Renting a car after disembarking in Southampton in May

[ONCRUISEMODE]

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

 

Ok Cotswold Eagle....see how naive an American I am.....

 

Lydia

[Bob++]

So: Is your plan now to fly to LHR and rent a car from there. Then drive to the Cotswolds and stay somewhere reasonably central, taking a day out with Go Cotswolds from Stratford and finally dropping the car off at Southampton?

 

There are many B&B's like White sails; this is an area where standards have improved tremendously over the last decade or so. Decide on a town and I am sure that we can find you somewhere nice to stay.

 

If I can't plan a holiday for myself, I may as well help others :)

Edited August 22, 2015 by Bob++

[ONCRUISEMODE]

So: Is your plan now to fly to LHR and rent a car from there. Then drive to the Cotswolds and stay somewhere reasonably central, taking a day out with Go Cotswolds from Stratford and finally dropping the car off at Southampton?

 

There are many B&B's like White sails; this is an area where standards have improved tremendously over the last decade or so. Decide on a town and I am sure that we can find you somewhere nice to stay.

 

If I can't plan a holiday for myself, I may as well help others :)

 

Hi Bob, the big hurdle is driving although my DH says he is up for it. I really didn't think he would be. So yes, the plan would be to stay in the Cotswolds for 3 nights and then take short day trips to nearby places mentioned by John Bull and Cotswold Eagle. I think having a car would definitely be the best option although I think I would also consider renting in a different location that would be easy to get to by train and thus avoid the super highways that may be cause for concern.

 

Once we leave the Cotswolds we can go see Bath and spend the night in Salisbury.

 

I would love to have your input as to where to stay. As far as the town is concerned, such as Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden or Broadway.

I am actually quoting John Bull who suggested a larger town when I mentioned Bibury as there would be more to do and see and experience...Makes sense to me.

 

John Bull, mentioned that an American couple come every year to his tiny village and are not tired of it yet. John, if you are still on this thread (and haven't gotten tired of my indecisions) let me know where they stayed.

 

I am welcoming all referrals for places to stay in the Cotswold region. I like a nice comfortable bed and uniqueness as a reasonable price. I have actually spent 5 hours researching where to spend two nights recently on another trip. But I ended up getting a huge deal at a nice place with many amenities. So I keep getting rewarded for my tenacity. However, the last thing I want to do is to consume too much time of those that are trying to assist. I do appreciate all replies and suggestions.

 

Your American Cruise Critic Friend. Lydia

[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 :)

 

 

Cotswold Eagle: I owe you an apology. You wrote the above info and I thought it was John Bull. I hope you can forgive me. I have kept pages of both your notes without being savvy and keeping the notes separated by who wrote them.

 

Can you tell me where the American couple stay when they come? Would you recommend that? Thank you for your suggestions. It seems like we will stay 3 nights in the Cotswold and enjoy quaint villages away from the city.

 

We live in North Florida after retiring from Miami. We love the quaintness here and the trees...some Oaks are over 100 years old and are Majestic.

Lydia