Southhampton hotels?

[RichFP]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive hotel to stay at for one night prior to a cruise on Aug 13th ?

[John Bull]

Vaguely priced from (1) to (5) ........

 

(1) Etap, (2) Ibis & (3) Novotel are modern chain hotels which occupy a site between rail & coach stations, easily walkable from both.

(3) Premier Inn West Quay is a new chain hotel between coach station & City cruise terminal, walkable to either, reasonably walkable from rail station.

(4) Holiday Inn Herbert Walker Avenue is alongside City Cruise Terminal with views down Southampton Water, (5) De Vere Grand Harbour and boutique (5) Ennios are a few hundred yards further, walkability from rail or coach station depends on you & your luggage.

 

With luggage you need a short taxi hop from rail or coach station to these:

The other side of the rail station, & quite close to it but uphill is the traditional (3) Southampton Park

Beyond that, (3) Jury's Inn & (3) Premier Inn New Road (Premier Inn City Centre on their website)

In old town, the attractive coaching inn, (3) Mercure Dolphin in the High Street and boutique (5) White Star rooms.

Without luggage, all are easily walkable to city shops, pubs, restaurants & old town sights.

When I go abroad I like to use typical historic hotels rather than modern international chain clones, in Southampton my choice would the Dolphin.

 

Apart from Holiday Inn Herbert Walker Ave, Premier Inn West Quay, De Vere Grand Harbour, & perhaps Ennios, Ibis, Etap & Novotel to City Cruise Terminal, all hotels are a £5 to £8 taxi ride to any cruise terminal.

 

The Hilton & other quality & budget hotels incl Holiday Inn Express's are on the city outskirts, not convenient to the city or even local facilities without a car or taxi ride, though some offer free cruise transfers.

 

Cruise ships / terminals at http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

Port map/terminal locations via the header on that web page.

General information on

http://www.visit-southampton.co.uk/

Useful little sketchmap with hotels, rail/coach stations & cruise terminals etc at

londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_map.htm

 

JB :)

[phabric]

Premier Inn West Quay opened in 2011. We are booked there pre cruise for 4 days before our August 1 cruise, I found they had the best price. They have a restaurant in the hotel. You can book their Meal Deal (breakfast only or breakfast & dinner). We also stayed at the Holiday Inn Herbert Walker in 2009.

 

There is also Holiday Inn Herbert Walker, Ibis, Novotel.

 

Go on this thread and look for "Video of Southampton hotels".

[FritzG]

I couldn't recommend the Holiday Inn. We stayed there in 2010 before a fall TA, and unless they've done major renovations to the room, it's pretty bad. Not only was the room tired and not very clean, but the pipes in the walls banged like a jackhammer every time someone ran water or flushed the toilets. My cousin and her husband were in the room next to ours, and we could count every time he used the bathroom all night because it woke us up. On top of that, the headboard was only leaning against the wall and fell on my husband who had just had shoulder surgery.

 

The front desk staff was unfriendly and not willing to help with tourist info or anything else.

 

Amazingly, the dining room was very good, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The buffet breakfast was plentiful and delicious.

[MacThespian]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive hotel to stay at for one night prior to a cruise on Aug 13th ?

 

Have you considered a B&B? We found one (highly rated on Trip Advisor) for one night prior to our cruise. Cost for the one night is £72, just under $115 at today's exchange rate. It's in a residential area, but we're using the time as much to recover from jet lag as touring, so that's not a major consideration for us.

 

While I can't say anything about the B&B yet, the reviews on Trip Advisor are very, very positive. (And yes, I realize that anyone can post a review there, but I think careful reading of the reviews separates the puff piece from the real traveler's response.)

[Bruin Steve]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Herbert Walker before our Eclipse cruise in 2010...and we are staying there again for two nights before our Eclipse cruise this July...

 

Here is the photo taken from our room on embarkation morning:

 

(click on thumbnail)

[Chips401]

We stayed at the Novotel. It was very inexpensive and right next a shopping mall and several restaurants. We arrived on the train from Gatwick airport and flagged a taxi and asked him to take us to the Novotel. He pointed across the street.:eek: It was a very short walk. In the morning a desk called for a taxi and brought us to the pier. You could see the Crown Princess from the windows of the hotel.

[davecttr]

When cruising from southampton I arrive by train and it is a 12 minute stroll along flat ground to the Premier Inn, West Quay.

