Southampton hotels

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks. Maybe they have something similar in Southampton. I'll check.

 

Doug

To assist further googled laundry services Southampton finding

 

https://doogleslaundry.weebly.com

 

https://www.stjameslaunderette.co.uk/laundry-services

 

 

 

 

 

[John Bull]

7 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Trying to find a place to do a load of laundry prior to our cruise. We'll be staying at the Southampton West Quay, which suits our needs and budget for all but laundry. Reportedly there is no laundry service at the hotel. I am hoping there is some self or full service laundry prior to boarding our Celebrity ship. We'll have a week's worth of laundry needing attention! <g>

 

Anyone have any experience in that area and can help finding laundry facilities?

 

Doug

 

 

 

Hi, Doug,

 

"West Quay" is the large shopping mall & entertainment complex, I'll guess that your hotel is Premier Inn West Quay.

Atlantic Cleaners have two launderettes equi-distant from your hotel, in Bedford Place and St Mary Street. Both have coin-op self-service or service wash.

IBedford Place one is a 20 minute wak from your hotel - perhaps combine it with a visit to the art gallery or Sea City Museum both at the Civic Centre which you pass en-route, or there are coffee shops & pubs in Bedford Place.

St Mary St one is a little closer, but in a grubby part of town - not unsafe, but grubby.

Atlantic also offer a collection & delivery service but I'm pretty sure that's just for commercial quantities.

https://atlantic-cleaners.com/

(click on "about us" for locations & services)

https://goo.gl/maps/nAuUJpDEQe4tXhYd8

(to get it all onto one map, the route is from one launderette to your hotel then on to the second launderette) 

 

JB 🙂

 

[John Bull]

22 hours ago, phabric said:

We will using National Express at terminal 5 going to Winchester.  There is a direct coach.

 

Heathrow airport site show they stop at pole 9-15 outside arrivals.

 

Is there a destination board to show which pole to wait at?  Will there be staff there to help?

 

Will the Coach show Winchester as the destination or will there a different name as final destination?

 

At T5 Nat. Express coaches stop at poles 13 - 16.

There'lll be no Nat Express staff there (see the Eagle's post) but there are CallPoints (phones) in the arrivals hall (pick it up & it'll be answered by a real person) or ask bus drivers, porters, etc

Your coach should show Service No. 204 on its destination board but it won't show Winchester - it'll show the final destination, which may be Poole as mentioned by the Eagle, or perhaps Southampton or Portsmouth.

 

JB 🙂

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Trying to find a place to do a load of laundry prior to our cruise. We'll be staying at the Southampton West Quay, which suits our needs and budget for all but laundry. Reportedly there is no laundry service at the hotel. I am hoping there is some self or full service laundry prior to boarding our Celebrity ship. We'll have a week's worth of laundry needing attention! <g>

 

Anyone have any experience in that area and can help finding laundry facilities?

 

Doug

 

 

 

 

Oooops.

Re my last - the one in St Mary St doesn't offer self-service.

So its just the one in Bedford Place.

 

JB 🙂

[phabric]

11 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

At T5 Nat. Express coaches stop at poles 13 - 16.

There'lll be no Nat Express staff there (see the Eagle's post) but there are CallPoints (phones) in the arrivals hall (pick it up & it'll be answered by a real person) or ask bus drivers, porters, etc

Your coach should show Service No. 204 on its destination board but it won't show Winchester - it'll show the final destination, which may be Poole as mentioned by the Eagle, or perhaps Southampton or Portsmouth.

 

JB 🙂

Thanks for the information.

 

Once off the Coach at their new drop off place in Winchester, will we need a taxi to the Mercure hotel from the car park?

[John Bull]

Just now, phabric said:

Thanks for the information.

 

Once off the Coach at their new drop off place in Winchester, will we need a taxi to the Mercure hotel from the car park?

 

 Nat Express & the City Council may have settled their differences by then.😉

 

But if not, then you take the frequent Park&Ride bus from the car park to The Broadway, near the old Nat Express stop, just a few yards from your hotel 🙂

The bus ride is included with car parking tickets - since you won't be buying a parking ticket I guess there'll be a small fare.

 

JB 🙂

[PaperSniper4]

11 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

Hi, Doug,

 

...

Atlantic Cleaners have two launderettes equi-distant from your hotel, in Bedford Place and St Mary Street. Both have coin-op self-service or service wash.

......

https://atlantic-cleaners.com/

(click on "about us" for locations & services)

https://goo.gl/maps/nAuUJpDEQe4tXhYd8

(to get it all onto one map, the route is from one launderette to your hotel then on to the second launderette) 

 

JB 🙂

 

Thanks so much, Mr Bull! You have helped us out a lot. My wife in particular....hopefully using a laundry before our cruise will allow my wife to pack one less suitcase.😉

 

Yes, we're booked at that Premier. Sounds like a convenient place to stay prior to sailing.

