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Kingsford Residence, managed by the Kingsford Group and located on McDonald Road, offers residents the opportunity to stay in a former Victorian school building which has been newly converted to form one of Edinburgh’s first operational Build to Rent developments. The apartments retain many of the original features of the building while blending them seamlessly with contemporary open plan living and modern fixtures.
Located in the area of Broughton, the Kingsford Residence on McDonald Road is within easy walking distance of all that the City Centre has to offer. Within the development we have a variety of communal spaces including the Club Room, Gym, the Bridge (dining/co-working space, which can also be hired for private event space), the Garden, and our Roof Terrace which offers spectacular views across the Edinburgh sky line.
Kingsford Residence, EH7 Reviews
Write a Review Upload PhotosKingsford Residence is a lovely place to call home
Kingsford Residence is one of the best equipped buildings I have lived in. While the flats are not huge, they are cleverly designed to make the most of every inch, and the decor is neutral and nice. The people who work at Kingsford are very friendly and maintenance is done quickly. There are also constant improvements to all shared amenities. Speaking of, the rooftop terrace, professionally equipped gym, and shared working spaces were all maintained to a high standard and are actually used by residents. Communication is good if there are any expected works/issues. Very regular cleaning, so the building was always in tip top shape. Would recommend to anyone!
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
Kingsford Residence is located in a vibrant part of the city with many delicious and independent restaurants & cafes nearby. Close to local shopping centers, New Town, and Leith. My favorite aspect of the location is the proximity to lovely walking/running/cycling trails that connect most of the city.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
Walking trails just across the road from Kingsford Residence connect you to the whole city!
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
There were several issues while we were there (curtains did not stay hung, washing machine and oven both had several issues) but communication was good, and the work was completed in a timely fashion.
Manager Response
Thank you for your review.
We are glad to hear that you enjoyed living at Kingsford Residence, and made use of all our on-site facilities as well as close by walk routes and green spaces.
Kind regards
Pippa
Definitely one of the best serviced apartments in Edinburgh!
The building itself has a lot of character and all of the spaces are designed really well and it was very comfortable to stay. I loved that it was always very clean and tidy. The bathrooms and cupboards also had so much storage space and I liked the rugs and the cozy feel of the apartments. Most of all, the people that live in the block were super friendly and would say hello when you walk past.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
The local area is really nice and close to Leith walk and broughton street which has lots of nice shops, bars and restaurants and such an easy walking distance to the city centre.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
None that I can think of that took me by surprise! But the gym was probably one of my favourites cause it was always fairly quiet so it was nice to workout in there. And I also never realised just how close it was to the water of Leith which was amazing for going on nice runs and walks outside.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
They were always super friendly, lovely and happy to help! I never had any issues at all during my time here. I didn’t know how to work some of the kitchen ovens and they came over on the same day and showed me how it all worked and even set my TV up for me which I was a little useless at doing by myself!
Kingsford Residence
The design of the building and the flats is smart and space efficient. Several clever features like the wet room toilet and shower combination, washer/dryer under the stairs, window between bathroom and kitchen for instance make the flat more comfortable and usable. The flat can get quite cold in the winter if the heating is not on, and this is due largely to the single glazed windows. This is something you have to deal with if you live in a listed building with original windows, and the flat is otherwise better than the average Edinburgh tenement at heating up and retaining heat.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
The residence is near to shops and restaurants on both Leith Walk and Broughton Street, which is convenient. The close proximity to green spaces like St Marks Park, the Water of Leith and the Botanic Garden are also a bonus. Public transport connection could be better as the only bus that stops outside the building is no. 36. Since no. 10 has started running down McDonald Road and the tram will get going on Leith Walk in June, this is set to improve quite soon.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
There is no indoor bike storage, which is a shame.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
The maintenance team has occasionally been difficult to get in touch with, and once issues are raised it can take a while to get done. However this has gotten better in the past couple months.
Highly recommend this apartment
The management team and the maintenance team are really professional and kind. They reply very fast and are very reliable. The staff are really friendly and helpful that I feel comfortable to ask for help when I am in need. I would highly recommend you to stay with Kingsford Residence.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
It is a quiet neighbourhood. And the nearest supermarket is 7 minutes away on foot. There is a bus stop 3 minutes away. I would say it is fairly convenient but having a car can make it even better.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
Super friendly to pets. The bridge is really nice for friend gathering parties.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
They respond very fast. Only one problem is the buzzer may encounter sometimes. But I understand the maintenance team needs to contact external teams to fix that. So it might takes longer
Manager Response
Thank you for your review.
We are glad to hear you would recommend Kingsford Residence, and I will be sure to pass your lovely comments on to the team.
Kind regards
Pippa
The nicest place I’ve lived in Edinburgh
The design of the building is very luxurious and like that of a hotel. I feel very privileged every time I walk through the main gates. The facilities available are really great and offer the building a friendly environment were you can meet and chat with other residents while you work in the bridge or grab a coffee in the club room. The property management is amazing and incredibly fast at responding to any issues within your flat and the building as a whole. We even have a Facebook group set up were residents can share invites to group events!
