First Time on Cunard -Just Booked (excited beyond measure!)

Greetings! Long time lurker on the Cunard board, and recently took the plunge and booked a crossing (Southhampton-Brooklyn) on the Sunday Aug 25, 2019 crossing. We (my husband and I) will be flying from the US a few days in advance (arriving either Thur or Fri). We were hoping to stay in the countryside, on the way to or near the port. The Cunard website mentions 3 country hotels: Lainston House (Winchester), Careys Manor & Chewton Glen (New Forrest). It sounds that the weekend we arrive in the UK is the start of a UK Bank Holiday. If it's like in the US, nice places can be booked way in advance for a holiday weekend.

Here are my questions: has anybody stayed at these hotels? Alternatively, do you know of another nice country house(s) hotel near Winchester or Southhampton?

Thank you in advance for your views/insights!!

I can't help with these hotels, but I can confirm it's a holiday weekend so best to book early. The new forest is a beautiful area and there are plenty of nice hotels so maybe try a comparison site to see whats on offer before booking anything.

The Chewton Glen is lovely.

The New Forest and Winchester are both well worth visiting. Suggest you use Trip Advisor to check hotels; Cunard's recommendations may be fine, but others may be as good. Don't know your budget, but Cunard suggestions tend to be top-end. All depends what you want!

I have stayed twice at "Rhinefield House" in Brockenhurst . Its a beautiful Estate in the New Forest with a large Park.

Brockenhurst Taxi offers Transfer Airport - Port - Rhinefield. Highly recommended. 20 minutes from Southampton port.

I can't help on the hotels but just wanted to congratulate you on your booking.

Keith

Greetings! Long time lurker on the Cunard board, and recently took the plunge and booked a crossing (Southhampton-Brooklyn) on the Sunday Aug 25, 2019 crossing. We (my husband and I) will be flying from the US a few days in advance (arriving either Thur or Fri). We were hoping to stay in the countryside, on the way to or near the port. The Cunard website mentions 3 country hotels: Lainston House (Winchester), Careys Manor & Chewton Glen (New Forrest). It sounds that the weekend we arrive in the UK is the start of a UK Bank Holiday. If it's like in the US, nice places can be booked way in advance for a holiday weekend.

 

Here are my questions: has anybody stayed at these hotels? Alternatively, do you know of another nice country house(s) hotel near Winchester or Southhampton?

 

Thank you in advance for your views/insights!!

Welcome to the Cunard family

If your choice is limited to these three, then go for Chewton. However, we have a soft spot for Lime Wood, being smaller and more in the forest, ideal for a short relaxing break. Great food and service, with a cozy roof terrace for drinks.

Take a look round, and see what you think.

https://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/

Chewton Glen would be our recommendation. We prefer to stay in the main building...the Tree Houses were a bit isolated for our taste.

We have stayed at Careys Manor many times over the last 30 years. Our last visit was July 2017. Whenever we visit it feels like being a guest in someone's house. The lounge is a very comfortable place to spend time. We have never had a bad meal in the restaurants.

Assuming it's the same in the UK as it us in the US you'll pay far less to book the properties (or comparable properties) independently than as part of a Cunard package. Even if transfers are included the per-person rates can be very high.

Thanks to all of you for kind welcome to the Cunard family as well as your very insightful suggestions! :D

I will for sure look at the hotels you have recommended. I think we're narrowing it down to the New Forrest area. Initially we were hoping to be right in Winchester, but the idea of staying above a busy pub didn't really appeal to us. Plus, the New Forrest seems to be closer to Southampton (than Winchester, that is).

I have so many questions about the crossing, but I'm mindful that many of those have been answered over time, so please do not hesitate to direct me to a past thread, that is perfectly fine!

Upon landing in LHR, we will likely use private transportation to get us to our (tbd) hotel. If any of you have recommendations, please let me know. Also, I am assuming that no matter the hotel we book (Brockenhurst or Lyndhurst), we will be able to get some kind of transportation from Hotel to Port. Would that be correct?

In closing, let me thank you again, I truly appreciate being able to get the "real deal" from people who have "been there, done that & bought the t-shirt!!"

/Louise

Welcome to the Cunard family

 

If your choice is limited to these three, then go for Chewton. However, we have a soft spot for Lime Wood, being smaller and more in the forest, ideal for a short relaxing break. Great food and service, with a cozy roof terrace for drinks.

Take a look round, and see what you think.

https://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/

Wow, this is a great offering! Thank you Port Royal!! Which kind of room would you recommend? Are there any hiking trails nearby? (or am I confusing forrest here and think I'm in the Smokies?). :')

Thank you!