 

Doug

[PaperSniper4]

13 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

To assist further googled laundry services Southampton finding

 

https://doogleslaundry.weebly.com

 

https://www.stjameslaunderette.co.uk/laundry-services

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you!

 

[Harters]

On 7/3/2021 at 4:56 PM, Harters said:

Last trip, we stayed at the Lainston House Hotel

In the event , we've booked Careys Manor Hotel at Brockenhurst. Looks decent enough, including a choice of restaurants, and at a price much more reasonable than the likes of Lainston. About a 20 minute drive to the port.

 

I have fingers crossed that our June cruise goes ahead unaffected by Covid. Crystal ball time.

[turnip eater]

Excellent choice!

Brockenhurst is a nice village to explore, plus there’s the New Forest ponies wandering about.

[John Bull]

16 hours ago, Harters said:

In the event , we've booked Careys Manor Hotel at Brockenhurst. Looks decent enough, including a choice of restaurants, and at a price much more reasonable than the likes of Lainston. About a 20 minute drive to the port.

 

I have fingers crossed that our June cruise goes ahead unaffected by Covid. Crystal ball time.

 

Brockenhurst is a pleasant, laid-back, and sought-after little village in the New Forest.

Carey's Manor is on the edge of the village adjacent moorland walks & free-ranging ponies,  and the little local shops, tearooms & pubs of Brookley Road - the main street - are less than a 10 minutes walk. Much more convenient location than Lainston House, which is a little remote. 

Excellent choice for a night or two, but bear in mind that just like Lainston House it's popular for functions such as weddings, so likely to be busy at weekends.

 

The quickest route to the port is more like a 30 minute drive. 

For this distance it's much cheaper to pre-book a private transfer than just call for a taxi.

And mebbe ask the driver to go across the Forest via Beaulieu, which adds less than 10 minutes and is on much more attractive and typical forest roads rather than the busier straight fenced main roads via Lyndhurst.

 

But you also have two other options.....

Hourly train from Brockenhurst station (half-mile 10 minute walk from Carey's Manor) to Southampton Central (taxi to any cruise terminal £10 or less).

Or for something a little different (even with luggage) book to go through Beaulieu to Hythe, and from there it's a 15 minute ride on the hourly little Hythe Ferry across Southampton Water to the city's Town Quay, handy to all cruise terminals.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/gAH9MDKbGLSNfhZU7

https://hytheferry.co.uk/

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

 

[Harters]

Thanks, JB.

 

I know Brockenhurst from previous trips to the area, so pleasant for a leg stretch after our long drive from Cheshire. The benefit of Lainston was that's north of Southampton, so a shorter drive, but it was significantly more expensive. We'll be driving to the port but your transport info will, no doubt, be helpful to other travellers who didnt have their own vehicle.

 

John

[Straughn]

I will be staying in Southampton for two nights in October before sailing on Celebrity. “Mature” retired lady traveling solo, so safety is paramount. I have read all the various posts about hotels in the city. What are the pros/cons between the Premier Inn West Quay and the Premier City Center?.  I will need to taxi to the port, so being within walking distance is not important; the proximity to restaurants, tours, safety, etc is. Thanks.

[PORT ROYAL]

6 hours ago, Straughn said:

I will be staying in Southampton for two nights in October before sailing on Celebrity. “Mature” retired lady traveling solo, so safety is paramount. I have read all the various posts about hotels in the city. What are the pros/cons between the Premier Inn West Quay and the Premier City Center?.  I will need to taxi to the port, so being within walking distance is not important; the proximity to restaurants, tours, safety, etc is. Thanks.

As an aside.  
If you wish to experience a traditional English Inn/Pub with history, clean bed, good restaurant and a cosy bar, with plenty of people to possibly engage with, being in the centre of a town with places to safely walk, theatres etc.. Then consider The White Star.  
Know it’s a little “left field” of conventional, but one may enjoy the difference.

Used to stay at the Ageas (Club), but now switched, because of flexible arrival/depart and food quality and one can see a show etc within walking distance.

[John Bull]

9 hours ago, Straughn said:

I will be staying in Southampton for two nights in October before sailing on Celebrity. “Mature” retired lady traveling solo, so safety is paramount. I have read all the various posts about hotels in the city. What are the pros/cons between the Premier Inn West Quay and the Premier City Center?.  I will need to taxi to the port, so being within walking distance is not important; the proximity to restaurants, tours, safety, etc is. Thanks.

 

West Quay is so very very much more convenient 🙂

- a two minute walk to the big West Quay Shopping Mall, with the traditional high street & its shops on the other side of the Mall. There's even a mid-size grocery store in the same building as the hotel.

(And Carnival's UK headquarters is across the road)

- a two minute walk to the West Quay restaurant & entertainment complex. A dozen & more restaurants, mainly international chain brands all much of a muchness with no local character, but most have seating inside & out.

