Renting a car after disembarking in Southampton in May

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Hi Lydia,

Our own Cotswold Eagle is a local, so is likely to give you a better answer, but here's my fourpenn'orth..

 

Bibury is indeed an idyllic little village. But it's off the beaten track - which is probably why it's idyllic. It's about 20 miles from the nearest rail station, and being about 8 miles from the nearest town (Cheltenham) I suspect that travel by bus would be tiresome.

Not a good base if you don't have your own transport.

But you're right in the Cotswolds, an easy drive on pleasant local roads to see lots of lovely scenery, & villages (towns?) like Bourton-on-the-Water & Stow-in-the-Wold.

Oxford, Gloucester & Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon are within an hour, and Bath little more than an hour.

But there are probably more convenient places than Bibury in that part of the country, & don't be swayed by one magazine article.

 

If you wanted to do this, simplest is to spend such time as you want in London without a car, then rent a car from Heathrow airport (public transport between central London & Heathrow is excellent) because it's on London's western outskirts - in the right direction for Bibury, Bath, Salisbury, Southampton, etc.

 

Make it worthwhile by taking in Oxford or the Cotswolds on your way to Bibury, rather than the motorway. About 80 miles, 2 hours driving.

 

Choose places to tour from Bibury for your full day there - mebbe Stratford, Warwick Castle & Stow-in-the-Wold, a tour of about 90 miles, something over 2 hrs driving, most of it scenic.

Or Gloucester docks, the Forest of Dean, Raglan Castle (you're now in Wales), the lower Wye Valley & the Severn crossing, a tour of about 140 miles, about 3.5hrs driving, much of it scenic.

Or simply spend that day in Bath, about 40 miles (something over an hour) in each direction, though the route is not very scenic.

 

Then next day to Southampton (about 80 miles, 2 hours) via Stonehenge & Salisbury.

 

But again, Bibury is no place to go without a car.

 

Just MHO as always

 

Edit: Have you been to London?

If not, you'll want to spend time there - and there's plenty to keep you occupied for four days & more.

Or if you've been to London before, consider giving the big bad city a miss - as per Bob's post, fly to Heathrow & hire a car to tour the countryside & provincial towns for your entire visit.

 

 

JB :)

 

Dear John,

I never wrote a Dear John letter or email. Thank you for your fourpenn'orth but I can reassure you that it is worth a lot more to me. I have decided to follow your suggestion, along with Bobs. Would also love to hear from Cotswold Eagle only because I feel the more heads the better.... in fact, if I could hire someone to plan the entire route and transportation for me, I would. I usually love to plan trips but this one has way tooo many options and scenarios. Also there is so much to pick from. Plus, we have never been to this part of the world.

 

If it weren't that hotels in London were so expensive, I would stay there for a week and take day tours out of London. For example, I saw the I could go to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon on our own as a day trip out of London.

 

So our plans (at this point) is to go to Oxford by train and try to rent a car there that I can drop off in Southampton. Then go to Burford and stay one night, but visiting : Bibury, Burton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, and the Cotswolds from there. Then a night in Salisbury, visiting Gloucester and Bath on the way.

 

The only variables now is whether Oxford would truly be best for us to hire the car there or Heathrow.... Again, based on our inexperience with the area and in trying to avoid a lot of traffic.

 

So your opinions are welcomed and any additional suggestions (even curve balls) are being solicited.

 

Thank you cruise critic friends.

Lydia

[wowzz]

Dear John,

I never wrote a Dear John letter or email. Thank you for your fourpenn'orth but I can reassure you that it is worth a lot more to me. I have decided to follow your suggestion, along with Bobs. Would also love to hear from Cotswold Eagle only because I feel the more heads the better.... in fact, if I could hire someone to plan the entire route and transportation for me, I would. I usually love to plan trips but this one has way tooo many options and scenarios. Also there is so much to pick from. Plus, we have never been to this part of the world.

 

If it weren't that hotels in London were so expensive, I would stay there for a week and take day tours out of London. For example, I saw the I could go to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon on our own as a day trip out of London.

 

So our plans (at this point) is to go to Oxford by train and try to rent a car there that I can drop off in Southampton. Then go to Burford and stay one night, but visiting : Bibury, Burton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, and the Cotswolds from there. Then a night in Salisbury, visiting Gloucester and Bath on the way.

 

The only variables now is whether Oxford would truly be best for us to hire the car there or Heathrow.... Again, based on our inexperience with the area and in trying to avoid a lot of traffic.

 

So your opinions are welcomed and any additional suggestions (even curve balls) are being solicited.

 

Thank you cruise critic friends.

