Review: BaseCamp Copenhagen — a quick room in the inner city

The privately-owned BaseCamp Copenhagen offers something more like student ‘homes’ than student rooms, and this is reflected in the rent that is at the upper end. On average, the furnished rooms with own toilet, bathroom and kitchenette cost approximately DKK 6,500 a month.

On the other hand, it is quite easy to get a room, as the residence hall has no particular admission requirements.

SEE THE FULL ‘DORMS DISCLOSED’ UNIVERSITY POST SERIES: Reviews by student residents of dorms and residence halls in Copenhagen

»You can study whatever. As long as you are active in a study programme, it is fair game,« says Simon Stilling, who is employed as a ‘base manager’ on the site. »There is not even a waiting list. If you book the room, it is yours.«

Soldiers barracks’ vibe in the inner city

BaseCamp Copenhagen actually has several locations, but the most coveted is the one that is in a converted barracks in the inner city. There’s »a bit of a soldiering vibe about it,« says Simon Stilling.

»Many people don’t even understand that this is a residence hall. They think it’s some kind of office building or factory,« Simon Stilling explains. The building is listed as protected due to its historical importance.

»It’s not built the way you would normally build a student residence. But it has so much charm over it.«

Instead of soldiers, the building is now home to approximately 500 students in 463 rooms with training rooms, laundry facilities and its own cinema. You can hardly not be satisfied with the residence hall’s location just across from the National Gallery of Denmark.

»It is super-central. I’m absolutely certain that people book this because of the location.«

Diversity

It is mostly exchange students that choose to book a room at BaseCamp Copenhagen. The residence hall exploits this international profile by doing ‘Culture Nights’ inspired by their residents’ country of origin. Most recently, the theme was Italy with wine and pasta.

»It brings people together,« says Simon Stilling.

»That’s probably also why you choose to live here instead of in an apartment somewhere – to learn something from the others. We want this diversity. We want to exploit the fact that there are a lot of people here with different nationalities as a positive.«

The residents also get to know each other in the large communal kitchens and at the monthly Friday bar. But BaseCamp Copenhagen is not a party dorm.

»Of course, we encourage people to go to parties and have fun. But this is not the only thing it is about,« says Simon Stilling. »You can easily have social activities that are not about alcohol.«

The dormitory also organises other activities for this reason, like yoga, bathing in the harbour and film nights. And if you are still unsure what to do, you can always write to your ‘buddy’, someone who you are assigned when you move in.

[This review has been written by a student reporter at the University Post.  If you want to write an English-language review of your dorm write to uni-avis@adm.ku.dk and mark it ‘Dorms Disclosed’]

READ ABOUT OTHER RESIDENCE HALLS AND DORMS HERE: Student housing reviews: Dorms and residences in Copenhagen