Bristol

Bristol is located in the South West of the UK but it has great transport links throughout the country. It also has an airport close to the centre. Combining city and countryside living Bristol is one of the most popular cities for Londoners looking to escape. This Area Guide gives you an overview of this city and some of the best places to live in Bristol. Including, reviews from residents who own or rent in Bristol. 

4.55
Average Location Score

Excellent

69%

Very Good

22%

Average

7%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Bristol

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

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Colourful terraced houses in Bristol

Getting Around

Bristol is the wealthiest, happiest city in Britain, according to a survey by MoneySuperMarket. It outperforms other cities in terms of economy and quality of life. With the completion of the Bristol Arena, the high-speed rail reducing the time to London and the transformation of the harbourside, there is a lot going on. The city is made up of a series of areas, each of which has its own unique character.

Best places to live in Bristol

The top place to live in the city is Clifton. To live here you need plenty of spare cash, but if you love original Georgian homes this is the place to be. Redland is also a popular area and slightly more affordable. Both Clifton and Redland are popular with young professionals and are near Clifton Village which offers restaurants and independent shops. Clifton is the default option for many would-be movers with its architecture, shops, schools and outdoor space.

best_places_to_live_bristol_bench_overlooking_docks

If you want to be more central then explore the once-derelict Floating Harbour which is the heart of the city. With views of the harbour, the SS Great Britain and to experience Bristol maritime history this could be the location for you. Heading south towards the centre you will find a number of new developments. Spike Island, previously former docklands can be found between the Floating Harbour and the Cut. Here you will find Steamship House and Wapping Wharf one of the newest waterside developments, which are both great places to rent in Bristol.

“The area is well equipped with pretty much everything you need, lots of small independent shops and restaurants.” Andrew, Verified Resident of Wapping Wharf

“I like the location as it is easy to get around by foot. I dislike the fact that if I had a car there would not be any space as there is not enough car park.” Kristin, resident of Steamship house

Bristol Suspension Bridge at dusk

Outside of the City Centre

Further out Emersons Green and Downend are areas located just a couple of minutes from each other. Each offer easy access to the centre – 20 minutes in the car, 30 minutes by bus or 45 minutes cycling. Popular with families these are great suburbs with excellent schools. Each of which have access to the motorways and the ability to quickly escape to the countryside. Horfield is a good safe neighbourhood which offers plenty of great shopping and local produce. The commute to the city centre is within easy reach only a couple of miles away.

Hanham is perfect for families and the quiet life but closer to the centre than Emersons Green and Downend. But, a great place to rent in Bristol nonetheless and the property prices reflect this. Whilst there are not many new developments in this area you can find the Paintwork Apartments on the waterside just off the Bath Road between Hanham and the centre.

“We love that our children can play around this place and that we do not get to worry so much about them.” Nick, Verified Resident of Paintwork Apartments

Featured developments in Bristol

Paintworks Apartments, BS4

Paintworks Apartments, BS4

Verve
4.08 (14 reviews) 4.08 (14 reviews)
The Eye, BS2

The Eye, BS2

The PG Group
3.64 (7 reviews) 3.64 (7 reviews)
Finzels Reach, BS1

Finzels Reach, BS1

Cubex
4.58 (10 reviews) 4.58 (10 reviews)
Wapping Wharf, BS1

Wapping Wharf, BS1

Umberslade
4.20 (11 reviews) 4.20 (11 reviews)

Reviews in Bristol

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Excellent modern living

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Ideal location. Well connected and close proximity to train station and shopping quarter. Conveniently located above a sainsburies and cafe. Free gym membership and wifi which easily saves you at minimum £60 a month. On site bin storage is really ideal, with minimal hassle.
The only negative is that it’s not very cost efficient to have a car, Parking is pricey.

Please review your development:

Excellent place to live. Friendly staff. Good value for money when you consider wifi, gym and facilities. Flats are ultra modern, with good high quality furniture. Really ideal location for anyone who wants to travel in and out of Bristol. Also excellent as staff are able to take parcels and store parcels 24/7

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It’s very expensive to park your car here, or in the surrounding area.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Really quickly, without hassle. Super easy process to get things fixed.

5
Facilities
5
Design
3
Location
4
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Hi Anthony,

Thank you for your wonderful review.

We’re thrilled to hear that you find our place excellent for living, with friendly staff and great value for money. It’s fantastic that you appreciate the included amenities such as Wi-Fi, gym access, and facilities. We’re glad you enjoy our ultra-modern flats and convenient location for traveling in and out of Bristol.

