I'm currently in the process of applying for PhD's, and have decided that if it comes down to it, I'll go for a friendly atmosphere in the lab over project title. Am I right to do this? What are other students' views on this?

I wold go for the friendly lab anyday! Some labs can have a really bad working environment and it will be a nightmare to do a PhD in them. Don't go for a project that you are not interested in at all - but if it is a choice of am amazing project in a horrible lab or an Ok project in a nice lab - go for the second one. You have to spend 3 years there... interest in the topic alone is not enough to get you through it....

FindAPhD team, what do you think? Thanks!

go for a project that make sense
and has reliable background and objectives

We didn't answer this one because it's probably a matter of opinion.
A rule of thumb would be don't do a project which you have little interest in just because you like the people. Equally don't work with a bunch of Nazis just because one day you might get a paper in Nature.

muahahaha...i just got turned down for an amazing project in my home institution, with a really friendly supervisor, and great department. i think my institution is trying to get rid of me because i was unsuccessful for 3 different Phd schemes here. i have a first and a masters with distinction. annoyed and i would have preferred to stay here, but strangely have been accepted by cambridge now, to work in a horrible lab with some seriously good but serious postdocs. well, if it doesn't work out, then i will try and write up an Mphil, and reapply.

I worked as a research assistant in a lab in Oxford. The institute I was in had a great reputation and looked good on my CV but it was a nightmare working there because of the people. I felt so sorry for my friend who was doing a PhD there - she was misrable!

i started my PhD but i have to stop because of unfriendly people. they smile at you and behind you muuuu.

In my experience a PhD is a fairly solitary affair regardless of the size of your research group and mine is certainly no different from a job. Therefore it matters far more that you are interested enough in the subject matter to sit alone and think about it for years than what people in the lab/office might be like from 9-5.

Hi guys. Thanks for all your help. It's really good to get a second opinion on matters like this. And congratulations FindAPhD team on creating such a fantastic site!! To describe it as helpful would be an understatement!