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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Bristol accommodation - Culver House

101 replies

Maggiethecat · 20/08/2022 09:29

Dd got Culver House which although described as being in the west village, with most residences in Clifton, it seems as if some are in Park St which is near the centre (and would I think be more within east village).

It seems a bit confusing. Does anyone have any experience of Culver House?

www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/about/residences/culver-house/

OP posts:
Original poster
Maggiethecat · 21/08/2022 22:46

Can I check if most rooms come with single beds? I noticed for student packs that they provide linen for 3/4 beds and wonder about the likelihood of that at Bristol?

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 21/08/2022 23:18

@Maggiethecat DD had a 3/4 in OH. Had fantastic storage underneath. Culver looks quite similar.

Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 08:38

@mumsneedwine - I’m glad I checked! I may hold off buying duvet and fitted sheets.

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Crikeyblimey · 22/08/2022 08:49

DS was in Culver House this last year. He had a really good time. His was a flat of 5 with a decent sized kitchen / social area. It’s very central for both the Uni buildings and all the bars and clubs (and shops). A very short walk to lovely green spaces for hanging out with a picnic.

his bed was a single. Room was a bit small but judging by how much bloody stuff he brought home, clearly large enough! There were 2 toilets and 2 showers between the five of them.
There's a really good bike store in the building, nice communal areas (cinema room - well big tv and loads of sofas etc.). They all moved out a bit early for summer (and got a nice refund) as the property was being refurbished, so hopefully it’ll be all new and sparkly this year.

He’s sharing a flat for second year just round the corner (five mins) from there, so must like the area.

Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 09:10

@Crikeyblimey - Great that your son had a good time. I’m surprised that she got it, it was her second choice I think but was preparing for her getting lower choice offered.

I wonder if there are affordable facilities for storing stuff over summer?

OP posts:
Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 10:05

Called the accommodation office just now and they say all Culver rooms have double beds 🤔

Would be nice to get duvet and bed linen sorted but think will just wait.

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Crikeyblimey · 22/08/2022 10:26

How odd! Could be that they’ve changed them to doubles during the ‘refurb’?? Not sure there’s have been room for a double in DS’s room though! If it helps, we did get him a double duvet, so it was just bottom sheet and mattress protector that was single.

mumsneedwine · 22/08/2022 10:59

@Maggiethecat I'd get double duvet and flat sheets anyway. V likely to have a double from 2nd year as most rented houses seem to.

Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 11:39

@Crikeyblimey - that's what I thought too re the refurb but I would have thought space was an issue. The accommodation page for Culver currently says all beds are single size!

@mumsneedwine - you're right! I'll get double duvet anyway as likely to be double later on and it will drape over bed better too! will wait until we get there to buy fitted sheets.

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 22/08/2022 11:40

There's a v handy IKEA next to the v large Tesco as go into town from M4.

Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 11:45

That is good to know!

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 22/08/2022 12:00

@Maggiethecat feel like I should now meet you for a coffee in Bristol and give a guided tour 😂😂.

Original poster
Maggiethecat · 22/08/2022 12:04

Lady I spoke with earlier just emailed to say she was wrong and that the beds are single 😆 Will still get double duvet though.

@mumsneedwine - more like some wine by the time we get her down there! 😂

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Xenia · 22/08/2022 16:43

had 3 children at Bristol but all in year 1 in Stoke Bishop h alls. On bed size one had single bed year 1 and year 2 and 3 in 2 different student houses double and 3 quarter! for year 1 I just had the twins take their bedding off their beds at home which I think hardly anyone does but was cheap!

vegang · 22/08/2022 16:47

The top of Park St pretty much is Clifton, lots of students live round there, it's a nice area, really easy to get into town, bars restaurants and shops nearby and clubs etc

AnnaGB · 23/08/2022 17:28

Anyone have any recent experience of The Courtrooms? Some mixed reviews on student forums. It’s in the town centre, we drove past it when visiting but haven’t been inside.

TizerorFizz · 23/08/2022 19:08

It’s Deluxe! So no doubt expensive. It’s in the centre and not in Clifton. So up the hill to the university but near the bars!

mumsneedwine · 23/08/2022 19:15

@AnnaGB DD had friends there who loved it. V sociable and good location for bars and Uni. Round the corner from College Green.

GoldenTobes · 23/08/2022 19:30

Need some positive words about Hiatt Baker hall, please. My daughter had hoped for self catering and en-suite and ended up with a basic room with sink and half board. The photos of the rooms and shared bathroom look a little dire. She's feeling quite disappointed at the moment.

Bathrooms are shared between 9-12 students, does anyone know how many toilets and showers that would likely be? Not that it matters just interested

Xenia · 23/08/2022 19:38

Hiatt Baker is near Wills Hall where 2 of mine went (and Churchill where another went) and my children had friends there who had a good time. I would not worry about not getting exactly what the GoldenT daughter wanted. In Wills my son was in a block of 9 rooms in the oldest part, all boys and on his floor was only a bath (no shower) and in his bed room a sink in a cupboard which looked like it had been installed in the 1930s, the shower was on a floor below. He had a lovely time. It seems to be the people really rather than the room that makes it good. His twin at Churchill at the same time near by had a room half the size of the Wills room in a block so awful as it is small it is known as "shanty" as in shanty town but again it was one of the best years of his life because of the people.

When we took my daughter to Wills she did not even have a definite place and was on a waiting list but they said turn up as every year a few people back out at last minute - she thought she might have to go into something shared - I cannot remember now but on the day it was fine and she got a nice room in a new bit.

All 3 of mine wanted catered halls in year 1 as they felt they would meet more people that way (the food was very good). I know students want all kinds of things which are different from each other however. I was very disappointed in year 1 of university to get self catering halls (as I insisted I would not share a room which at my university was very common in those days) but again it was fine.

GoldenTobes · 23/08/2022 20:22

@Xenia thank you and I'm hoping she'll meet people and the room will become less important.

It's good to hear they thought the food was good, I always felt catered was a good option (though my daughter was adamant she wanted self catered) I had catered in my first year of university and it was one less thing to think about each day. There are some sample menus on the website which look good to me

Thank you

mumsneedwine · 23/08/2022 20:24

@GoldenTobes HB is big & DD says v sociable. The room becomes so much less important once they are there. Take battery fairy lights, a small rug, some cushions and loads of photos in clip frames. It will feel cosy and home before you know it.

NCTDN · 23/08/2022 21:42

I thought that Hiatt baker looked posher than others! DD has got one of the newer ones in Wills and it’s en suite so she’s been really lucky. @Xenia do you know what storage is in the rooms?

GoldenTobes · 23/08/2022 22:03

@mumsneedwine some good ideas, thank you, I've added them to our list!

Xenia · 23/08/2022 22:07

In the new part of Wills I just cannot remember as my daughter is my oldest so she went 14 years before the twins. It was newer than her brothers huge old room by the quad. I would guess it had a wardrobe and some shelves and a desk but not very sure. In general people should take what they feel comfortable with. Some people want to take more things than others do. My daughters took more clothes than my sons did.

Biggest item taken was older daughter took her horse in year 2 or 3 and used to drive out to the next county at the crack of dawn to muck it out where she had found stables on her own - that is not a typical Bristol experience!