 

Check out google earth. The route is left out of the south side of the station, past the taxi rank and bus stop. Cross the dual carriageway via the pedestrian crossing. Then take a short cut across the Toys 'R Us carpark, lots of others will be taking the same route. The path then leads you to another pedestrian crossing after this turn left and head for the John Lewis store, you can't miss it. Walk down the road on the opposite side to John Lewis. Then under a pedestrian over bridge and there is the Premier Inn in front of you :)

[Lady In Pink]

Has anyone stayed at the Devere Grand Hotel, Trip Advisor reviews are good. I believe the Hotel is close to the cruise terminals.

[phabric]

When cruising from southampton I arrive by train and it is a 12 minute stroll along flat ground to the Premier Inn, West Quay.

 

Check out google earth. The route is left out of the south side of the station, past the taxi rank and bus stop. Cross the dual carriageway via the pedestrian crossing. Then take a short cut across the Toys 'R Us carpark, lots of others will be taking the same route. The path then leads you to another pedestrian crossing after this turn left and head for the John Lewis store, you can't miss it. Walk down the road on the opposite side to John Lewis. Then under a pedestrian over bridge and there is the Premier Inn in front of you :)

 

Do you follow the same directions if using the National Express Coach?

[John Bull]

On this map:

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Western+Esplanade%2FA3024+to:Harbour+Parade+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=50.906429,-1.41449&spn=0.009945,0.022058&sll=50.904136,-1.410166&sspn=0.004973,0.011029&geocode=FfTHCAMdj3Dq_w%3BFV7FCAMdHmjq_w%3BFZrCCAMdJH_q_w%3BFZKyCAMdToHq_w&oq=West+Quays+Southampton&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=2&sz=17&z=16

A to B is rail station to Novotel (using path from the road junction into the rear of the hotel)

 

Ignore B to C

 

C to D is coach stastion to Premier Inn West Quay (arial photo was before the hotel was built)

 

JB :)

[John Bull]

Has anyone stayed at the Devere Grand Hotel, Trip Advisor reviews are good. I believe the Hotel is close to the cruise terminals.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Western+Esplanade%2FA3024+to:Harbour+Parade+to:Unknown+road+to:W+Quay+Rd%2FA33+to:Herbert+Walker+Ave&hl=en&ll=50.898486,-1.407559&spn=0.004507,0.022058&sll=50.90191,-1.409748&sspn=0.009946,0.022058&geocode=FfTHCAMdj3Dq_w%3BFV7FCAMdHmjq_w%3BFZrCCAMdJH_q_w%3BFV-yCAMdnoHq_w%3BFdWpCAMdwoLq_w%3BFRWuCAMdYWzq_w&oq=Herbert+Walker+Avenue+Sou&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=5&sz=16&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.898488,-1.407549&panoid=8hYUZ4vCwZs7Cvz-9Zucwg&cbp=11,315,,0,0

On this map I've added the De Vere Grand Harbour at E and City cruise terminal at F

In the photo, Grand Harbour is on the right (with glass atrium) & Holiday Inn on the left. To the left of Holiday Inn is the road to dock gate 8 & City cruise terminal.

Other cruise terminals are a short £5 to £7 taxi ride.

 

De Vere Grand Harbour was a 5-star hotel & had mixed reviews. A year or more ago they voluntarily down-graded to 4-star. Since then reviews have improved, I don't know whether this is because of higher standards or lower expectations

 

JB :)

[davecttr]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Western+Esplanade%2FA3024+to:Harbour+Parade+to:Unknown+road+to:W+Quay+Rd%2FA33+to:Herbert+Walker+Ave&hl=en&ll=50.898486,-1.407559&spn=0.004507,0.022058&sll=50.90191,-1.409748&sspn=0.009946,0.022058&geocode=FfTHCAMdj3Dq_w%3BFV7FCAMdHmjq_w%3BFZrCCAMdJH_q_w%3BFV-yCAMdnoHq_w%3BFdWpCAMdwoLq_w%3BFRWuCAMdYWzq_w&oq=Herbert+Walker+Avenue+Sou&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=5&sz=16&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.898488,-1.407549&panoid=8hYUZ4vCwZs7Cvz-9Zucwg&cbp=11,315,,0,0

On this map I've added the De Vere Grand Harbour at E and City cruise terminal at F

In the photo, Grand Harbour is on the right (with glass atrium) & Holiday Inn on the left. To the left of Holiday Inn is the road to dock gate 8 & City cruise terminal.

Other cruise terminals are a short £5 to £7 taxi ride.

 

De Vere Grand Harbour was a 5-star hotel & had mixed reviews. A year or more ago they voluntarily down-graded to 4-star. Since then reviews have improved, I don't know whether this is because of higher standards or lower expectations

 

JB :)

Great link JB

You can take a shortcut from the station to 'C' by crossing diagonally behind the large white building (Toys 'R Us). Cuts a few minutes off the walk