Lydia

 

IMHO I'm not sure I would go to Gloucester. I think you would be better off spending more time in Bath. When visiting Bath I would strongly suggest using the 'Park and Ride' option. Car parking in Bath is limited and expensive.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

IMHO I'm not sure I would go to Gloucester. I think you would be better off spending more time in Bath. When visiting Bath I would strongly suggest using the 'Park and Ride' option. Car parking in Bath is limited and expensive.

.

 

John, Gloucester is now crossed off.

 

In terms of car hire, is driving from Heathrow more difficult in terms of traffic than driving out of Oxford?

 

Thank you for your assistance.

Lydia

[wowzz]

.

 

John, Gloucester is now crossed off.

 

In terms of car hire, is driving from Heathrow more difficult in terms of traffic than driving out of Oxford?

 

Thank you for your assistance.

Lydia

 

Difficult to answer, but if it is your first time driving on the 'correct' side of the road, I would suggest it will be easier driving from Heathrow. You will be on the M4/M25 in only a couple of miles, and will not have to drive on congested city roads as you would have to do in Oxford.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Difficult to answer, but if it is your first time driving on the 'correct' side of the road, I would suggest it will be easier driving from Heathrow. You will be on the M4/M25 in only a couple of miles, and will not have to drive on congested city roads as you would have to do in Oxford.

 

I would have never thought of that.... thank you. And you are absolutely right...it is the correct side of the road > after all we will be in England.

 

I keep thinking of questions every time you answer .....so if you do not mind...

Do you think it might be best if we take National Express scheduled buses from London to Southampton port and then rent a car there and return it there? Pros: not have to pay a fee to return in a different location. Cons: have to back-track.

Lydia

[wowzz]

I would have never thought of that.... thank you. And you are absolutely right...it is the correct side of the road > after all we will be in England.

 

I keep thinking of questions every time you answer .....so if you do not mind...

Do you think it might be best if we take National Express scheduled buses from London to Southampton port and then rent a car there and return it there? Pros: not have to pay a fee to return in a different location. Cons: have to back-track.

Lydia

 

Only a personal opinion, but with a limited amount of time I would bite the bullet and pay the fee, rather than waste time re-tracing your steps.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Only a personal opinion, but with a limited amount of time I would bite the bullet and pay the fee, rather than waste time re-tracing your steps.

 

 

 

 

And I believe you answered all my questions...I do appreciate it. Thank you for your time. You must be a very generous person.

Edited August 20, 2015 by ONCRUISEMODE

[John Bull]

Your latest schedule is very workable.:)

 

Public transport from central London to both Heathrow & Oxford is good, though one may be easier than the other depending on the location of your London hotel (the Paddington area would suit both by train).

Oxford is about 40 minutes closer to Burford & the Cotswolds than Heathrow, and at about £25 pp it's no more expensive on the train. The train from London Paddington to Oxford takes about an hour.

 

Leaving Heathrow it'd be very difficult to drive on the wrong side because it's all divided highway & ramps. Easy to go in the wrong direction :D, but not on the wrong side of the road.

But near Heathrow it's a 3/4/5 lane highway with lots of traffic & turn-offs, so quite stressful because you have to watch traffic around you & make sure you're in the correct lane. The traffic also frequently backs-up making it rather stop-start.

The I-4 round Orlando is a dream compared to the M25 near Heathrow.

From Heathrow to Burford your route takes you past Oxford, though on the ring road (beltway) rather than through Oxford itself. It's 40 minutes of motorway driving from Heathrow to Oxford ring road.

 

Taking the train from London to Oxford is likely to be the quickest, simplest & cheapest option. If the rental agency is close to Oxford station & centre, you could probably put your luggage in the car & leave the car there while you explore Oxford on foot - parking in Oxford can be difficult.

You're likely to be starting in town traffic. Town traffic can of course be stressful, but because of the traffic it's perfectly natural to follow the herd on the correct side of the road. :)

If you want to visit Oxford, rent from there. If Oxford doesn't interest you, I'm still inclined to favour Oxford over Heathrow, though there are pros & cons.

