Pre cruise, mobility issues

Cruising out of Southampton in May and arriving 2 days ahead. I can't decide if we should go directly to Southampton, or stay for 2 days in Winchester, or somewhere else. The first day for us is usually very relaxed and getting over jet lag.

 

DH has limited walking, uses a cane, can't walk far, and is very slow. I want to stay where there are some good restaurants and some sights that are within a few blocks so as not to put a strain on him.

 

What do you recommend? Any hotel suggestions? I'd appreciate all suggestions.

My head was spinning after all my research. I talked to DH today and he said don't stress so much, so I booked Winchester Hotel & Spa. Found out we could have afternoon tea the day we arrive, which will be very welcome. I don't envision alot of walking, but taxis wherever we go. So happy to have that done!

The cenre of Winchester has only a very few hotels, pubs & restaurants, but enough for your purposes.

Check out hotel locations on www.booking.com and restaurants on googlemaps & TripAdvisor.

The area you want is centred on the pedestrianized part of High Street, which runs between The Broadway & Jewry Street.

The ideally-located hotel is the Mercure Wessex, the best restaurant is probably Loch Fyne Seafood Grill in Jewry Street, probably the best-known city centre pub is the Bishop on the Bridge.

Nearby you'll find the cathedral, The old Bishop's Palace, the city mill & the city museum. Further up High Street (but at this point it's quite a steep hill) is the little West Gate museum and the Great Hall of Winchester Castle (the Great Hall is the only part of the castle that remains).

Winchester is quite up-market and popular with tourists.

http://www.visitwinchester.co.uk/things-to-do

 

Southampton city centre gives you a much broader range of hotels, pubs & restaurants.

Focus on the area a few blocks around the Grand Harbour Hotel - including Holiday Inn (Herbert Walker Ave), Premier Inn West Quay, boutique hotels Pig in the Wall and Ennios. Here you'll find the big West Quay Mall, between that mall & the city wall the Forty Steps (you don't have to climb 'em) complex of modern restaurants, along the waterfront restaurants like Ennio's and La Regata, pubs like the Duke of Wellington & the Dancing Man. Sights in the area include the Tudor House & Gardens, the Medieval Merchant's House, Westgate Hall, the city walls incorporating the main entrance to the old city, the Bargate.

Southampton is a working port city, but has enough history to interest the visitor for a day or two.

http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/visit/things-to-do

 

There's a frequent train service between the two cities (about a 15 minute journey, about £10 round-ticket), Winchester station is a 10 to 15 min walk or a short taxi hop from the cathedral area. Also a tolerably frequent bus service between the cities - journey time a lot longer but the bus drops you in The Broadway close to Winchester Cathedral

 

JB :)

 

Edited to add (typing while you were posting). Winchester Hotel & Spa is a well-respected hotel. It's in the city centre, but with mobility issues you'll want a taxi for a very short drive to The Broadway for the cathedral & other sights. There's a tax rank in The Broadway where you can hop in a taxi to go back to your hotel

Thank you John B...... I have made a note of the restaurant and pub you suggested.

Thank you John B...... I have made a note of the restaurant and pub you suggested.

 

Since you'll be at the Winchester Hotel, instead try the Hyde Tavern - an extremely well-respected old-fashioned pub just a two minute walk from the hotel. And frequented mainly by friendly local regulars rather than visitors.

 

Bishop on the Bridge is better for daytime while you're in the heart of the city. Has a pleasant riverside beer-garden too.

 

JB :)

Turning my attention to departure day, I wonder if you, John B, have a suggestion. We plan to do an 8 hr tour of London thru the ship. They drop off at LHR. Most folks probably have a late flight, but we don't leave until the next morning. So we'll need a hotel.

 

I'd like to taxi to a hotel that is super clean with a nice dinner and then taxi to our terminal 3 in the morning. Probably best to stay within 15-20 minutes of terminal. Any suggestions?

Turning my attention to departure day, I wonder if you, John B, have a suggestion. We plan to do an 8 hr tour of London thru the ship. They drop off at LHR. Most folks probably have a late flight, but we don't leave until the next morning. So we'll need a hotel.

