If you are searching for the Cube in Bolton, you have probably already seen the glossy photos and the "modern student living" headline on three different booking sites. What is harder to find is a straight answer: is it a good place to live, who is it actually for, and is the price fair for what you get?
This guide answers that. The Cube sits at 87 Bradshawgate, right in the middle of Bolton town centre, and it is a purpose-built student building managed by Propeller Ventures. It is a short walk from the University of Bolton and a few minutes from Bolton's train and bus interchange, which is the part that matters most if you study in Bolton but want Manchester on your doorstep. Below we cover rooms, real pricing, the area, transport, food, safety, and how it stacks up against the alternatives.
Quick overview of The Cube
| Detail | Information |
| Location | 87 Bradshawgate, Bolton BL1 1QD |
| Nearest university | University of Bolton (about a 14-minute walk) |
| Also serves | University of Salford, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan (by train) |
| Transport | Bolton Interchange and Bolton railway station, roughly 6 minutes on foot |
| Property type | Purpose-built student accommodation (en-suites and studios) |
| Room types | Classic En-Suite, Premier En-Suite, Classic Studio, Premier Studio, Deluxe Studio |
| Price (2025/26) | From around £140 to £165 per week, bills included |
| Best for | Bolton students, and Manchester-area students who want cheaper rent |
| Student rating | 4.2 out of 5 from 53 verified reviews |
| Nearby | Bolton Market, Bolton Museum, Octagon Theatre, The Light cinema, Victoria Square |
Why students pick the Cube
The honest pull of this place is location plus price. Bolton town centre is compact, so almost everything you need sits within a ten-minute walk: supermarkets, the market, banks, the gym, takeaways, and the station. For first-years who do not want to deal with buses every morning, that simplicity is worth a lot.
The second reason is cost. Bolton is one of the cheaper places to study in Greater Manchester, and the Cube reflects that. You get an all-bills-included studio for less than you would pay for a shared en-suite in central Manchester. For students who are budgeting carefully or sending money home, that gap adds up across a 46 to 51 week tenancy.
The third reason is the building itself. Rooms are en-suite or self-contained studios, there is an on-site gym, a 24-hour concierge, communal spaces, and fast broadband throughout. The concierge point comes up a lot in reviews because it covers the small daily stuff: parcels, a lost key, someone on the desk if something breaks.
Room types and what is inside
The Cube runs five room types, and the names tell you most of what you need to know.
Classic and Premier En-Suite rooms give you a private bedroom and bathroom with a shared kitchen for the flat. These are the social option and the cheaper one. If you want to meet people without trying too hard, an en-suite flat does that for you by default.
Classic, Premier and Deluxe Studios are self-contained. You get a double bed, a private bathroom, study space, and your own kitchenette, so you never have to negotiate fridge space with five other people. Studios cost more, and they suit postgrads, couples, or anyone who studies late and values quiet.
Every room comes furnished with a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair, under-bed storage, and central heating. Rent is all-inclusive, which means electricity, heating, water and Wi-Fi are already in the weekly figure. There is no separate utilities bill to forget about in February.
The Cube Bolton prices
For the 2025/26 year, rooms generally started at around £140 per week for an en-suite and climbed to roughly £160 to £165 per week for a premier studio, with most rooms landing somewhere in between. Tenancy lengths ran from about 46 to 51 weeks depending on the room.
A few things worth knowing before you commit. Studios can be booked for dual occupancy for an extra weekly fee, which can actually make a studio cheaper per person if you are happy to share with a partner. The Cube also runs a guarantor waiver scheme through Leap, so international students without a UK guarantor can still book. Prices and availability shift through the year, so treat these as a starting point and confirm the current rate for your exact room and dates before you pay anything.
Location and getting around
The Cube's address on Bradshawgate puts you in the part of Bolton where things happen. Bolton Interchange and the railway station are about six minutes away on foot, and that single fact is the building's strongest selling point. Trains to Manchester Victoria take around twenty minutes, which is why the Cube also works for students at the University of Salford or the Manchester universities who want lower rent than the city centre charges.