 

Burford is only 20mls / 30 mins from Oxford, but here's a typical route taking in Woodstock (google Blenheim Palace to see if it's of interest), Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water & Bibury.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Broad+St,+Oxford,+Oxfordshire+OX1+3AS,+UK/Moreton-in-Marsh/Stow-on-the-Wold,+Cotswold+District/Bourton-on-the-Water/Bibury,+Cotswold+District/Burford/@51.8729544,-1.7039298,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876c6af3fade5c5:0x81a19a174b885974!2m2!1d-1.257535!2d51.7542803!1m5!1m1!1s0x4870d5d57860738f:0x8a495460b9eb044b!2m2!1d-1.7028526!2d51.9914181!1m5!1m1!1s0x487128c9c36ea7a1:0x843b14540eb17027!2m2!1d-1.7234435!2d51.9322056!1m5!1m1!1s0x4871259c974efdd3:0x62b46d705469ad33!2m2!1d-1.763191!2d51.886805!1m5!1m1!1s0x48713bbe756983d5:0x384dfa1955b07b75!2m2!1d-1.8449287!2d51.7639096!1m5!1m1!1s0x487130131e6c0ad1:0xdf3ea687265bf4c0!2m2!1d-1.63679!2d51.807083!3e0?hl=en

About 60 mls, 1hr 45 mins. Google those places & choose which you'd like to explore. Hopefully locals like the resident Eagle (he's not been on these boards for a week or two, mebbe he's cruisin' ;)) can come up with alternate routes on the by-ways.

If you don't stop to explore Oxford, you can extend your horizons further to places like Stratford-upon-Avon or Broadway.

 

For Burford (or elsewhere in the Cotswolds) to Bath & on to Salisbury, yes, drop Gloucester - it's off-route and Bath is well worth as long as you can give it.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Burford,+Oxfordshire,+UK/Corn+St,+Bath+BA1,+UK/Salisbury,+Wiltshire,+UK/W+Quay+Rd,+Southampton+SO15,+UK/@51.3521266,-2.4958389,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m31!4m30!1m5!1m1!1s0x487130131e6c0ad1:0xdf3ea687265bf4c0!2m2!1d-1.63679!2d51.807083!1m10!1m1!1s0x48718116cd5dda17:0xcc849b88c0ea14aa!2m2!1d-2.3621087!2d51.379113!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8360704!2d51.1753263!3s0x4873e7d2953da2d7:0xd899beda2b42b9d5!1m5!1m1!1s0x48738c5536009bb7:0xda3e080f25eaa06!2m2!1d-1.794472!2d51.068785!1m5!1m1!1s0x487476b9181db4b1:0x3c79a9b128f779c2!2m2!1d-1.4125461!2d50.9035011!3e0?hl=enBurford

Burford to Bath is about 55 miles, 1hr 15 mins by the quickest route (via Swindon or Cirencester). There are more scenic routes, but IMHO unworthy of the added driving time.

Bath is compact. Park the car in one of the city centre car-parks eg Corn Street, & explore on foot. Worth a minimum of a half day.

Bath to Salisbury is about 40 mls, 1hr, on much slower roads. The route takes you quite close to Stonehenge - it's perhaps worth going only about 6 miles out of your way to drive past it, you can see it from the A303 near Amesbury.

For a Salisbury hotel, check the availability of hotel parking or mebbe choose a country house hotel near Salisbury.

 

Next morning you can explore Salisbury's historic city centre & magnificent cathedral, or back-track about 8 miles to Stonehenge, before the 25 mile / 40 minute drive to Southampton.

 

Clocks change from British Summer Time on 25th October, we lose an hour of afternoon daylight.

Sunset on 1st Oct is around 6.40pm, by the 24th it's 5.50pm but on 25th it jumps forward to 4.50pm because of the clock change. After sunset we have a longer twilight than Florida, but after dark you may not like the idea of driving on unknown roads & on the opposite side of the road.

 

Driving on the correct side of the road isn't difficult. I frequently drive on the Continent & in the States, sometimes in rented cars but often in my own right-hand drive car.

You'll have the advantage of a right-hand drive car, major roads are divided highways, and there's usually other traffic around making it obvious which is the correct side.

The danger times are

- first thing in the morning if there's no other traffic around, or pulling away from a parking spot or gas station on the "wrong" side of the road. So leave yourself a note on the steering wheel when you leave the car & try to park or use gas stations on the "correct" side of the road.

- if you realise last-minute that you're about to miss your turning. So don't make that last-second decision, instead miss that turn & go back to it in your own sweet time.

 

You will need to bone-up on other driving differences. For instance there's no turn-out on a red light and no four-way stops. And on multi-lane highways we keep to the nearside lane & only overtake on the right - I've seen that on some highways in the States. We also love our roundabouts (traffic circles) in the UK - broadly you yield to traffic on the roundabout, so you only have to yield to traffic from one direction when you join & you then have priority while going round.

 

Re taking the coach (train is quicker) to Southampton & renting from there.

The train takes about 90 minutes from London's Waterloo station to Southampton. The regular rail fare is £40 pp, but pre-booked Megatrain tickets cost about £10. The drive from Southampton to Oxford takes something over an hour.

