Southampton accomodations

Don't know if it is true, but,I've heard the restaurants are a bit pricey in the UK. Is it always best to book your room with meals included? Breakfast? Breakfast and dinner?

We're thinking of the Mercure Dolphin in Southampton and they offer rooms with or without the meal(s).

What do you think?

Pubs offer best value, but there's a good range of pubs & restaurants within very easy walking distance of the Dolphin, which is in the heart of the old town.

These are just examples:

The Red Lion, historic & atmospheric pub, a couple of hundred yards away.

http://theredlionsouthampton.com/Food.php

the Standing Order (a Wetherspoon's pub), just a hundred yards away

http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/food/menu/breakfast/breakfast-9

The web menu is unpriced, but expect to pay £5 to £10 for a main course

The Duke of Wellington, just round the corner - another historic pub, the menu & setting are more "restaurant" than pub

http://www.southampton-pubs.co.uk/dukeofwellington/menu.htm

The Platform Tavern, known for its live music

http://www.platformtavern.com/food.html

Restaurants close by include :

George's is just round the corner. Almost a Southampton institution, its been around for years. unpretentious & rather bland surroundings but excellent food & value

http://www.georgesrestaurant.co.uk/single.html

La Margherita, on Town Quay. These prices are about average for restaurants - as you'll see they're more expensive than pubs.

http://www.lamargherita.co.uk/menus/

Lots of pubs & restaurants in the "in" place, Oxford Street

http://www.oxfordstreetsouthampton.co.uk/

Very few nearby options for breakfast, just a couple of workmens' cafes, so do breakfast in the hotel.

But stax of options for lunch, snax, dinner, so spread your wings & try a few.:)

JB :)

Edit: BTW, the Dolphin is an excellent choice. Most other hotels are modern clones - perfectly acceptable, but oh so bland

Edit: BTW, the Dolphin is an excellent choice. Most other hotels are modern clones - perfectly acceptable, but oh so bland

I take your point, JB - I've spent a lot of boring nights in Travelodges / Premier Inns - but they do work and are often reasonably priced. As regards the Dolphin, I've never stayed there but, having driven past it often in busy streams of traffic, I've wondered that it might be a bit noisy?

Pubs offer best value, but there's a good range of pubs & restaurants within very easy walking distance of the Dolphin, which is in the heart of the old town.

Very few nearby options for breakfast, just a couple of workmens' cafes, so do breakfast in the hotel.

But stax of options for lunch, snax, dinner, so spread your wings & try a few.:)

 

JB :)

 

Edit: BTW, the Dolphin is an excellent choice. Most other hotels are modern clones - perfectly acceptable, but oh so bland

Thanks, John. Romm & breakfast it is. :D

Anyone -

Would you have an idea of how much breakfast at the Mercure Southampton would be per person? The hotel website lists a room with breakfast at $136.53 and room only at $128.40. Can breakfast really only cost $8.13 US? If so, I'll book thru AAA for a room only at $89.62.

Appreciate the help. (Every dollar counts you know ;))

Anyone -

 

Would you have an idea of how much breakfast at the Mercure Southampton would be per person? The hotel website lists a room with breakfast at $136.53 and room only at $128.40. Can breakfast really only cost $8.13 US? If so, I'll book thru AAA for a room only at $89.62.

 

Appreciate the help. (Every dollar counts you know ;))

Well, if you bought breakfast separately it would no doubt cost more, but as part of a package it sounds perfectly feasible.

Most hotels seem to charge around 15GBP for breakfast. It is usually better to book it as a package with the room.

Breakfast is usually a buffet style meal with a wide selection of fried food, cereals, fruit and cheese.

We've just stayed at the new (built last year) Premier Inn West Quay and were very impressed.

We booked four weeks in advance and paid £39 for the room, it was clean with a big comfy bed, sofa, nice modern bathroom, flat screen tv and 30 minutes of free wifi (it's very cheap to buy more)

When we went to dinner they had a package, 3 courses, a drink and then full breakfast the next morning for £22 per person. We had a lovely meal and a very nice breakfast the next morning.

Total cost £83! :D

We've just stayed at the new (built last year) Premier Inn West Quay and were very impressed.

 

We booked four weeks in advance and paid £39 for the room, it was clean with a big comfy bed, sofa, nice modern bathroom, flat screen tv and 30 minutes of free wifi (it's very cheap to buy more)

 

When we went to dinner they had a package, 3 courses, a drink and then full breakfast the next morning for £22 per person. We had a lovely meal and a very nice breakfast the next morning.

 

Total cost £83! :D

Hi Debbie.

Well might you grin.;)

Your price was a promo for the opening period of this new hotel, & I know others have paid as little as £29 for a room :p

But the honeymoon is over - room prices are flexible but now around £60 to £70, which is about their true value.