We greatly appreciate your feedback on the area’s pros and cons, including its ideal location and convenient amenities. We understand your concern about parking costs and will take this into consideration.

Thank you for sharing your positive experiences with us. We look forward to continuing to provide you with exceptional service.

Kind regards,
The Box Makers Yard Team

Staff is fabulously helpful

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

It’s a fabulous area , access to the train station and downtown Cabot Circus , halal food / grocery areas all nearby on Old Market street – buses running regularly. Lively with students and residents.

Please review your development:

I found BMY online and was looking for something modern, smart living options- in house plumber/ electrician, Double doors security system and it definitely has a modern aestheic interiors. Staff is fabulously helpful – Mickal always on his feet doing his best to sort issues for residents/ students. Parking is available too- dinning rooms for hire on short notice even. Quite safe building in comparison to living options available in Bristol. They keep having events, yoga classes, small smart shopping options, craft mornings. V popular with Middle East residents- at par with modern day facilities.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Someone else could not view the property on my behalf – I was sure that this place isn’t real ,thinking it must be a scam when trying to get in touch with Lettings. But when I did arrive- it was definitely real. Wish my flight was a little peaceful thinking that the place is definitely real despite checks online –

You read so much online about housing scams for students – so when we got here to my suprise we got a nice welcome : keys ready: tour given access Fobs given. Start living!

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Mostly responded v swiftly and impeccably- either on email or in person. Every time- I have not faced any issues that the staff could not resolve – starting from a missing envelope to dishwasher malfunction , a light bulb change or parking space swap, lost keys , or locked outside your own door: Front Deak Staff ( Mickal and Villus , Haley )are really helpful and understanding- and really do sort problems as soon as possible .

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Hi Khan,

Thank you for your positive review!

We’re thrilled you’re enjoying our modern living options and amenities. Mickal and our team are dedicated to providing top-notch service. We’re glad you feel safe and appreciate the convenience of our location. Your feedback is invaluable, and we’ll work to improve the viewing process.

Thanks again for your feedback!

Best regards,
The Box Makers Yard Team

Very good facilities in the development

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Perfect location, parking can be issue but overall it is a really good place to live. Building is quite new and has good facilities.

Please review your development:

Very good facilities in the development with reception open every day. I like a location of the development. A garden roof is a nice place to relax although it would be good if opening hours were longer.
I also really like that a gym on the ground floor is open 24 hours.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It would be good to know there are socials organized.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Any problems I raised were looked into. There was always someone at the reception if I needed to talk to someone. Michal was a very friendly and helpful person.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Hi Sylvia,

Thanks for the positive feedback!

We’re glad you enjoy our facilities, and we’ll consider extending the garden roof hours. The 24-hour gym is definitely a plus. We understand parking can be an issue, but we’re committed to providing a great living experience in our new building.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Best,
The Box Makers Yard Team

Great if you want to live near a city but not in it

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Let’s start with the good…There is a retail park on your doorstep with an M&S, The Range, Costa Pets at Home, B&Q and a gym within 2 min walk (the one in the building is very disappointing). The community are really nice (not everyone but for the most part). It is easy to get out to the mendips and is close to the airport. Unfortunately, it is the lack of transport links and then even worse lack of parking that really lets this development down. The apartments themselves are well insulated from outside noise, retain their heat well and are sturdy. When we moved it we were told there would be communal BBQ areas built but there is really only 1 area and it isn’t officially a BBQ area, the residents just use it as one. There is petty vandalism of cars around the area which links me back to the lack of parking.. Unless you are lucky enough to be able to rent or buy a space under the building there is no where safe to park your vehicle at night. Also the bike storage is a joke as many bikes get stolen or you go to find you are missing a tyre in the morning.

Please review your development:

I think the design is interesting, functional and safe but they didn’t quite finish off the building and the carpets could definitely do with being changed. The outside area of the complex is great and was perfect during lockdown as it felt like our own personal park. We are lucky enough to look out on the pond/lake and seeing the ducks, annual heron and even the odd otter has been delightful. The apartments themselves are basic and allow you to put your spin on the place quite easily which we liked. The management company are useless (that is probably still being too kind) but the staff that work in the grounds are really nice and polite and try help as much as they can.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish id know just how terrible Urban Splash were going to be at getting back to me about fixes (we have been living with non-working bedroom lights, a leaky shower and a dented front door for 4 years).

What is the best feature of your home:

We live in one of the “penthouse” apartments and we save a ton on heating. The insulation ensures we never need to put the heating on and in the summer we can open our massive sliding door and keep ourselves cool.

2
Facilities
4
Design
3
Location
4
Value
1
Management
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