So you'd lose 90 minutes to 2 hours compared to renting from Oxford.

Megatrain tickets plus fuel to Oxford is very broadly about the same cost as taking the train from London to Oxford, but you'd avoid the one-way rental charge.

Probably not worthwhile, but if you opted to do that you'd do better to have a London hotel near Waterloo instead of Paddington.

 

JB :)

Edited August 20, 2015 by John Bull

[Cotswold Eagle]

I have only just seen that this thread about renting a car in Southampton has become a Cotswolds thread :)

 

Very quickly, as I am about to go out for the evening, my usual advice is DO NOT DRIVE IN OXFORD!! It is an extremely car unfriendly city. But the plan of getting the train and picking up a car there sort of works - the station is just outside the centre (they didn't make provision for it when laying out the University, surprisingly :)).

 

There are at least three car hire firms fairly near, but not AT, the station (one the far side of the very large station car park) and then you can be very quickly on the (busy) Botley Road and on to the bypass and away. The car hire firms may pick up at the station by arrangement, I'm not sure. And if you wanted to see Oxford itself maybe you would be able to put your luggage in the car and leave it at the depot - DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE INTO OXFORD!!

 

Final point on this part of the plan - there are direct trains from Oxford to Southampton, so you could drop off at Oxford, avoiding the fee, and do it that way.

 

More on the Cotswolds in due course - just to say on Bibury, everyone has read those sorts of articles, so don't expect it to be a deserted quaint village that you get to explore on your own :)

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Your latest schedule is very workable.:)

 

Public transport from central London to both Heathrow & Oxford is good, though one may be easier than the other depending on the location of your London hotel (the Paddington area would suit both by train).

Oxford is about 40 minutes closer to Burford & the Cotswolds than Heathrow, and at about £25 pp it's no more expensive on the train. The train from London Paddington to Oxford takes about an hour.

 

Leaving Heathrow it'd be very difficult to drive on the wrong side because it's all divided highway & ramps. Easy to go in the wrong direction :D, but not on the wrong side of the road.

But near Heathrow it's a 3/4/5 lane highway with lots of traffic & turn-offs, so quite stressful because you have to watch traffic around you & make sure you're in the correct lane. The traffic also frequently backs-up making it rather stop-start.

The I-4 round Orlando is a dream compared to the M25 near Heathrow.

From Heathrow to Burford your route takes you past Oxford, though on the ring road (beltway) rather than through Oxford itself. It's 40 minutes of motorway driving from Heathrow to Oxford ring road.

 

Taking the train from London to Oxford is likely to be the quickest, simplest & cheapest option. If the rental agency is close to Oxford station & centre, you could probably put your luggage in the car & leave the car there while you explore Oxford on foot - parking in Oxford can be difficult.

You're likely to be starting in town traffic. Town traffic can of course be stressful, but because of the traffic it's perfectly natural to follow the herd on the correct side of the road. :)

If you want to visit Oxford, rent from there. If Oxford doesn't interest you, I'm still inclined to favour Oxford over Heathrow, though there are pros & cons.

 

Burford is only 20mls / 30 mins from Oxford, but here's a typical route taking in Woodstock (google Blenheim Palace to see if it's of interest), Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water & Bibury.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Broad+St,+Oxford,+Oxfordshire+OX1+3AS,+UK/Moreton-in-Marsh/Stow-on-the-Wold,+Cotswold+District/Bourton-on-the-Water/Bibury,+Cotswold+District/Burford/@51.8729544,-1.7039298,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876c6af3fade5c5:0x81a19a174b885974!2m2!1d-1.257535!2d51.7542803!1m5!1m1!1s0x4870d5d57860738f:0x8a495460b9eb044b!2m2!1d-1.7028526!2d51.9914181!1m5!1m1!1s0x487128c9c36ea7a1:0x843b14540eb17027!2m2!1d-1.7234435!2d51.9322056!1m5!1m1!1s0x4871259c974efdd3:0x62b46d705469ad33!2m2!1d-1.763191!2d51.886805!1m5!1m1!1s0x48713bbe756983d5:0x384dfa1955b07b75!2m2!1d-1.8449287!2d51.7639096!1m5!1m1!1s0x487130131e6c0ad1:0xdf3ea687265bf4c0!2m2!1d-1.63679!2d51.807083!3e0?hl=en

About 60 mls, 1hr 45 mins. Google those places & choose which you'd like to explore. Hopefully locals like the resident Eagle (he's not been on these boards for a week or two, mebbe he's cruisin' ;)) can come up with alternate routes on the by-ways.

