Hotel in Southampton UK

[iamcdneh]

Hello, we are disembarking in Southampton Jan 2023 and staying for 5 days  while we catch a flight to Malaga.  Any suggestions for hotels or places to stay. We do want to travel around a bit.  If we have to fly out of London to get to Malaga, then we will be there for a shorter time. Merci!

[exlondoner]

Then nicest hotel in Soton is the Southampton Harbour. But much as I love Southampton, I'm not sure I'd want to stay there for five days in January. Salisbury, Winchester, Oxford?

[D&N]

I would recommend "room2 Southampton Hometel", if you decide to stay in Southampton.

We stayed there one night pre B2B crossing in May 2022. We were very happy with the comfort and practicality of it's rooms, the location in relation to alternative eateries, and it's general ambience. We hope to stay there again before our next B2B crossing.

 

Many folk on this forum, and my travel agent, recommend the Harbour and it's obviously very nice. The two hotels invariably come 1st and 2nd on a popular booking site and have  similar room sizes.

Pricewise on the night we stayed; Harbour would have been £295 against room2 at £135. And 5 nights from 11 January are currently quoted as £1,000 against £557.

 

Even without the price difference I personally would opt for room2.

Although if not going on the QM2 I'd probably stay at Premier Inn,

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, iamcdneh said:

Hello, we are disembarking in Southampton Jan 2023 and staying for 5 days  while we catch a flight to Malaga.  Any suggestions for hotels or places to stay. We do want to travel around a bit.  If we have to fly out of London to get to Malaga, then we will be there for a shorter time. Merci!

As stated, the best hotel close to the port is the Harbour, but if one is seeking a country house hotel, with fine dining, and rooms at various price points, then consider our favourite hotel near Southampton Lime Wood.  https://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk

Edited August 12, 2022 by PORT ROYAL
Typo

[John Bull]

 

 

Southampton isn't a tourist city, it has enough to interest the visitor for a day. But 

because it's a railway junction, it's a good base for day-trips by train with direct train services to places like the historic cathedral City of Salisbury 35 minutes (then Stonehenge by ho-ho bus), the historic cathedral city of Winchester 15 minutes, the historic dockyard & ships and other attractions of Portsmouth 50 minutes, the Georgian city of Bath, the Victorian seaside resort of Weymouth, the cathedral city of Chichester, the bohemian resort of Brighton

http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/SWR map 6c.pdf

and

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

 

There are also ferries from Southampton to the Isle of Wight (30 minutes fast-ferry, 60 mins traditional ferry)  then a short bus ride to Queen Victoria's favourite home, Osborne House, or ferries across Southampton Water to Hythe (Hampshire) then taxi to Beaulieu.

 

And if you rent a car for just a day or two, that opens up dozens more places from a Southampton base.

 

Google those places, (google "visit Bath, UK", "visit Salisbury, UK" etc), see what you think 

And use this forum's search box for posts about those places.

 

Good range of shops, restaurants, pubs, entertainments & other services in Southampton city centre.

All of the hotels in the link below are in the city centre.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_accommodation.htm

Hotels numbered 1, 2 & 3 in blue on the little map at the bottom of this linked page are directly opposite Southampton central train station.

They're only a 15 minute walk to The Bargate, the centre of the city, but those numbered 16, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, & 11 are closer.

 

A quick note on some of those hotels........

1  Novotel is a pretty standard 3+-star hotel

2. Ibis is not quite up to Novotel standard

3. Ibis Budget is probably cheapest in the city centre, perhaps a bit limited for more than a night or two.

16. Moxy's is a quirky Marriott brand.

4. Premier Inns is the UK's most popular budget chain, Premier Inn West Quay is by far the most convenient of Premier Inns' Southampton hotels.

5. Holiday Inn is right by Dock Gate 8 for City cruise terminal and rooms at the back look over the terminal hence popular with those sailing NCL, Celebrity,  MSC and various other cruise lines.

7 & 8 Pig in the Wall and Ennios are boutiques - Pig in the Wall is built into the city wall, Ennio's a converted warehouse.

