Bristol accommodation

[stonecircle]

DH went with DS to an open day at Bristol a couple of weeks ago. They were both very unimpressed with the accommodation they saw. I was surprised as I'd expect universities to wheel out their best accommodation on open days.

DH has just been saying again that it was dire - and he's the family open day chauffeur so he's seen plenty over the last few years.

However, DS likes the city and the course so I'm just wondering if anyone else has any comments. It's also fairly expensive for what it is.

Also looking at Bath, Nottingham, Southampton, Sussex, York and Leeds. Any advice about accommodation at those places would be very welcome.

[homebythesea]

My DS just started at Nottinghsm. Their system is good because offer holders can apply for accomodation (type not particular Hall) from a certain date which takes the uncertainty out of the equation. He opted for catered to stay on campus But corridor style rooms do mean you have to be a bit more proactive in meeting people (as opposed to a flat) in the first few days.

[trufflepiggy]

I went to Bristol Uni fairly recently and my accommodation was a shit.

But it's the experience innit. They are shockingly expensive though.

I recommend the Stoke Bishop halls - they have a livelier buzz than the city halls. The city halls are a bit isolated and you will be limited in your friendship group unless you join loads of societies.

Everyone moves out to houses in second year anyway.

[trufflepiggy]

I went to Bristol Uni fairly recently and my accommodation was a shit.

But it's the experience innit. They are shockingly expensive though.

I recommend the Stoke Bishop halls - they have a livelier buzz than the city halls. The city halls are a bit isolated and you will be limited in your friendship group unless you join loads of societies.

Everyone moves out to houses in second year anyway.

[blueskyinmarch]

Trufflepiggy what accommodation were you in?

[Dunlurking]

We only visited the Stoke Bishop halls at an open day last year. Loved them and the surroundings. Expensive but nice to be in a quiet pretty location. Wills was especially Oxbridge like, as said upthread.

[bojorojo]

Wills was cheap! Shared bathroom between 4 I think and a shared room. I think DD had the cheapest deal in the whole university! Wills quad is basic and if you want en suite and new you will have to pay for it. Wills hall students know they will like it. They know they will make friends so that ticks more boxes than furniture that probably arrived when the hall was built and the fact that DD kept her shoes in the fireplace. Yes the tiles were old and veined in the bathroom and the bath was nearly as old as the building too. If you can put up with that, and plenty do, then it is fun and relatively inexpensive. The food came from the same suppliers as DDs school, but the Wills cooks were less skilled! DD would not have wanted to be anywhere else though and as I have said, if you boarded, it is not a problem. If it will be a problem, choose a modern hall.

[GrumpyOldBag]

Fatowl we must have been at Bristol around the same time. In those days Wills was men only, right? Assume they are all mixed now.

[Bobochic]

There is a massive variety of accommodation at Bristol and some of it is severely overpriced. My DSS1 started off at Favell House and it was truly horrible and everyone in the whole hall was pissed off because they had all wanted Goldney. DSS1 managed to move to Goldney at the beginning of his second term and was very happy thereafter.

[IminaPickle]

This reminds me of the episode of Friends where Rachel drops a University course because of the parking.
The only criterion for choosing accommodation is
•safety- not over occupied or in a really dodgy area
•cost
•ease of making friends. I wouldn't want my DC in the most luxurious convenient cheap studio.

[GrumpyOldBag]

At another University Open Day we went to where there was a huge range of accommodation at different prices, the student showing us round said the most expensive accommodation tended to be chosen by foreign students, who spent all their time working, so not good for social life.

[Bobochic]

Accommodation full of hard working international students is great for the social life of hard working international students!

[Scribblegirl]

I was in Hiatt Baker in 2007/8. Yes it's scruffy as hell and I wasn't dreadfully keen on the storage heaters rather than radiators, or the windowless bathrooms and kitchens. But I had a fantastic time and the warden and staff made sure that you had all the essentials working and wouldn't come to any harm. Personally I think it's a bit of a rite of passage to be in slightly dodgy accommodation - we moved to a falling down Victorian number in 2nd year and lucked out to a beautiful conversion in Clifton Village in 3rd year. Totally agree with pickle that friends, safety and cost are the priorities.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Frankly the worst of the student halls we've looked at would beat hollow a lot of student flats - no drips, no mould, no mice....

(I'm pretty sure Hiatt-Baker was being refurbed when we visited in June. So it's probably great now)

[Questionsmorequestions]

Hyatt baker sc hall is now lovely but very expensive. Over £6000 a year.

[bojorojo]

That is not expensive for a lovely hall! Look at prices in London if you want to see expensive halls!

[trufflepiggy]

Bluesky -CHH