If you don't stop to explore Oxford, you can extend your horizons further to places like Stratford-upon-Avon or Broadway.

 

For Burford (or elsewhere in the Cotswolds) to Bath & on to Salisbury, yes, drop Gloucester - it's off-route and Bath is well worth as long as you can give it.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Burford,+Oxfordshire,+UK/Corn+St,+Bath+BA1,+UK/Salisbury,+Wiltshire,+UK/W+Quay+Rd,+Southampton+SO15,+UK/@51.3521266,-2.4958389,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m31!4m30!1m5!1m1!1s0x487130131e6c0ad1:0xdf3ea687265bf4c0!2m2!1d-1.63679!2d51.807083!1m10!1m1!1s0x48718116cd5dda17:0xcc849b88c0ea14aa!2m2!1d-2.3621087!2d51.379113!3m4!1m2!1d-1.8360704!2d51.1753263!3s0x4873e7d2953da2d7:0xd899beda2b42b9d5!1m5!1m1!1s0x48738c5536009bb7:0xda3e080f25eaa06!2m2!1d-1.794472!2d51.068785!1m5!1m1!1s0x487476b9181db4b1:0x3c79a9b128f779c2!2m2!1d-1.4125461!2d50.9035011!3e0?hl=enBurford

Burford to Bath is about 55 miles, 1hr 15 mins by the quickest route (via Swindon or Cirencester). There are more scenic routes, but IMHO unworthy of the added driving time.

Bath is compact. Park the car in one of the city centre car-parks eg Corn Street, & explore on foot. Worth a minimum of a half day.

Bath to Salisbury is about 40 mls, 1hr, on much slower roads. The route takes you quite close to Stonehenge - it's perhaps worth going only about 6 miles out of your way to drive past it, you can see it from the A303 near Amesbury.

For a Salisbury hotel, check the availability of hotel parking or mebbe choose a country house hotel near Salisbury.

 

Next morning you can explore Salisbury's historic city centre & magnificent cathedral, or back-track about 8 miles to Stonehenge, before the 25 mile / 40 minute drive to Southampton.

 

Clocks change from British Summer Time on 25th October, we lose an hour of afternoon daylight.

Sunset on 1st Oct is around 6.40pm, by the 24th it's 5.50pm but on 25th it jumps forward to 4.50pm because of the clock change. After sunset we have a longer twilight than Florida, but after dark you may not like the idea of driving on unknown roads & on the opposite side of the road.

 

Driving on the correct side of the road isn't difficult. I frequently drive on the Continent & in the States, sometimes in rented cars but often in my own right-hand drive car.

You'll have the advantage of a right-hand drive car, major roads are divided highways, and there's usually other traffic around making it obvious which is the correct side.

The danger times are

- first thing in the morning if there's no other traffic around, or pulling away from a parking spot or gas station on the "wrong" side of the road. So leave yourself a note on the steering wheel when you leave the car & try to park or use gas stations on the "correct" side of the road.

- if you realise last-minute that you're about to miss your turning. So don't make that last-second decision, instead miss that turn & go back to it in your own sweet time.

 

You will need to bone-up on other driving differences. For instance there's no turn-out on a red light and no four-way stops. And on multi-lane highways we keep to the nearside lane & only overtake on the right - I've seen that on some highways in the States. We also love our roundabouts (traffic circles) in the UK - broadly you yield to traffic on the roundabout, so you only have to yield to traffic from one direction when you join & you then have priority while going round.

 

Re taking the coach (train is quicker) to Southampton & renting from there.

The train takes about 90 minutes from London's Waterloo station to Southampton. The regular rail fare is £40 pp, but pre-booked Megatrain tickets cost about £10. The drive from Southampton to Oxford takes something over an hour.

So you'd lose 90 minutes to 2 hours compared to renting from Oxford.

Megatrain tickets plus fuel to Oxford is very broadly about the same cost as taking the train from London to Oxford, but you'd avoid the one-way rental charge.

Probably not worthwhile, but if you opted to do that you'd do better to have a London hotel near Waterloo instead of Paddington.

 

JB :)

 

WOW John, its obvious that you put your whole heart and soul into your reply. The first time I read your post, I felt like I was actually taking the journey already.

 

The second time around I realized that I would have to break it down and digest it slower.

 

You had me in stitches comparing the Orlando highway to the M25.

 

We are going to break the trip down into parts (like a puzzle) and come up with our final version until all the pieces fit. I will provide the final details when we get done. You can be sure that the time you placed into our project will be well utilized. Once again, words could never express how much I appreciate your assistance. We do not live far from Orlando (about 3 hours North). If ever near by, we would love to meet you and yours as we are truly grateful.

