So the College of Winterhold has nice quarters for the Arch-Mage.

The Companions have a room for the Harbinger.

The Dark Brotherhood Listener has a Master Bedroom complete with a Mannequin.

What does the Guildmaster of the Thieve Guild get? Becoming Guildmaster is one of the longest, most drawn out things to do in the game and once you are there you get no room or anything? I thought at least the Nightingale hall would be restored and I could use it, but it's still in ruins. Do you really get nothing other than a tribute chest, or am I missing something. I mean where do I even sleep?

From what I remember, your bed in the cistern gets upgraded with a privacy screen and that's about it.

Helga lol

You get the privacy screen even before you become guildmaster... so yeah.. you get the tribute chest that's....about....it.

Weaksauce

Can you go live in Mercer's old house in the city, or does that have unsafe containers and respawning mercenaries?

That would be perfect, but I've read that it isn't safe.

I really hate having to become Thane in Riften to get a place to actually live, since Thane is the opposite of what the Thieves Guild is about. Sure I could role-play that it's my 'cover', just like Blackblair pretends she's rooting out the thieves guild for the jarl. Just seems off that the other faction leaders get something. Maybe Bethesda meant to upgrade Nightingale Hall but never got around to it. ... wonder if there is a mod for that...

I'm pretty sure they respawn. Honeyside is my favorite home for my thief characters anyway, but I think a secret ratway entrance from Honeyside would be a nice reward.

Me too. I went back at one point to make sure I had gotten the Dibella Statue and I'm pretty sure the mercs had respawned. Plus, it's not listed as a http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Category:Skyrim-Places-Safe on UESP.

Edit: Also, it's not easy to get in and out of.