Leeds is brilliant. I'm coming to the end of my first year and would really recommend it. You said you didn't like the look of it - if you are talking visually then, yes, there are some bits of it that aren't that attractive, but there are also some bits that are. It's the same with any city.
There are at least 4 HE establishments in Leeds so there is a MASSSIVE proportion of students. This makes it very student friendly and often quite cheap too. The night life is always buzzing too, for this reason.
Are you looking at Uni or Met? I'm at Uni and can really recommend it - it's a great campus and there's always lots going on. The societies and clubs are brilliant and the Student Union is one of (if not THE) biggest and best in the country. Academically, it's a well respected and high performing university with a lot to offer.