The University of Bolton campus is roughly a fourteen-minute walk, so Bolton students can leave for a nine o'clock lecture without setting three alarms. Buses run frequently from the interchange if you would rather not walk in the rain, which, this being Greater Manchester, is a fair amount of the time.
Food, cafes and the area
You will not go hungry in central Bolton. Bolton Market is a short walk and is genuinely good for cheap fresh food and a proper lunch, especially the food hall. Bradshawgate and the surrounding streets are lined with takeaways, chain coffee shops, independent cafes, and a decent spread of restaurants covering the usual student budget range.
For a break from studying, the Octagon Theatre and The Light cinema are close, Bolton Museum is free and underrated, and Queen's Park and the Jumbles Country Park give you green space when you need to get out of the town centre. It is not Manchester's nightlife, but Bradshawgate has the bars and the Friday energy if that is what you are after.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Central location with the station, shops and food all within a short walk
- Lower rent than Manchester city centre, with all bills included
- On-site gym, 24-hour concierge and secure access
- Guarantor waiver option, which helps international students
- Strong review average (4.2 out of 5) for value and management
Cons
- The town-centre setting near bars means some weekend noise, depending on your room
- Bolton is quieter than Manchester, so heavy nightlife people may commute out a lot
- Studios are noticeably pricier than en-suites
- If you study in Manchester or Salford, you are paying in train time and fares every day
- Address details vary across listing sites, so always confirm the exact entrance and contact
Safety and management
The building has secure access throughout, CCTV, and a 24-hour concierge, which is the main reason parents tend to relax about a town-centre address. Reviews consistently rate property management and internet well, and the on-site team handling parcels and maintenance is a recurring positive. As with any town-centre location, normal city sense applies at night, but the controlled entry and staffed reception make the building itself feel secure.
How the Cube compares to nearby options
Bolton's purpose-built student market is small, so the real comparison is usually the Cube versus university halls versus commuting from a cheaper Manchester suburb. University of Bolton halls can be slightly cheaper but offer less in the way of studios and on-site extras. Commuting from Manchester gives you big-city life but eats your budget in rent and your time in travel. The Cube's pitch is the middle ground: private, managed, central, and affordable.
If you are weighing Bolton against Manchester or Salford accommodation more broadly, the deciding question is simple. Do you want to live where you study, or live cheaply and travel? The Cube is built for the first answer, and it is a reasonable fallback for the second.
Realistic expectations
This is comfortable, practical, well-managed student housing in a working town centre. It is not a luxury tower with a rooftop pool, and the marketing language on some booking sites oversells the "vibrant" angle. What you are actually getting is a clean, secure, all-inclusive room a few minutes from the station at a fair Bolton price. For most students, that is exactly the right trade.
FAQs
Where is the Cube in Bolton located?
The Cube is at 87 Bradshawgate, Bolton BL1 1QD, in the town centre. It is about a 14-minute walk to the University of Bolton and roughly 6 minutes from Bolton's railway station and interchange.
How much does the Cube Bolton cost?
For 2025/26, rooms started at around £140 per week for en-suites and reached roughly £160 to £165 for premier studios, with bills included. Prices change through the year, so confirm the current rate for your room and dates.
What room types does the Cube offer?
Five: Classic En-Suite, Premier En-Suite, Classic Studio, Premier Studio and Deluxe Studio. En-suites share a flat kitchen, while studios are fully self-contained with a private kitchenette.
Is the Cube Bolton good? What do reviews say?
It holds 4.2 out of 5 from 53 verified student reviews on StudentCrowd, with location, value and management rated well. The most common positives are the central setting and the responsive on-site team.
Are bills included at the Cube?
Yes. Electricity, heating, water and Wi-Fi are included in the weekly rent, so there are no separate utility bills to manage.
Can international students book without a UK guarantor?
Yes. The Cube offers a guarantor waiver through Leap, which lets eligible students book without a UK guarantor for a small included fee.
Which universities is the Cube near?
The University of Bolton is closest. The University of Salford, University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University are all reachable by train, usually around 20 minutes to Manchester.
Is the Cube Bolton in a safe area?
The building has secure entry, CCTV and a 24-hour concierge. It sits in a lively town-centre spot near bars, so expect some weekend noise, but the controlled access makes the property itself secure