Edited August 20, 2015 by ONCRUISEMODE

[John Bull]

WOW John, its obvious that you put your whole heart and soul into your reply. The first time I read your post, I felt like I was actually taking the journey already.

 

The second time around I realized that I would have to break it down and digest it slower.

 

You had me in stitches comparing the Orlando highway to the M25.

 

We are going to break the trip down into parts (like a puzzle) and come up with our final version until all the pieces fit. I will provide the final details when we get done. You can be sure that the time you placed into our project will be well utilized. Once again, words could never express how much I appreciate your assistance. We do not live far from Orlando (about 3 hours North). If ever near by, we would love to meet you and yours as we are truly grateful.

 

The Eagle has landed ;)

And seems to confirm my thoughts that collecting a car in Oxford is fine - yes, the train station is on the Cotswolds side of the city centre so you can collect from near the station (perhaps after dropping luggage & exploring Oxford on foot) & head out of the city - very simple, a mile or so direct to the ring road.

But back-tracking to Oxford from Salisbury, or even Bath, to avoid a one-way charge doesn't make sense - especially on your sailing day. I suspect the Eagle only glanced through the thread before responding.

 

Europcar, Alamo, National, Thrifty & Hertz (and mebbe others) have depots within half a mile of Oxford rail station, and within a very short taxi hop of any of Southampton's cruise terminals.

The Avis depot is outside Southampton at the city's little one-terminal airport - there's a good rail link, or a taxi will cost about £20 (less if pre-booked). Less convenient than the others but mebbe worthwhile if you have preferred status with Avis - and being close to the M27 motorway on Southampton's outskirts it's very easy to access. I believe they also run a concession from Holiday Inn, right by City cruise terminal (RCI, Celebrity & others) but I don't know whether you can return a car there or what extra it would cost.

 

It's gradually coming together.

Glad to help, that's what Cruise Critic's all about :)

 

JB :)

[ONCRUISEMODE]

I have only just seen that this thread about renting a car in Southampton has become a Cotswolds thread :)

 

Very quickly, as I am about to go out for the evening, my usual advice is DO NOT DRIVE IN OXFORD!! It is an extremely car unfriendly city. But the plan of getting the train and picking up a car there sort of works - the station is just outside the centre (they didn't make provision for it when laying out the University, surprisingly :)).

 

There are at least three car hire firms fairly near, but not AT, the station (one the far side of the very large station car park) and then you can be very quickly on the (busy) Botley Road and on to the bypass and away. The car hire firms may pick up at the station by arrangement, I'm not sure. And if you wanted to see Oxford itself maybe you would be able to put your luggage in the car and leave it at the depot - DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE INTO OXFORD!!

 

Final point on this part of the plan - there are direct trains from Oxford to Southampton, so you could drop off at Oxford, avoiding the fee, and do it that way.

 

More on the Cotswolds in due course - just to say on Bibury, everyone has read those sorts of articles, so don't expect it to be a deserted quaint village that you get to explore on your own :)

 

Hello Cotswold Eagle....Your reputation preceded you. Yes, you are right. I was interested in car hire but it turned out that I added some concerns about where to go and also how to drive in London....and Wowzz and John Bull gave good suggestions...which then resulted in having even more questions.

 

Also, the more we learn the more questions we have. I see that you are from Cotswold. Now I am wondering if we should take the train there and rent a car from there because John who has been so helpful mentioned the problem with M25 and you mentioned how difficult Oxford can be...

 

Like I said, the more I learn, the more questions.. all of you have been so kind...

Lydia

[Cotswold Eagle]

JB, you are right, in skimming the thread (or this sub-thread!), I was thinking the A44/Fosse Way/A40 triangle, with a blat down to the coast at the end - missed the Bath/Salisbury suggestions.

 

A couple of things to think about for the enquirer:

- if you stay somewhere like Bibury you have very limited facilities in your doorstep - stay in one of the larger villages or towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden or Broadway you'll have a choice of several pubs and restaurants, shops and art galleries to visit, so less need to be driving all the time (if you are worried about which side of the road you should be on, very often round here there are no sides, just the centre!)

- what do you want to DO in the Cotswolds? Some folk are happy just looking at the villages and the scenery, visiting the many old churches and perhaps having a gentle walk. Others might want to visit galleries, castles or grand houses. Or we have a selection of magnificent gardens. Arts and antiques, of course. And history from the prehistoric through Roman and Saxon to the Civil War (ours, not yours!)

