hey there kaps,
everyone doing med or vet at ucd via atlantic bridge lives in merville...it is apartment style....it's about 95% 4 br apts and there are 5 or 6 apts with 5 bedrooms....each apt has 2 washrooms. they do supply all of the cookware, cutlery etc, but when i arrived last fall most of it was missing and the place was a mess. they do replace everything by the end of september, so if you can hang on without buying new pots etc, that's advisable. mind you, you'll need them later on anyway and they aren't that expensive at tesco. you get a pillow and duvet in your bedroom. you'll want to buy an extra pillow probalby, cheap just about anywhere, particularly basement of arnott's on henry st (good bargain basement for sheets, towels etc).
there's a centra store right in merville which sells just about everything you'll need except bus passes. you can top up your mobile phone there, buy all your food, cigarettes, most common medicines, etc.
the rooms aren't that bad at merville....it's dodgier than most north american residences but it's not that bad. as for rules, if you read what is on the lease, it sounds pretty bad. they say no alcohol is allowed, which is a laugh (not enforced AT ALL), and they also say no overnight guests (also something i never saw enforced). i know plenty of people who had friends visit from home and sleep on the floor, or boyfriends/girlfriends staying over 5-6 nights per week without any trouble. i think the only way you'd get busted on that is if you had tightass roomates who ratted you out. as long as everyone is ok with it, i really don't see how you could have a problem. no phonelines in the apartments or internet access. you can access the wireless network on your laptop in the laundry room (which is in the glenomena student residence a short walk away) or in the graduate school of business building, which is also a short walk away...
if you have anymore questions PM me or e-mail me...