/Louise

Wow, this is a great offering! Thank you Port Royal!! Which kind of room would you recommend? Are there any hiking trails nearby? (or am I confusing forrest here and think I'm in the Smokies?). :')

 

Thank you!

 

/Louise

There's is no such thing as a bad room in this hotel. But is is popular with discerning guests, so some rooms will be taken. Suggest you plug in your dates and see what catches your eye. Rooms for all price points.

Plenty of nice walks, and footpaths close.

The Concierge can arrange your transport from LHR with one of their reputable drivers. Also to the ship

Enjoy

If it were me I should stay in a nearby Southampton Hotel last night and for the two or however many nights look for an excellent hotel further away and work my way towards the ship second to last night.

The internet does Hotel information train times etc. and if you are near Southampton for last night stress is significantly reduced.

Regards John

Welcome to the Cunard family

 

If your choice is limited to these three, then go for Chewton. However, we have a soft spot for Lime Wood, being smaller and more in the forest, ideal for a short relaxing break. Great food and service, with a cozy roof terrace for drinks.

Take a look round, and see what you think.

https://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/

The Lime Wood is good (actually all their hotels are good), however for me it is a little to far away from everything, take a look at the Montagu Arms.

https://www.montaguarmshotel.co.uk/

I grew up near Beaulieu and it is a nice place to visit and a good place to unwind after a trans Atlantic flight.

The same group have a couple of places called The Pig, it's just outside of Brockenhurst, very nice place, they also have one in Southampton itself, it's located maybe 5 minutes from the Western Docks.

We would actually be staying there before our trip in December, however I have to cross something off my bucket list and we will be staying at the Holiday Inn across Mayflower Park....It was The Post House when I was growing up, the wife isn't happy but oh well lol

Upon landing in LHR, we will likely use private transportation to get us to our (tbd) hotel. If any of you have recommendations, please let me know. Also, I am assuming that no matter the hotel we book (Brockenhurst or Lyndhurst), we will be able to get some kind of transportation from Hotel to Port. Would that be correct?

Another vote for Chewton Glenn is you wish to stay in the New Forest. For that British contemporary luxury feel, it is great. Do not think Downton Abbey.

It is about 1 hours 45 mins for the drive to Chewton Glenn (compared with the 1 hour 30 mins drive to Southampton Harbour). Heavy traffic from London can make this journey longer. If you are arriving on a morning flight into Heathrow, then there is plenty of time to drive to Chewton Glenn. You are not going to be able to check-in until around 3pm anyway.

Its a 45 drive from Chewton Glenn to Southampton Harbour on embarkation day.

Smiths for Airports should be able to assist on both travel days. Just make sure they don't try to schedule your pickup too soon. Our pickup was scheduled for 20 minutes after our ETA and the immigration queue was much longer than that (and compounding that, my phone took even longer to go into roaming mode). Our driver was about to give up on us.

A warning regarding immigration at Heathrow. We have just returned from our cruise to the Canary Islands. Arriving in Heathrow I had organized a car to collect and transport us to Salisbury for two nights prior to embarking.

Horror! we waited for over 2 hours to be processed, at one stage there was only 1 immigration office working and two plane loads of people waiting. By the time we collected our luggage and got through it was 2.5 hours!. Luckily the driver waited (after a confirmation call from us to the head office). It was now after 9pm and we still had 1.5 hours to drive to Salisbury.

We had to return to Heathrow from Iceland to connect with our flight on the way back to Australia and again another 1.5 + hours wait to get through immigration.

This is of course for non UK & non EU passport holders.

Some great B&B in New Forest. Check out this page https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/

We stay at Grand Harbor Hotel night before the crossing.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to share tips/insights!

So far, we have narrowed it down to Chewton Glenn, Limewood (New Forrest), and the new Spa Hotel in Southampton that looks like a cruise ship in Ocean Village (https://www.southampton-harbour-hotel.co.uk). The latter seems to be fairly close to Ocean Pier. We have never been in Southampton, the city seems to have a few points of interest, so that should be fun.

Plenty of time to revisit though!! :D

Thank you so very much for taking the time to share tips/insights!

 

So far, we have narrowed it down to Chewton Glenn, Limewood (New Forrest), and the new Spa Hotel in Southampton that looks like a cruise ship in Ocean Village (https://www.southampton-harbour-hotel.co.uk). The latter seems to be fairly close to Ocean Pier. We have never been in Southampton, the city seems to have a few points of interest, so that should be fun.

 

Plenty of time to revisit though!! :D

If good hotel dining will play a part in your decision making process, then it has to be Lime Wood.