 

Sure, you can drive through most of the 'highlights' with just one night staying here. But we have an American couple who come to our tiny (off the tourist trail) village every year for two or three weeks and they aren't tired of it yet :)

 

The railway continues into my part of the Cotswolds (the North) from Oxford, but there is nowhere really sensible to rent a car that I can think of other than Oxford. Many of the stations are tiny and finding a taxi is problematic, never mind a hire car. So I think the Oxford plan makes sense and the route that is emerging is reasonable (I'm biased, I'd stay round here for all of your time). But let me know the kind of things you see interested in seeing or doing, rather than the places, and I'll help if I can :)

[ONCRUISEMODE]

JB, you are right, in skimming the thread (or this sub-thread!), I was thinking the A44/Fosse Way/A40 triangle, with a blat down to the coast at the end - missed the Bath/Salisbury suggestions.

 

A couple of things to think about for the enquirer:

- if you stay somewhere like Bibury you have very limited facilities in your doorstep - stay in one of the larger villages or towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden or Broadway you'll have a choice of several pubs and restaurants, shops and art galleries to visit, so less need to be driving all the time (if you are worried about which side of the road you should be on, very often round here there are no sides, just the centre!)

- what do you want to DO in the Cotswolds? Some folk are happy just looking at the villages and the scenery, visiting the many old churches and perhaps having a gentle walk. Others might want to visit galleries, castles or grand houses. Or we have a selection of magnificent gardens. Arts and antiques, of course. And history from the prehistoric through Roman and Saxon to the Civil War (ours, not yours!)

 

Sure, you can drive through most of the 'highlights' with just one night staying here. But we have an American couple who come to our tiny (off the tourist trail) village every year for two or three weeks and they aren't tired of it yet :)

 

The railway continues into my part of the Cotswolds (the North) from Oxford, but there is nowhere really sensible to rent a car that I can think of other than Oxford. Many of the stations are tiny and finding a taxi is problematic, never mind a hire car. So I think the Oxford plan makes sense and the route that is emerging is reasonable (I'm biased, I'd stay round here for all of your time). But let me know the kind of things you see interested in seeing or doing, rather than the places, and I'll help if I can :)

 

I am very glad you asked. We will spend one week in Paris and 3 nights in London, then we will have 4 nights to do whatever before we get on the cruise ship in Southampton. The cruise will be very relaxing. Paris and France...not so much (but exciting nevertheless). We have never been to your side of the world.

 

On one hand it would be so nice to visit a smaller town and just enjoying meeting people and staying put. On the other hand, it would be great to see the many beautiful sites already mentioned....

 

Things to consider: driving in a foreign land on the correct side :), parking, suitcases (it will not be too much)... but something to factor in if one just does the train.

 

I am not opposed to staying in one place (but less expensive than London) and taking daily tours. So much to think about and so many places to explore. I think we are going to do Stratford-upon-Avon on our own from London. As I said before, usually I love planning but this is just too over-whelming due to the limit of time.

 

Now that's another consideration. We haven't booked the flight (its too early) so we could stay a bit longer.

 

I think deep down I may feel intimidated to hire a car...but I know we shouldn't be. Yet, I also do not like taking tours as we tend to be independent spirits.

 

So, what's a foreigner to do????

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Now I am Curious about Cotswold Eagle and John Bull....you seem to mention each other in your posts...Have you met?

 

I also noticed how kind and patient you and many others like Bob+++ and Wowzz are with people asking questions. I am impressed and admire your sharing and generous spirit.

 

Thank you.

Lydia Allen

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Just to throw a curve ball....I just read another post and the person didn't know what to do in London....

 

 

It was stated that London is like NYC. So much to do but you only want to do one or two things and just enjoy the atmosphere of being there. I understand that so completely.

 

So do I stay in London and forget all the unique surrounding places???

 

What would each of you (who want to respond) do, based on your experience of England (and my lack there off)

 

Lydia

[Cotswold Eagle]

If you are going to go all the way out to Stratford-upon-Avon for a day trip from London, you could start your tour of the Cotswolds (only a few miles away, as JB has previously described) from there. There is a car-hire firm right at the station. Or as an alternative to driving yourself, there is a tour operator who specialises in the Cotswolds based in Stratford these days - minibus, rather than coach, and will do private tours. I don't know them or have any experience of their product, but I see them around quite often. Unfortunately, I can't think of the name at the moment!

 

As for your wider question, only you can answer that, I suppose. But you are spending time in London and Paris, so plenty of time to do city stuff, and a trip out to the countryside would complement that well.

