Twerton Mill, Bath

Dear Alix, Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review! It's always great to have feedback on our accommodation so that we can improve the service we provide year on year. We are delighted that you have chosen to re-book with us again and look forward providing you with a safe, well maintained and fun environment to live in for another year. Best Wishes, Ruth Bailes Assistant Accommodation Manager, Twerton Mill

I was part of the first cohort of students to live at Twerton Mill in September 2015. I lived in a seven-bedroom townhouse that was spacious, modern and equipped with everything a first year needed. On the ground floor there was the kitchen, with enough room for two ovens, two sinks, two fridge/freezers, a table that sat a minimum of 6 people, coffee table and mini sofa. There was also a bedroom and bathroom – an en-suite of sorts. On the first floor are a further three bedrooms which share a bathroom that had a shower and a bath. It is the same layout on the second floor, this is where my room was. All the rooms face the road which is noisy to begin with but you soon become accustomed to the cars and the railway, do not be put off by this, it is merely background noise. The bedrooms are all south facing so when the sun does decide to shine the room really lights up. There is a decent three-quarter bed, bedside table, desk, six drawers, a wardrobe and open cupboard space above the bed. I took my entire bedroom with me and it fitted, I do not recommend this as you do not need half of it, but it’s nice to know you won’t be living in cramped conditions. There are cleaners that come in to clean the kitchen and bathrooms, something that you do not want to be thinking about as a fresher. There are downsides to everything, and for me sharing a bathroom was not my idea of ideal but this is not an issue for everyone, the fridge space wasn’t enough – don’t do big shops, go shopping about three times a week and it will fit, no-one really used the freezer so take advantage of this. Other than a few minor issues I really enjoyed my first year and even though I haven’t had the experience of living in one of the cluster flats I would recommend any of the townhouses especially if you’re a home bird and like the feel of a house. As the housing in Bath is limited and can be a fight to get someone decent, I and a few friends decided it would be best to look separately for housing. For me, it was an easy choice, I would stay on at Twerton Mill. I reserved a studio flat in Block B, the biggest of the three. It has three windows and is on the corner of the building so slightly bigger than the rest and it is lovely – a real home from home. Again, there is a three-quarter bed, desk and six drawers, four open cupboards and a wardrobe. There is also that all important en-suite which just has a shower for all those bath lovers out there. The kitchen is small as excepted but it has everything one person needs. I have also used the mini sofa and coffee table to create a ‘living room’. I personally like living alone, I like my own space, so if this is your idea of hell then I would not recommend it. There are a few downsides, the kitchen has essentially only one cupboard for food, so again you cannot stock up on lots of dried goods, the fridge is half size and is plenty although the freezer is only good for its purpose, making ice - it is tiny. There are no cleaners so when you need to vacuum, and you will, you need to borrow a vacuum cleaner from one of the flats. My room is also on the corner with two external walls which means it can get a little cold but the radiator does come on at set times and I have a heater, this will not be the case with most of the flats but good to know. Just one of the many reasons why I stayed at Twerton Mill was the security, it is 24/7 and the men are lovely, they are there after a night out if you forget something or your key card stops working they will fix it straight away. The management are also a key part of the Twerton Mill experience, they are friendly, kind and always happy to help. They don’t just take in parcels they also celebrate important days such as Valentines, Pancake day and St Patricks to name a few as well as holding film nights, always supplying lots of food… There are no aerials, there essentially no ‘live’ TV, I say this because you can watch everything online. This is not a problem with 300 students using the internet at the same time because the WI-FI is super-fast and most importantly, free. You can have up to six devices, and in my 18 months has not let me down once. In terms of what is available to you on site there are designated smoking areas and benches for socialising. Past reception there is the very important laundry room with both washers and dryers. It is £2.80 for a wash and £1.60 to dry, this sounds a lot but the drums are massive, you can do all your bedding plus your clothes, which is obviously not recommended… Also available is a football table and lots of seating, ideal for studying if you don’t want to go into Uni, next to these are vending machines so if you need emergency chocolate, it is available! Location wise it is situated as the name would suggest, in Twerton, about 15 minutes on the bus from the main centre of bath and the same to Bath Spa University. If you attend Bath University then it is not ideal as you would have to get two buses. There are three buses available, the U6 which is the only bus to serve Twerton Mill and takes you directly to Bath Spa, the U5 that serves Bath Spa and town and the 5 which is the best bus to get from Twerton into the centre. Under the bridge and onto the High Street is a fish and chip shop (amazing burgers), a bakery, the Co-Op/Post Office, a McColl’s and a Chinese take-away (thoroughly recommended). There are downsides as there are with any place you live but I personally really like living at Twerton Mill and although more expensive than most student accommodation it is worth it for the security and staff alone. All the bills are paid for up front so no surprises at the end of the month or arguments over electricity and water bills. Ultimately, a wonderful place to live for your first year as well as your second and because I will be staying on for 2017/2018, your final year.

I have spent my first year at university here at Twerton Mill and it has been perfect! A real student atmosphere with enough freedom to feel grown up. The security have been fantastic and with many horror stories from other universities I have felt completely safe here, the management are super helpful and ready to lend a hand or even just to chat. The room is very spacious with a nice bathroom, the kitchen and shared area is big enough for the 5 of us to share. The sofa in the kitchen however is very small and disappointing. The route to university is easy, and getting into town is no hassle. I will be sad to leave this place!