9. Southampton Harbour hotel (recommened by exlondoner)is the only 5-star hotel in the city. Expensive - my only visit was for a traditional roast sunday lunch, very good. But inconvenient for the city centre, and even more so for the train station.

10 Mercure Dolphin is an historic coaching inn. History has its disadvantages, such as variable room sizes and sloping floors.

15.  Room 2  (recommended by D&N) is in a quiet no-thru-road, across a small park from Dock Gate 4 for Ocean cruise terminal.

The city centre's hotels are mainly modern, standards vary broadly in line with prices, some I'd prefer over others but there are none that I'd choose to avoid,

 

Port Royal's recommendation of Limewood is in the New Forest, about 10 miles from Southampton. It's one of several I could suggest for those with a rented car, but not for those without.

 

BTW, there are flights to Malaga from Southampton airport - super friendly and easy little single-terminal airport, very different to the zoos of London Heathrow London Gatwick, etc.

Perhaps also from nearby Bournemouth, but for both SOU & BOH  you'd need to check whether there are flights in January.

 

JB 🙂  

[PORT ROYAL]

27 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

 

 

Southampton isn't a tourist city, it has enough to interest the visitor for a day. But 

because it's a railway junction, it's a good base for day-trips by train with direct train services to places like the historic cathedral City of Salisbury 35 minutes (then Stonehenge by ho-ho bus), the historic cathedral city of Winchester 15 minutes, the historic dockyard & ships and other attractions of Portsmouth 50 minutes, the Georgian city of Bath, the Victorian seaside resort of Weymouth, the cathedral city of Chichester, the bohemian resort of Brighton

http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/SWR map 6c.pdf

and

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

 

There are also ferries from Southampton to the Isle of Wight (30 minutes fast-ferry, 60 mins traditional ferry)  then a short bus ride to Queen Victoria's favourite home, Osborne House, or ferries across Southampton Water to Hythe (Hampshire) then taxi to Beaulieu.

 

And if you rent a car for just a day or two, that opens up dozens more places from a Southampton base.

 

Google those places, (google "visit Bath, UK", "visit Salisbury, UK" etc), see what you think 

And use this forum's search box for posts about those places.

 

Good range of shops, restaurants, pubs, entertainments & other services in Southampton city centre.

All of the hotels in the link below are in the city centre.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_accommodation.htm

Hotels numbered 1, 2 & 3 in blue on the little map at the bottom of this linked page are directly opposite Southampton central train station.

They're only a 15 minute walk to The Bargate, the centre of the city, but those numbered 16, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, & 11 are closer.

 

A quick note on some of those hotels........

1  Novotel is a pretty standard 3+-star hotel

2. Ibis is not quite up to Novotel standard

3. Ibis Budget is probably cheapest in the city centre, perhaps a bit limited for more than a night or two.

16. Moxy's is a quirky Marriott brand.

4. Premier Inns is the UK's most popular budget chain, Premier Inn West Quay is by far the most convenient of Premier Inns' Southampton hotels.

5. Holiday Inn is right by Dock Gate 8 for City cruise terminal and rooms at the back look over the terminal hence popular with those sailing NCL, Celebrity,  MSC and various other cruise lines.

7 & 8 Pig in the Wall and Ennios are boutiques - Pig in the Wall is built into the city wall, Ennio's a converted warehouse.

9. Southampton Harbour hotel (recommened by exlondoner)is the only 5-star hotel in the city. Expensive - my only visit was for a traditional roast sunday lunch, very good. But inconvenient for the city centre, and even more so for the train station.

10 Mercure Dolphin is an historic coaching inn. History has its disadvantages, such as variable room sizes and sloping floors.

15.  Room 2  (recommended by D&N) is in a quiet no-thru-road, across a small park from Dock Gate 4 for Ocean cruise terminal.

The city centre's hotels are mainly modern, standards vary broadly in line with prices, some I'd prefer over others but there are none that I'd choose to avoid,

 

Port Royal's recommendation of Limewood is in the New Forest, about 10 miles from Southampton. It's one of several I could suggest for those with a rented car, but not for those without.

 

BTW, there are flights to Malaga from Southampton airport - super friendly and easy little single-terminal airport, very different to the zoos of London Heathrow London Gatwick, etc.

