Antico Hotel - Southampton (Calling John Bull!)

[2tsquared]

John (and others who may know this hotel):

 

I have been searching for a hotel in Southampton. We will be cruising mid October and will be spending 2 nights pre cruise in Southampton or New Forest area.

 

I've been doing some internet searching and came across the "new" advertised Antico Boutique Hotel, apparently a part of the Antico Bar & Restaurant. I found the Antico website which mentions the hotel but it does not have much about the hotel on it. It looks good, but I cannot find any TripAdvisor reviews on the hotel itself either. From what I've read, all rooms were redone in February 2012.

 

Do you have any information you can provide?

 

Thank you,

 

Terry

[John Bull]

Hi, Terry,

I'd never heard of the place until a few weeks ago.

That's because it's not simply "re-furbished" it's a totally new venture - hotel & bar & restaurant - that opened a few months back.

 

The place used to be a pub, called the Court Jester.

Here it is on google street-view (not updated)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=13+Terminus+Terrace+,+Southampton,+SO14+3DT&hl=en&ll=50.89877,-1.396337&spn=0.000027,0.017853&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=9.222177,18.28125&hnear=13+Terminus+Terrace,+Southampton+SO14+3DT,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.898845,-1.396306&panoid=0r0ysNj1vE_Z65EOe0-ITw&cbp=12,269.27,,0,-3.81

 

I managed to find just ten reviews on LateRooms. Not bad reviews, but ten reviews is way too few to get a balance.

http://www.laterooms.com/en/hotel-reviews/259977_antico-hotel-southampton.aspx

The place doesn't seem to be listed with booking.com & the other usual-suspects.

 

I get the impression it's a restaurant with rooms, rather than a hotel. Not neccessarily a bad thing, nearby White Star Tavern and Ennio's on Town Quay are the same sort of set-up and are well-received but don't have the public rooms & facilities that you'd normally expect of a hotel.

 

The area's quite mixed, not special but not dreadful, includes offices & commercial premises.

It's a few yards from Oxford Street, the "in" place to eat these days. Its restaurant menu & prices are pretty typical of the area. A five minute walk from the city's few historic sights around High Street & ten minutes from the shopping centre around the Bargate. Walkable from Ocean cruise terminal, a short taxi hop from the others.

 

Would I choose it?

No. Not right now.

Partly because the location/surroundings aren't great, partly because I can't find enough info, and partly because I'd rather let others be the guinea-pigs.

But I'm not you.

 

For a modern clone hotel check out Novotel, or Jurys Inn, or Holiday Inn (Herbert Walker Ave), or especially Premier Inn West Quay. For something with a bit more character, Mercure Dolphin in High Street.

 

Just MHO

 

JB :)

[2tsquared]

Would I choose it?

No. Not right now.

Partly because the location/surroundings aren't great, partly because I can't find enough info, and partly because I'd rather let others be the guinea-pigs.

But I'm not you.

 

For a modern clone hotel check out Novotel, or Jurys Inn, or Holiday Inn (Herbert Walker Ave), or especially Premier Inn West Quay. For something with a bit more character, Mercure Dolphin in High Street.

 

Just MHO

 

JB :)

 

Many thanks, John. Your "HO" parallels my thoughts (especially the guinea pig part). I've been looking at the other hotel offerings in SH and just can't find one that calls to me. The "clone" hotels look almost dreary from the exterior pictures but appear to offer the comfort (read into this "need comfortable bed -- not a slab") we prefer over petite room "charm." Having stayed in a few smaller hotels around the UK, there have been some in years past that barely allowed for our suitcases, let alone the 2 of us! :eek:

 

We were in the Bournemouth/New Forest area for 2 weeks about 10 years ago. We stayed at the Rhinefield House (timeshare) and loved it. I see it now being advertised as a hotel as well. At the time, one would definitely need a car to get around; I would assume the same holds true today. We don't mind driving and wonder if it would be a better choice to stay out of SH (weekend crowds and I believe 2 ships in port), rent a car at LHR and then drive to the SH airport on embarkation day, turn in our car and take a taxi to the port. We will only be in the area 2 nights pre cruise and have spent quite a bit of time exploring the area. Our main focus this trip will be going towards Bath as we have not been there.

 

But . . . on the other hand, I see we can take a train to Bath and perhaps we'd be better just staying in SH (and take transport to SH from LHR).

 

I'll go back and recheck the hotels you suggest. I appreciate your quick response and will continue to monitor your advice on all "things UK." :D

Terry

:)

[2tsquared]

Correction -- that would be Brockenhurst, not Bournemouth, for the Rhinefield House! Guess I should have finished my first cup of coffee before posting. :o

[John Bull]

Correction -- that would be Brockenhurst, not Bournemouth, for the Rhinefield House! Guess I should have finished my first cup of coffee before posting. :o

 

Yes, I know Rhinefield House, though I've not stayed there. Belonged to Richard Branson at one time. Gets decent reviews.

Not a million miles from there, just outside Lyndhurst, is a country house hotel called Limewood. Very swish, beautiful forest setting. Eye-watering prices, but might be worth a look, along with a lot of other Forest hotels. Go onto www.booking.com & search New Forest. Like Rhinefield & other similar places, it needs a car. And like the Dolphin Mercure & other older hotels there's significant differences between rooms - in a clone it makes no odds what room you're in.

 

But if you've already "done" the New Forest, you aren't considering the coast/countryside west into Dorset (Corfe Castle, Jurassic coast, Dorset downs etc), & have your eyes on Bath, then can I suggest you either

 

- find a hotel in or near Bath, spend a day there and make the days either side transfer/touring days (Avebury Ring/Silbury Hill, Lacock, Glastonbury/Cheddar/Wells, Salisbury, etc).

The more expensive option, needs a lot of research, but plenty of choice & variety

 

- or book a clone handy to Southampton rail station (Novotel, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn etc) & take a day-trip to Bath by train. Bath is compact & all the main sights are easy walking.

The cheap & simple option.

Two/three ships in port is the norm. There's one date with seven:eek:

 

JB :)

[scottbee]

Correction -- that would be Brockenhurst, not Bournemouth, for the Rhinefield House! Guess I should have finished my first cup of coffee before posting. :o

 

If memory serves me right, Rhinefield was a location for boarding students in the late 70s, that then went to the local high schools (Priestlands,Brockenhurst).

 

Another option to stay, is stay in a small hotel or B&B near a railway station (such as downtown Lymington), and just take the train to the ship on sailaway day.

[John Bull]

If memory serves me right, Rhinefield was a location for boarding students in the late 70s, that then went to the local high schools (Priestlands,Brockenhurst).

.

 

http://southernlife.org.uk/rhinefie.htm

 

 

JB :)

[Bob++]

Another option to stay, is stay in a small hotel or B&B near a railway station (such as downtown Lymington), and just take the train to the ship on sailaway day.

 

The idea of downtown Lymington made me laugh...:)