JB :)

We booked the Mercure Southampton Center for our pre-cruise stay in November 2012. We booked our two night stay in a double room with breakfast each day, directly through the hotel website for a total of 168 GBP or $268 US. We think that's a pretty good rate.

Thanks John for the recommendation.

Now on to planning our one full day and one 1/2 day sightseeing. Yeah!

We booked the Mercure Southampton Center for our pre-cruise stay in November 2012. We booked our two night stay in a double room with breakfast each day, directly through the hotel website for a total of 168 GBP or $268 US. We think that's a pretty good rate.

 

Thanks John for the recommendation.

 

Now on to planning our one full day and one 1/2 day sightseeing. Yeah!

Since that hotel offers free cruise-long parking for residents, you could always auction your space on e-Bay :D

note to Mercure management : I'm jokin' ;)

JB :)

Hi Debbie.

Well might you grin.;)

Your price was a promo for the opening period of this new hotel, & I know others have paid as little as £29 for a room :p

 

But the honeymoon is over - room prices are flexible but now around £60 to £70, which is about their true value.

 

JB :)

The hotel has been open over a year and they regularly do those prices at most premier inns :) the walk up price was £74. I was only there last week. Next week they have rooms at £49 two weeks after £39

Since that hotel offers free cruise-long parking for residents, you could always auction your space on e-Bay :D

 

note to Mercure management : I'm jokin' ;)

 

JB :)

Do they? or that the joke not ebay

Do they? or that the joke not ebay

Yes, they provide free cruise parking (and a taxi to the pier) if requested.:)

No, it might not be appreciated if you rented out that parking spot.;)

JB :)

We had b&b with cruise parking at the Mercure Dolphin in December 2010. From memory it was around £110. The cruise was about 11 nights. Our stay and breakfast were fine. When I enquired for December this year the package was not nearly as good so we will travel by train and stay at a b&b.

We had dinner at the Red Lion, a few steps away, exit hotel and turn left. It was very cold and we did not feel like traipsing the streets. They serve large portions. Our room was very warm and as it was on the side, overlooking the courtyard/alley it was quiet.

Hi John Bull,

We are booked at the Premier Inn at the City Center for 2 nights prior to our TA cruise in August, and are paying 137.96 GPB (20% VAT included) which also includes breakfast. We plan to take the train to Salisbury and make our way to Stonehenge and on our second day will take the train to Bath. Can you tell us anything about this hotel? Seems like everyone opts for the Premier Inn at West Quay. Is this Premier Inn just as convenient to get around. (ie: how far to the train station?) Thanks for your help it is very much appreciated. If you ever need help in planning a visit to New York, feel free to ask. :)

Joyce

Hi Joyce,

Yes, the Premier Inn, City Centre (New Road) has been eclipsed by Premier's new baby, which is brand spanking new, right alongside the shopping centre, and more convenient to the central rail station & the City cruise terminal.

But it has a good reputation, the central rail station is half-a-mile, easily walkable in about 15 mins, and its a ten minute walk to the city centre shops & then the old town below the Bargate.

It backs onto the railway, but I've never heard of noise/vibration problems. The area is fine, but the area beyond is rather run-down.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Central+rail+station+Southampton&daddr=New+Rd+to:50.90607,-1.40114+to:50.904588,-1.4041787+to:W+Bargate&hl=en&ll=50.904454,-1.404898&spn=0.009607,0.020514&sll=50.903053,-1.404694&sspn=0.004804,0.010257&geocode=FYXICAMd8G_q_yG3kAn9wEUrQQ%3BFWbJCAMdsafq_w%3BFdbDCAMdzJ7q_ymD4dyis3Z0SDG6qVIbsUx3oA%3BFQy-CAMd7pLq_ymZY4q8tnZ0SDFAuc4JRfQQEw%3BFei2CAMd3pHq_w&oq=Bargate+southampton&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=4&sz=17&via=2,3&t=m&z=16

Trains to Salisbury every half-hour, journey takes about 30 mins. Ask for "day-return" tickets, currently £9.50. Catch a train which connects nicely with the ho-ho bus from Salisbury rail station to Stonehenge, then stop off in Salisbury city centre on the way back. Ho-ho is the simplest & cheapest way to get from Salisbury to Stonehenge.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

http://www.thestonehengetour.info/

It's exactly the same train to go to Bath, but broadly an hourly service, journey time about 90 mins. Station is called Bath Spa. The pricing is a little more complicated, depending on time of travel.

The Bath ho-ho is not worth the trouble, all the main sights are easily walkable in the compact city, buses aren't permitted on many streets & the traffic can be slow.

JB :)

We had dinner at the Red Lion, a few steps away, exit hotel and turn left. It was very cold and we did not feel like traipsing the streets. They serve large portions. Our room was very warm and as it was on the side, overlooking the courtyard/alley it was quiet.

Oooh. Thanks for the information. Hope our room isn't a converted broom closet, but excited to stay here anyway. We will have to try the Red Lion.