Perhaps also from nearby Bournemouth, but for both SOU & BOH  you'd need to check whether there are flights in January.

 

JB 🙂  

Excellent post - Not forgetting “Mary Rose”

[navybankerteacher]

I suppose if one’s ongoing flight is from Southampton staying locally and doing day trips (which can get tiresome) could make sense.  But in January I would far rather spend the time in London and fly out of Gatwick or Heathrow.

[DougH]

If you stay at the Ibis it is almost across the street from the train station, and close to the bus. I took the train to both Portsmouth and Winchester for day visits before my cruise

[gfkcruiser]

We are staying In Southampton 2 nights precruise.  Overnight flight so won’t be worth much the first day.  Will be mid afternoon by the time we arrive. Second day considering train to Bath for the day.  Seems like many sites are walking distance in city center once off the train.  
Any reason not to do Bath?  Other cities more interesting via train from Southampton?  Did London post cruise a few years ago.  Want to see other parts of England. 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, gfkcruiser said:

We are staying In Southampton 2 nights precruise.  Overnight flight so won’t be worth much the first day.  Will be mid afternoon by the time we arrive. Second day considering train to Bath for the day.  Seems like many sites are walking distance in city center once off the train.  
Any reason not to do Bath?  Other cities more interesting via train from Southampton?  Did London post cruise a few years ago.  Want to see other parts of England. 

 

Wherever floats your boat, and Bath is certainly popular.

Very attractive Georgian city, centred on the Roman Baths, and Jane Austen connections.

Hourly direct train service from Southampton Central takes just under 90 minutes, and advance-purchased return tickets cost £31 or less. Yes, the station  (Bath Spa) is in the city centre and most of the sights (Roman baths, Pulteney Bridge etc) are in easy walking distance, the Royal Crescent is a further 10 - 15 minutes.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by John Bull

[John Bull]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:11 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

Excellent post - Not forgetting “Mary Rose”

 

Yep.

She's in Portsmouth.

https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

 

JB 🙂

[Post Captain]

On 8/19/2022 at 3:04 PM, gfkcruiser said:

We are staying In Southampton 2 nights precruise.  Overnight flight so won’t be worth much the first day.  Will be mid afternoon by the time we arrive. Second day considering train to Bath for the day.  Seems like many sites are walking distance in city center once off the train.  
Any reason not to do Bath?  Other cities more interesting via train from Southampton?  Did London post cruise a few years ago.  Want to see other parts of England. 

 

If you've never been to Bath, I would certainly recommend that you make the trip.  An easy jaunt by train from Southampton, as per John Bull's post (#10) above.

 

I would urge you to take one of the free walking tours of Bath offered by the Mayor of Bath's Honorary Guides -- one of the best bargains in the UK.  I can think of no better introduction to the city and its history.

 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/bath_walking_tour.htm

 

https://www.bathguides.org.uk/when-where/

 

 

 

 

 

  

[gfkcruiser]

Just now, Post Captain said:

 

If you've never been to Bath, I would certainly recommend that you make the trip.  An easy jaunt by train from Southampton, as per John Bull's post (#10) above.

 

I would urge you to take one of the free walking tours of Bath offered by the Mayor of Bath's Honorary Guides -- one of the best bargains in the UK.  I can think of no better introduction to the city and its history.

 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/bath_walking_tour.htm

 

https://www.bathguides.org.uk/when-where/

 

 

 

 

 

  

Thanks for the info. 

[Lonedaddy]

You should make a trip to the tank museum in Dorchester if you are a history buff.  It is indoors so cold rainy weather shouldn't be an issue.  Portland (Weymouth) has a D-day Museum.   You could be like George III and take an icy bath in the ocean (lol)

[roberts2005]

Does it make sense to stay in Portsmouth two nights pre-cruise.   Seems to be more to do there.  I’m assuming it will not be hard to get a taxi to the cruise terminal..

 

I am looking at Marriott hotel there.

 

Any suggestions?

[PORT ROYAL]

1 minute ago, roberts2005 said:

Does it make sense to stay in Portsmouth two nights pre-cruise.   Seems to be more to do there.  I’m assuming it will not be hard to get a taxi to the cruise terminal..