 

I'd like to taxi to a hotel that is super clean with a nice dinner and then taxi to our terminal 3 in the morning. Probably best to stay within 15-20 minutes of terminal. Any suggestions?

 

Sorry, can't help.

I only once stayed at a Heathrow hotel, one I'd not recommend - part of a package deal with a flight at daft o'clock in the morning.

 

Hopefully folk who know Heathrow better will chip in.

 

Bearing in mind the title of this thread, probably better to start a fresh thread?

Mebbe titled something like "Heathrow overnight hotel suggestions needed"

 

Good luck

 

JB :)

Thank you John B..... I will commence to do some research and post a new thread if needed. You are indeed a gracious, helpful person!

We plan to do an 8 hr tour of London thru the ship. They drop off at LHR. Most folks probably have a late flight, but we don't leave until the next morning. So we'll need a hotel.

 

I'd like to taxi to a hotel that is super clean with a nice dinner and then taxi to our terminal 3 in the morning. Probably best to stay within 15-20 minutes of terminal. Any suggestions?

What I would suggest is this, although with the caveat that it is unlikely to be the cheapest way of doing it. Get dropped off at Terminal 5 and stay at the Sofitel, which is pretty much attached to the terminal. (You might want to look at this FlyerTalk thread for some ideas of how to get cheaper rates, although some of the guessing games involve a degree of risk.) I think that the Sofitel has a decent, if pricey, restaurant, but it is also not that far to walk into Terminal 5 itself where there is a branch of Carluccio's - a decent, reliable, good quality chain Italian.

 

For the transfer to Terminal 3, arrange for a car from Parker Cars who are local and well used to doing inter-terminal transfers, particularly for those who are less able to use the conventional public transport options.

 

It's also possible to do something similar if you're staying at the Hilton at Terminal 4, but that is physically further from the terminal building so you may find yourself limited to the hotel restaurants (which are not bad, IIRC - although it has been a long time since I was last there). I wouldn't recommend the Premier Inn at T4 even though that is also connected by walkway to T4, because it's even further away than the Hilton and offers a relatively basic level of accommodation that probably wouldn't work well for you.

 

In the case of either the Sofitel or the Hilton, if the tour transport is prepared to drop you at the hotel itself rather than the terminal building, that takes away another layer of the difficulty. The advantage of these two hotels is that they are actually on-airport, hence meshing with your tour ending at the airport.

 

All of the other airport hotels are off-airport, and with your requirements you'll be pretty much limited to eating in the hotel, and none of them are really much known for their dinners.

 

One possible honourable exception is the Hilton Terminal 5 (not to be confused with the one I've already mentioned at T4) which is not at T5 but has a decent Indian for which Cyrus Todiwala (of Cafe Spice Namaste - see elsewhere on the board) is responsible. However, you need to get a taxi from the airport to get to this hotel, and because it is outside the London taxi area, regulated taxi fares do not apply and you would either have to haggle with a cab on the rank, or else pre-arrange to be met by Parker Cars or someone similar. And, of course, you have to like Indian food to find this appealing - but note that it is not really standard curry house fare but something rather better.

I love the Sofitel and try to stay there whenever I leave from T5. Not cheap but lovely and the restaurant is nice as well (and a fabulous breakfast!). I'm flying from T3 in a couple of weeks and have booked the Ibis Styles hotel which is really close to T2 & T3. It is fairly new and has good reviews. Good prices as well. Will let you know what it's like, including the restaurant as we'll probably have our dinner there.

I love the Sofitel and try to stay there whenever I leave from T5. Not cheap but lovely and the restaurant is nice as well (and a fabulous breakfast!). I'm flying from T3 in a couple of weeks and have booked the Ibis Styles hotel which is really close to T2 & T3. It is fairly new and has good reviews. Good prices as well. Will let you know what it's like, including the restaurant as we'll probably have our dinner there.

 

 

Why not stay at the Sofitel and take the free transfer from T5 to T3? An Ibis on the Bath Road is about as far from the Sofitel experience as you can get :)

 

 

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