Bristol University Accommodation

[Doublethecuddles]

DD has accepted a place at Bristol, we are in Scotland and won’t have a chance to have a look around. Looking for recommendations for accommodation. On the website they all look good but would like some personal experiences.
I am slightly surprised how big some of the flats are.
Thank you

My dd was in University Halls which are one of the cheapest. It was functional but grim! Sharing 5 to a flat which was ok but this was in lockdown so they couldn’t really mix with other flats. I think it’d be fine in normal circumstances but it was very basic. In comparison, next door was Wills, which was like Hogwarts and super-nice.

Mine was at Orchard Heights. Loved it. V sociable, walkable to Uni and many other halls, and flats are bright and modern. Not cheap though !

Have had 2 go through Bristol. One in Hiatt Baker - townhouse of 8 - downstairs was open plan kitchen living room, upstairs 4 bedrooms on two floors with 2 bathrooms on each floor - so each bathroom shared by 2 people. These halls were more modern - guess 2000s? Other was in Durdham - flat of 6 - en suite bedrooms with a kitchen/ living room. The halls in Durdham were older - guess 1980s/1990s. Access to same bus service to get down to university. Both were happy with where they ended up. They both chose north village for the outdoor space. If sporty then some sports facilities are in north village.

Goldney also had gardens and is walkable to the university. It’s in Clifton village area.

Orchard Heights is closer to the university but it’s uphill to get there! And it’s quite a steep hill. But we viewed this accommodation on open days and it was nicer than some of the other city centre halls.

if you look on TikTok there are various videos of the different halls that might help.

Mine was in Hiatt Baker, the cheapest shared flats. Facilities were good, and the free shuttle bus into town was good too.

A friend was in the independent halls in town and found it not as friendly.

Ds was in one of the smaller Clifton halls (Richmond terrace) a couple of years ago. A bit grotty but reasonably priced and an excellent location- and close to the triangle and uni buildings so good and convenient for lectures/labs too

@FanSpamTasticits a small hill compared to St Michael’s ! 2nd years in Redlands get good strong legs 😂

Ds was in New Bridewell. Large modern block. City centre, Self catered, en-suite. 6 students per ‘flat’ with large kitchen diner. Up Christmas steps to Uni. He found it very comfortable and enjoyed his year there. He got on well with his flatmates, they shared a house in 2nd year too but his close friendships were all mainly formed from his course mates.

Wherever they end up they’ll enjoy. It’s a v sociable place !

My ds has just come out of st Michaels hill. He loves it, very close to the centre and lectures.

One of the cheaper options, but he didn't have to take a 30 mins bus ride to get to lectures

My dd was in Goldney and loved it - easy walk to her department and city centre, lots of employment opportunities in Clifton and nice, sociable atmosphere. Many of her closest friends still, 6 years post graduation, were the ones she made in her first year. She still flatshares in London with 2 of them.

Daughter was here . It was perfect for first year. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/about/residences/hiatt-baker-hall/

The North Village halls are very social with them all intermingling. Close to the downs for sports and lazing. Free U1 bus around town to uni and for nights out with last one back at 4am.

All the halls are v sociable with them all intermingling 😊. City hall students got to SB and vice versa.

Mine was in orchard heights. Convenient to walk to lectures, and city centre. Next to what we affectionately called the ‘piss stink car park’

I was allocated Northwell house (shared flats down in St Andrews) when I was there in the early 2000s .. it was where they seemed to put all of us state school kids. The private school kids all seemed to be put together in the big halls in Clifton back then! Hopefully a bit more integrated now? We did have a ball at Northwell house though..

Biggest first choice is Stoke Bishop or not. My 3 who went to Bristol all wanted Stoke Bishop catered halls. It was easy to get into the city centre but much nicer out there - Wills hall even has its own chapel and sports facilities and was base don an Oxbridge college as the man who built it had a son who had failed to get into Oxbridge. I had 2 at Wills and one at Churchill next door. none of mine had to share a room. When my son was at Wills he as in the quadrangle bit and there were about 9 boys from bottom to stop 3or 4 stories - he had a sink in his room (which looked circa 1930) and a toilet and a bathroom with bath on his top floor, the shower was floor below. Food was lovely.

@BobLobla Did you look inside Wills??? It’s ultra basic in places.

My DD shared a bathroom and the kitchens are toast and tea places. It’s catered of course. However it’s very sociable and she made good friends there.,

DD did “share” in Wills as her flatmate had to go through her room to get to her door. Very few are shared and she didn’t get a basin. Food was ok but they might have improved it. The food company was the same as dd had at school but the end result wasn’t. Hopefully kitchen staff have changed.

Boarding dc and private dc like the catered halls. Not much Bristol can do about that and they are used to sharing bathrooms so Wills and Churchill are ok.

Think most students are used to sharing a bathroom 😂.

@mumsneedwine Huge numbers don’t want to at university as they are not sharing with family members. This is why most modern halls have en suites. It’s the market and most dc don’t share with 5 other 18 year olds at home.

DS was a late entrant so had to take what he could get and was in new Unite student accomodation. Everything was lovely and the communal areas fab, but his room was tiny and very expensive, but then all accomodation in Bristol is.

@3pointmountain That’s why dd had a shared room! The university halls operated by Bris are better value. Unite are more central and some students like that. A friend’s DS was keen to get boozing! City centre halls tended to be favoured by those who want what the centre offers handy!

DD was in Manor. She loved being in Clifton. The halls had a kind of girls' boarding school vibe which she really liked, and made some very fast friends.

Hiatt Baker is nice. Not the cheapest but none of the halls are cheap really

Wherever they end up they’ll love.