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
The local area is great! The building is close to many large and small supermarkets as well as a plethora of really lovely cafes and restaurants. The short walk to Leith walk allows the building a level of escape from the busy road but still quick access to all the major buses and soon tram route too.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
I wish we had known what furniture would already be in the flat when we moved in. I guess we never asked the question though.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
The online service is easy and quick to use. It allows for all problems to be dealt with online and through email, handy if your on a business trip!
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
We are glad to hear that you enjoy living at Kingsford Residence.
I will be sure to pass your comments on to the wider team.
Kind regards
Pippa
Recommended!
The development has a well-designed layout with modern facilities. The building management is responsive to our needs and takes care of common areas and facilities well. Overall, the development provides a comfortable and convenient living experience for residents.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
The local area has a good range of shops, restaurants, bars, and open spaces. There is convenient access to public transportation.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
One thing that would have been useful to know before moving in is the level of noise from neighbours.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
Building management response to issues quite fair.
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
I will pass your comments on to the team.
Kind regards
Pippa
Property/building management can be improved
Property/building management can be improved. Management takes awhile to get back to tenant in terms of maintenance eg. Wifi and toilets cabinet etc. Design of the building is modern, facilities are alright. One thing to improve is the lighting and heating in the gym, it gets too cold and dark at times.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
Quite convenient in terms of getting groceries, Tesco is about ten minutes walk, however not as convenient to get into city as bus 10 is not always on time. Location is alright, city centre is within walking distance.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
Building maintenance, wish I knew that the flat is not thoroughly cleaned before moving in, and the toilet cabinet is faulty but still not fixed after months.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
Building management usually takes awhile before addressing any maintenance needs and sometimes it just never gets addressed.
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
Sorry to hear about your experience with an unclean apartment – this is not normal as we have our apartments professionally cleaned between tenancies.
Kind regards
Pippa
Nice community feel
Building is very nice, clean, hotel feel. Gym is good and always empty, good equipment. Kitchen/bridge is well stocked. Needs an outdoor bike shed. Garden is nice and well managed. Staff are friendly and happy to help. Good post system. Roof is nice in good weather.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
Good location, near some good food places, near the bud routes, when the trams are built will also be nearby. Parking not an issue with a permit.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
That you have to pay a fee to have a pet which is a bit steep for smaller animals
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
Helped with getting to use the cooker and the heating system
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
I will be sure to pass your comments on to the team.
Kind regards
Pippa
Pricy but worth it!
Having four different communal spaces in the building makes such a difference and really impacted my choice to live here. The gym is fantastic, rooftop has awesome views (only really usable in summer though!) the communal lounge is great and the Bridge working from home space is so cosy and great for extra activities. The layout of the apartments themselves is nice, could do with a more thought out plan for the wardrobes. Having the mezzanine is not ideal for visiting guests but I knew that when signing up. Everything is modern and clean.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
Living just off Leith Walk is ideal to venture to local bars, shops and parks. The public transport around this area can be unreliable due to roadworks, but is easily accessible by walking. The primary school next door can get quite noisy, particularly in the working from home space. Can’t fault the location though!
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
It would have been good to know that the large wall mounted TV in the social lounge does not have any residence-owned streaming platforms or channels, so people can only use this space for movie nights etc if they use their own logins which many are reluctant to do.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
Yes, any time we’ve had a maintenance request it has been promptly taken care of by Fraser and the team.
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
The TV screen in the Club Room should be logged in to Apple TV as this is the streaming service we provide for residents use.
We will be hosting a range of different events this year which we hope to be popular for our residents, and we hope to see you there!
Kind regards
Pippa
Great spot and property management!
The building management is great, it’s well kept, tidy and clean. The staff are very responsive and helpful. The facilities are great, especially the gym. There are nice work spots too such as the bridge which are good for ‘work at home’ days. Having the Mail room near the entrance has been really helpful too, especially for deliveries when no one is home.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
The location of this property is great! it’s relatively quite central and close to the city but also a good distance away from all the busy crowd and is in a quiet peaceful road. There are nearby grocery stores, bus stops and cafes all within a walking distance.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
The property is nearby a school however the noise and traffic doesn’t seem bad at all.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
They‘ve always been quick to respond with any maintenance issues i’ve experienced and have been prompt with fixing it.
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
We are glad to hear you are making great use of all the facilities included at Kingsford Residence.
Kind regards
Pippa
Great location, beautiful design and various facilities!
The design of the building is beautiful, very modern and sleek. Great facilities in the building such as a gym, common room, the bridge and the terrace with amazing views. The building is always kept clean and very organised. The common room always has teas and coffees available for residents as well as a tv open for use.
Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:
In a very convenient location, very close to Leith Walk – great access to shops and transport. Supermarkets like Tesco and Lidl and only an 8 minute walk away. Very civilised area and clean area.
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
There is a school right next door, which can sometimes get a little noisy.
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
For any technical issues, the technicians are very helpful and try to help as soon as possible.
Manager Response
Thanks for your review.
I will be sure to pass your positive feedback about our on-site maintenance team to them.
Kind regards
Pippa
Resident photos
Facilities
Bike Parking
Central
Coworking
Garden
Gated Community
Gym
Lounge
Onsite Maintenance
Pet Friendly
Resident Events
Security
WiFi Included