 

I am looking at Marriott hotel there.

 

Any suggestions?

Portsmouth gives an opportunity to visit the Mary Rose exhibition.  Prepare for a big WOW

Taxi fro one’s hotel to ship will not be a problem.

 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, roberts2005 said:

Does it make sense to stay in Portsmouth two nights pre-cruise.   Seems to be more to do there.  I’m assuming it will not be hard to get a taxi to the cruise terminal..

 

I am looking at Marriott hotel there.

 

Any suggestions?

 

 

Yes, if you have two days (or 3 or 4) Portsmouth makes a great deal of sense.

 

But not the Marriott - it's very poorly-placed for the sights. 

You need to be near Portsmouth Harbour / Gunwharf Quay / Old Portsmouth, convenient for the Historic Dockyard & ferries. Try The Royal Maritime Club (hotel) or Holiday Inn Express or somewhere in-between

Or in the conjoined city of Southsea, convenient  for the seafront of Clarence Parade / Southsea Castle / D-Day museum, views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The Queen's Hotel or Florence House or somewhere in-between.

 

Direct hourly trains from Portsmouth Harbour station (or Portsmouth&Southsea station) to Southampton central station, about one hour, fare about  £10. Taxi would be about £45.

Or for Portsmouth cruise terminal (the international port, not the harbour) a taxi about £10 to £15

 

JB 🙂

[phabric]

I stayed at Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays.  It is walking distance 

to Historic Dock Yard.

 

I pre booked a car service West Quays from Portsmouth to Southampton.

 

www.historicdockyard.co.uk

www.westquaycars.com

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, roberts2005 said:

Does it make sense to stay in Portsmouth two nights pre-cruise.   Seems to be more to do there.  I’m assuming it will not be hard to get a taxi to the cruise terminal..

 

I am looking at Marriott hotel there.

 

Any suggestions?

As an aside.  If with Cunard, one may wish to embark with one’s wine and spirit requirements.

If so, Farnham deliver, no carrying, no sack barrow, no wheeled trolley…..

https://www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk

 

Ask about “Duty/Tax Free” purchases.

 

 

[roberts2005]

Thank you everyone. To clarify, my cruise does leave from Southampton.

 

I’ll do more research on the hotels, including the Holiday Inn express.

[clojacks]

Does anyone have any experience at the Premier Inn Southampton City Center WestQuay?

[victory2020]

On 3/21/2023 at 10:45 AM, clojacks said:

Does anyone have any experience at the Premier Inn Southampton City Center WestQuay?

I have been told this is the location to stay at when cruising

[PORT ROYAL]

11 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

I have been told this is the location to stay at when cruising

Sorry no, the best place to stay near the cruise terminal is Southampton Harbour.

 

[phabric]

On 3/21/2023 at 1:45 PM, clojacks said:

Does anyone have any experience at the Premier Inn Southampton City Center WestQuay?

It is Premier Inn West Quay, most people stay.  There is another Premier Inn City Center further away from the port.

 

I have stayed at Premier Inn West Quay 5x and 1x at Holiday Inn Herbert Walker.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I have been told this is the location to stay at when cruising

 

There's Premier Inn West Quay, in Harbour Parade, next door to Moxy's & close to Holiday Inn Herbert Walker Avenue, Leonardo Royal & a couple of boutiques. All very convenient to the city centre & cruise terminals and popular with cruisers.

 

And there's Premier Inn City Centre, in New Road on the other side of the city centre. Not badly located, but nowhere near as convenient as West Quay.

 

That was very simple.

 

But now someone at Premier Inns has muddied it by adding (City Centre) to the West Quay one - presumably thinking  that folk might believe it was deep in the Western Docks or wherever.

 

All of which is a long way of saying yes, West Quay is the one cruisers choose.

 

Port Royal mentioned "Southampton Harbour" hotel.

Might be because of mis-remembering the name of the Premier Inn.

Or might be because of a preference for the 5-star H-Group hotel of that name in the Ocean Village development, understandable because it's a luxury hotel & spa - but you could probably book an entire floor of a Premier Inn for the same money as a room at the Southampton Harbour hotel 😏

 

JB 🙂