- a 3 minute walk to the town walls, beyond which are Southampton's few historic sights (best is the Tudor House & Gardens), typical Brit pubs, independent Brit & international restaurants, and the waterfront of Town Quay.

You are likely to find other cruisers staying at the West Quay one, because it's so close to a couple of the cruise terminals.

It's also much newer than the "city centre" one.

 

The City Centre one is in New Street, on the far edge of the city centre. Nothing of use or interest nearby, but a pleasant ten minute walk to the shops & restaurants, and through the old-town to the  waterfront ten minutes beyond.

 

I've not stayed at either of these Premier Inns,  but Premier Inns are all much the same internally.

 

There are very very few organised group tours from Southampton. It's not a tourist city, and coach trips are geared to locals - you're unlikely to find one to suit you on your date. Private tours are available from several local taxi & transfer operators, but unless you link up with others they'd be prohibitively expensive.

But Southampton is a railway junction, with direct trains to myriad places of interest.   Salisbury (& ho-ho bus from there to Stonehenge), Winchester, Bath, Portsmouth historic docks & ships, and other places of interest are all available by direct trains. Ticket prices are low (most of the places I've mentioned are around £10 return-trip, just Bath at £30) ,the services are tolerably frequent (hourly or better), fast, reliable and comfortable.

Very different to Amtrak, and widely used by the whole community. And no worries daytime for a singleton.

Both hotels are about a mile from Southampton central train station.

 

Southampton isn't an unsafe city, no worries for a singleton. But like other cities some parts can be noisy in the evenings & possibly rowdy late-night. Neither of those hotels are in a particularly noisy or rowdy area.

So either would suit, but West Quay is the better location. NB - it also books-out sooner.

 

JB 🙂

[Straughn]

@John Bull Thank you so much for all the information you provided. You answered everyone of my questions which I really appreciate. I just booked the Premier  Inn West Quay as it is clearly the better choice.

 

I do appreciate the information on visiting the historic places. Stonehenge is at the top of that list, so knowing that the train and the ho-ho are the best way to do that is very helpful.

Edited February 3, 2022 by Straughn

[John Bull]

21 hours ago, Straughn said:

@John Bull Thank you so much for all the information you provided. You answered everyone of my questions which I really appreciate. I just booked the Premier  Inn West Quay as it is clearly the better choice.

 

I do appreciate the information on visiting the historic places. Stonehenge is at the top of that list, so knowing that the train and the ho-ho are the best way to do that is very helpful.

 

Glad to help.

 

For Stonehenge ......

 

- train from Southampton central to Salisbury every half hour, journey time about 30 minutes, return fare about £12. No need to pre-book, just give yourselves some time to buy your round-trip tickets at the station.

 

- take the Stonehenge ho-ho. from the forecourt of Salisbury station.

Buy your Stonehenge entry tickets from the ho-ho driver. Stonehenge is sometimes over-subscribed so folk who arrive ticketless may have a long wait until numbers on-site are below capacity. And those who  pre-book on-line have to book a  half-hour time-slot for entry and they risk delayed entry if they miss their time-slot. But tickets included with the Stonehenge ho-ho (and coach tours) have priority for anytime entry.

 

Most folk spend 60 to 120 minutes at Stonehenge.

 

- You may have enough time for a stop-off at Old Sarum on your way back to Salisbury altho that will impinge on your time in Salisbury, it involves some walking, and is dire in wet weather. When you leave Old Sarum return to the bus stop to continue back to Salisbury city centre - you don't have to wait for the next ho-ho, your  ho-ho tickets are good for any "Salisbury Reds" bus and I think that all of them using that stop go to the city centre (but check with the driver to be sure).

 - Get off the bus in Salisbury city centre - a very pleasant historic and laid-back city. Do make time to visit Salisbury cathedral. It's in the city centre, it's magnificent, it has the tallest spire in the UK, and it contains an original Magna Carta (kinda like a Bill of Rights) and a clock reputed to be the oldest in the world.

 

- Return to the train station - a 20 minute walk, a short bus or taxi ride, or on a ho-ho if suitably timed, and train back to Southampton central

 

Buying your train, ho-ho and Stonehenge tickets on the day means that you won't have wasted any money if your plans change.

 

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

(website doesn't yet go out to your date, use any same-day-of-the-week in the next couple of months, and check again closer to your date)

 

https://www.thestonehengetour.info/

In October the ho-ho only runs hourly, the first at 10.00am from Salisbury station, so bear this in mind when planning your journey.

Bring cash, on the ho-ho there's a contactless limit on cards.

 

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/visit

 

If your visit is on a sunday, trains are less-frequent and there are restrictions on admission to Salisbury cathedral.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[Straughn]

@John Bull, For the second time, you have provided valuable information. I have printed your last post and put it in my cruise file. Thank you for detailing my touring plan to Salisbury and Stonehenge.