Experience in Bath, United Kingdom by Jaya

What is it like to live in Bath? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I've lived and studied in Bath for two years and next year I will finish my degree there.

I can honestly say that it's a fantastic city. There is very little crime, gorgeous views, lots of greenery, lots of places to go out, museums, cinemas, parks and a lot of shops. I'd say it's great for students. Everything's within walking distance (except the university, for me).

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What is the student lifestyle like in Bath?

It's good. There are loads of places to go out: cheap cocktail bars, cafes like Cafe Nero and Costa, decent-priced restaurants like The Cosy Club and the Jazz Cafe, five or six nightclubs with student nights every day of the week (The Second Bridge, The Weir Lounge and XL are all the main nightclubs) and there are loads of things to do that don't involve spending much money, too.

How much does it cost to live in Bath?

As I'm from Birmingham, I'm used to things being a little bit cheaper than they are in Bath, especially on nights out. Entry fees are quite high but if you've had predrinks you won't really need to spend a lot on drinks throughout the night. So, in short, it's not too bad!

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Bath? Is there any advice you can give?

Not difficult at all. The main student area is Oldfield Park which is also where most of the cheapest accommodation is. However, last year I lived by Alexandra Park. It was just a ten minute walk into town with a park at the top of the road. Nice and quiet and the neighbors didn't mind us having people round, just as long as we were courteous about it (not as loud as a nightclub etc).

In my second year I went through an agency which was a bit of a hassle; I got locked out of my room and they wanted me to pay £110 to get someone out to fix it (luckily my window was open so I just climbed back in through there).

In the first year I was in private accommodation as well but we didn't go through an agency. This was the cheaper option and the couple who owned the house were incredibly helpful with everything (if we got locked out, they'd be round in 15-20 minutes to let us in free of charge and when our shower stopped working, they didn't take it out of our deposit but fixed it free of charge as well).

Either way, make sure you know the fees and charges beforehand and don't be afraid to fight for your deposit at the end as the agencies are always reluctant to give you back the whole deposit because we're students and they tend to think we'll just put up with it and shut up. But if you provide evidence for why you should get your whole deposit back, they usually give it all back.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

The food is all regular food, really. The Jazz Club do a full English Breakfast (and a veggie version of it) up until mid-afternoon and it's surprisingly good for a hangover!

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• The Cosy Club do regular food at around the price of Nando's food but we usually go there for the atmosphere. If you're sitting on the balcony in the evening with some friends and some drinks and it starts to get cold, the staff come outside and give you blankets! :) Nothing is too much for them; they're very attentive and polite.
• You can get Jamaican cuisine in Turtle Bay. They don't do many vegetarian dishes but the best one is a butternut squash bread thing! I'm not sure what it actually was but it was absolutely delicious! However, Turtle Bay is usually where we go for predrinks because all cocktails are two-for-one after 10pm! Apart from that, it's just the usual: Nando's, Pizza Express, Subway, McDonald's open until 4am and the Real Italian Pizza Company (then the Real Italian Ice Cream Company for ice cream to die for).

What places would you recommend visiting in Bath?

• The Roman Baths. It really is fascinating, the more you discover about the Roman Baths. They're right in the middle of the city next to Bath Abbey and even more beautiful at night!
• The Royal Crescent and Victoria Park. Ok, this one might be obvious seeing as it's one of the few things Bath is known for but it's definitely a great place to go with friends. In front of the Royal Crescent is a small park (divided into two: one half is for the people who live there and the other half is for the rest of us) and on a sunny day many people gather there to chill out. As for Victoria Park, it's a perfect place for a good old-fashioned barbecue! Loads of room for football and rounders and whichever games take your fancy!
• Alexandra Park is the park that I lived about ten doors from and it was lovely to go up in the evening with some hot chocolate, mostly because it has the most beautiful view of Bath. It's just breathtaking and you find you can just sit there and watch the city come to life during the day and rest peacefully at night.
• The bookshops - I won't go into all of them but there are so many to discover, tucked away in little streets around Bath.
• Crazy Golf. Ok, this sounds pretty lame but it's actually loads of fun! Especially if you've got a fantastic forfeit for the loser. On a sunny day, it's really busy. There are groups of students, families, couples etc. It's a good way to spend a few hours and it's only £4 for students.

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Is the nightlife good in Bath? Where is good to go?

• The Second Bridge in the centre of town. It's the main student nightclub in town and the student nights are on Mondays and Saturdays. It's just your average sticky-floored nightclub but it's got a good atmosphere.
• The Weir Lounge. It's a bit dangerous to get to for those of you in high heels but it's definitely worth it when you get there. Good music, loads of people, good range of drinks, stages to dance on and poles to test your core strength haha!
• The Nest is at the top of town. Not a lot of students know about it so it's a nice place if you want to get away from the university bubble for a bit. Or, at least, the freshers-on-campus bubble. Very hipster, the music isn't really my thing but the bar upstairs is great and sometimes they play live music.
• Komedia! The Big Cheese (a night dedicated to cheesy music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and some of the latest tunes) was one of the best nights out I've ever had! It's set in an old theatre, so when you walk in, it's like walking into the 1920s; the architecture is still almost exactly the same but it's a nightclub instead. Komedia do loads of other things during the day and night too if a nightclub isn't your scene!

What advice would you give future students heading to Bath?

I would say: go for it!

It's a gorgeous city and not too expensive if you're fairly good with handling your money. Loads of places to go during the day and night - some free, some cheap, some fairly expensive. There's a whole range of things to do if you're ever bored and great people everywhere to share experiences with!