had a very early housing sign-up date, you're pretty much out of luck.

Statistics from UF webpages for traditional on-campus dorms:

• UF accepted 10,900 students but only has space in on-campus dorm rooms for 5,200
• Becuse of this, on their UF room sign-up day, many students will log onto the UF housing portal and see “No rooms available”
• Historically, most freshmen request the same 5 dorms. Since those dorms can only house a small percentage of students, most students will find that the preferred on-campus dorms are full before their room sign-up date.
• 1100 students will be placed into ‘Late Applicant Triples’—double-sized rooms with three people stuffed inside
• 300 students will only have the option of dorms without air-conditioning
• That means 1400 students or 27% of those living on-campus will get sub-standard placement

Bad news, right? Well here's the good news:

You can sign up now for the Luxury dorms! Reserving a dorm is easy:

Luxury UF Dorms Reservation

1. Go to the Luxury UF Dorms website and determine which luxury dorm is right for you.
2. Call the Luxury Dorms Office at 352.376.6223 or Reserve Online.
3. Make sure you mention whether or not you have a UF Housing Contract. If not, you're good to go! If you have a contract, the Luxury UF Dorms Office will assist you in dealing with that.

Make sure you reserve your luxury uf dorm soon! They're the best uf dorms available and they're going fast!