 

Another thing to keep in mind out here in the sticks is that distances take more time than you think - roads are very often single-carriageway or even single track with passing places; trucks and agricultural vehicles may hold you up, especially if you are rightly cautious about overtaking; and you are liable to get lost (embrace it, part of the charm!) That's why I prefer to suggest staying in one place and exploring from there, rather than a road trip itinerary :) Slow down, chill out and enjoy the view!

Edited August 21, 2015 by Cotswold Eagle

[Cotswold Eagle]

Just seen their bus on the road - they are called Go Cotswolds, http://www.gocotswolds.co.uk

 

As I say, this is not a recommendation, as I have not used their services, but provided for your own research :)

[Globaliser]

So do I stay in London and forget all the unique surrounding places???

It really depends on what you want to do.

 

If you really want to get to know London and see all the sights here, book a three-month holiday and rent a place to stay here for that length of time. You still won't have seen everything in three months, even if you never leave the London area.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Just seen their bus on the road - they are called Go Cotswolds, http://www.gocotswolds.co.uk

 

As I say, this is not a recommendation, as I have not used their services, but provided for your own research :)

 

Sounds like a FANTASTIC company. They tell you the train out of London to take and pick you up at the Stratford-upon-Avon rail station and then they take you to the Cotswolds for a tour. They do private tours so I am going to check him out and start sending him tons of questions regarding the private tours. Sounds like the plan is starting to come together.

[ONCRUISEMODE]

It really depends on what you want to do.

 

If you really want to get to know London and see all the sights here, book a three-month holiday and rent a place to stay here for that length of time. You still won't have seen everything in three months, even if you never leave the London area.

 

 

Thank you for your reply. Believe it or not, DH and I were thinking of staying somewhere for about a month and London would be ideal as it would be a blessing to get to see more of England. This time we are only going to be getting a small taste.

 

Thanks. La

[ONCRUISEMODE]

If you are going to go all the way out to Stratford-upon-Avon for a day trip from London, you could start your tour of the Cotswolds (only a few miles away, as JB has previously described) from there. There is a car-hire firm right at the station. Or as an alternative to driving yourself, there is a tour operator who specialises in the Cotswolds based in Stratford these days - minibus, rather than coach, and will do private tours. I don't know them or have any experience of their product, but I see them around quite often. Unfortunately, I can't think of the name at the moment!

 

As for your wider question, only you can answer that, I suppose. But you are spending time in London and Paris, so plenty of time to do city stuff, and a trip out to the countryside would complement that well.

 

Another thing to keep in mind out here in the sticks is that distances take more time than you think - roads are very often single-carriageway or even single track with passing places; trucks and agricultural vehicles may hold you up, especially if you are rightly cautious about overtaking; and you are liable to get lost (embrace it, part of the charm!) That's why I prefer to suggest staying in one place and exploring from there, rather than a road trip itinerary :) Slow down, chill out and enjoy the view!

 

Sounds like we will do Coswolds with Go Coswolds. Trip Advisor has given him good reviews.

Yes, I too have the desire to spend some time in the country so we will keep London to 3 nights.

 

I loved what you said (because it compliments our personalities and preferences). You said That's why I prefer to suggest staying in one place and exploring from there, rather than a road trip itinerary :) Slow down, chill out and enjoy the view!

 

This would mean not seeing every single thing but I have learned that enjoying what you do is more important then crossing off a bucket list too rapidly.

 

So where would you stay? I know it depends on us but truly "us" do not know enough to make an inform decision.

 

And once again, thank you.

Lydia

[Bob++]

So where would you stay? I know it depends on us but truly "us" do not know enough to make an inform decision.

 

And once again, thank you.

Lydia

 

Since Go Cotswolds is based in Stratford Upon Avon it would make sense to stay there, or nearby. There is a wide range of choices from a luxury hotel like the Macdonald Alveston Manor Hotel to a high quality, and much nicer in my opinion, B&B like White Sails . You need to book early there though, as they only have four rooms.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Bob++

[ONCRUISEMODE]

Since Go Cotswolds is based in Stratford Upon Avon it would make sense to stay there, or nearby. There is a wide range of choices from a luxury hotel like the Macdonald Alveston Manor Hotel to a high quality, and much nicer in my opinion, B&B like White Sails . You need to book early there though, as they only have four rooms.

 

White Sails has a great reputation and they have other locations. So I can stay in Stow (which is closer to Bath) and then go to Bath and to Salisbury on my way to the port.

 

They have a great website... I will be spending some time looking through it. Thank you.

Lydia

[Cotswold Eagle]

White Sails has rooms named after other towns, including Stow. I am not aware they have other locations.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Cotswold Eagle