Hotels in Southampton

[the english lady]

Hi going to have to spend a few days in Southampton.

I know people require different things from hotels, but I just wondered what people thought of the grand harbour. Obviously go past it when joining a ship, but what's it like inside. Trip reviews are not all good. Says it looks tired.

Are there any other decent hotels, that maybe have a water view.

It will have to be in Southampton, so all the nice ones elsewhere are out of the running. Thank you.

[kevinyork]

The Hilton gets better reviews on Tripadvisor than the Grand Harbour and tends to cost less.

 

Im not sure a water view is a must though for me since its not a particularly appealing water view.

 

 

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[Moonraker7]

There's a new Hilton opening at the ageus bowl, has a view of cricket possibly no water? Or there's the Holiday inn http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186299-d214798-r122373067-Holiday_Inn_Southampton-Southampton_Hampshire_England.html

[LondonTowner]

We have stayed at the Premier Inn at South Quay and the Hilton at Chilworth. Both hotels were OK and suited our needs.

[tartanexile81]

There's a new Hilton opening at the ageus bowl, has a view of cricket possibly no water? Or there's the Holiday inn http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186299-d214798-r122373067-Holiday_Inn_Southampton-Southampton_Hampshire_England.html

 

 

The link leads to reviews more than 4 years old and people aren't quite so enthusiastic about it these days.

[the english lady]

I have been looking at the linlks and more important to the position of the hotels, thank you for the replies so far.

We will be coming down by train, and for part of the time I am hoping to wander round the centre.

Cannot do miles, do not wish to taxi in, so is holiday inn and GH the only ones, do you think.

My geography/street map reading is not brilliant, but the others seem a way out.

[Mysticalmother]

Hi English Lady - we are staying at the Dolphin for our precruise stay in July, and stayed there in May too. We were more than happy with it. It's not got the "wow" factor (it's an old hotel) but was clean and comfortable, easy to walk into town for food - although the Restaurant was good on site, and is very central. Prices were very good too and IMHO was better than the Holiday Inn which I have used before. We had a cruise package which included parking and the taxi to the ship which worked really well . It's only a few minutes from the GH.

[Big Stevie]

We have recently stayed in the Holiday Inn Southampton which was perfectly adequate for our one night stay prior to our cruise, with parking. This was our room on he top floor and the view from the window...

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2015 by Big Stevie

[Mysticalmother]

That looks like a MUCH better room than we had last year at the holiday inn. Our room was admittedly clean but very basic.

Luck of the draw I guess!

[freddie1974]

Stayed in the Grand Harbour 3 years ago and was nice but overpriced and a little tired - assuming there have been no returns since I would be tempted to look elsewhere.

[Big Stevie]

If my memory id correct, the Grand Harbour is next door to the Holiday Inn and will have an almost identical sea view (thats assuming you have a room with a sea view)?

Edited June 11, 2015 by Big Stevie

[goodsailors]

We have stayed at the GH a few times and have found it more that satisfactory. Don't understand the 'tired' comments have never found it so. Also, found the staff very helpful. Next week we are staying at the Hilton, pre-cruise, as the GH is full, so glad to read the satisfactory comments so fingers crossed. Have no idea how far the Hilton is from the town centre but the GH certainly is within walking distance. Never had a sea view at the GH can only surmise that these are at a higher price than the cruise packages the GH offers covers, but for one night never thought we needed a sea view.

[the english lady]

Thank you for all the replies and the pictures.

I will cogitate a little longer.

As we would be down there for about 4 days I thought a view of any cruise liners that might be in would be interesting.

[Midsomer Madness]

Grand Harbour is currently undergoing refurbishment. We stayed there in May and had a lovely room, nice breakfast and a free drop off to the cruise terminal as we were doing a cruise and park package. The bar was expensive but that is pretty standard in hotels. It is no longer part of the De Vere group.

 

We would certainly return if the price/package was good.

 

We usually stay in Novotel and that's where we will be staying pre cruise in November, got a good deal at £65 for room including breakfast.

[jasperado]

English Lady, sorry can't help with the accomodation but since you have a few days in Southampton why not hop on a red jet and come on a day trip to the Isle of Wight ( no.....I dont work for the tourist board, I just live there! :) )

Southampton to Cowes......40 mins journey each way can be as cheap as £9.20 return, and if you're there the first week of August it will be Cowes Week.

[jenny wren]

We have stayed at Holiday Inn several times and it certainly is the closest to the waterfront with the best views of the ships from either side of the hotel....Mayflower Park is just across a side road and provides a pleasant stretch of the legs after breakfast and a closer look at any ships berthed at City terminal.

Grand Harbour is set further back from the waterfront, on the same busy roundabout as Holiday Inn!

[the english lady]

English Lady, sorry can't help with the accomodation but since you have a few days in Southampton why not hop on a red jet and come on a day trip to the Isle of Wight ( no.....I dont work for the tourist board, I just live there! :) )

Southampton to Cowes......40 mins journey each way can be as cheap as £9.20 return, and if you're there the first week of August it will be Cowes Week.

 

Jasperado, don't tempt me. If I was in a position to I would love to live on the IOW.

[besberry]

I've stayed in both the Grand Harbour and Novotel and both were fine. The Novotel was way cheaper though. Having said that I'll be at the GH again in 5 weeks. I've also stayed in the Jury's Inn and I wouldn't touch that again with a bargepole!

[Britboys]

I usually stay at the Holiday Inn. It is nothing special but is always clean and normally has very friendly staff. If you do book there, I have always booked a standard room and requested one overlooking the front of the hotel - that way you get the better solent-view.

[Ginb56]

We've just stayed at the Grand Harbour before our cruise and to leave the car - the hotel is clean and perfectly adequate and we had a comfortable quiet night. Service has been excellent, especially the concierge team who are so helpful with all the luggage, parking and transfers arrangements. The only negative if any is the quality of evening food - we ate in the bar lounge and it's pricey for what you get. Let's just say don't expect fine dining here. But pubs and restaurants within the vicinity if you want to explore elsewhere. Breakfast is good however. So would definitely consider staying here again. Hope this helps...

[the english lady]

My goodness thanks for all your replies.

I am still cogitating.

The reason I thought of GH, is , as the trip will be for a birthday, and I was looking at one of the posh rooms, with a balcony.

We did look into spending it on a cruise ship but the time is when they are all coming back from world cruises (no I am not doing that!) and I don't do fly cruises, or if not on a world cruise, I did not fancy where they were going..fussy that's me.

Nice as the view is from the Holiday Inn, the room looked "plain"

Hope I am not offending anyone with my comments.

Why Southampton...well we always go on cruises from there and I wanted to see what the rest of the city was like, besides the roads to the cruise terminal.

We live in a village with no shops at all, so I am guessing there maybe a few in Southampton.

Millions of years ago when I was stationed at Gosport I used to like taking myself to Southampton then shopping...

[fue-fue]

Someone has posted on Facebook today saying that she's had a terrible overnight stay at the Grand Harbour

[the english lady]

Someone has posted on Facebook today saying that she's had a terrible overnight stay at the Grand Harbour

 

Oh poop. I am not on FB, so will not be able to read it.

Go back to cogitating then.

[Presto2]

I know that the Holiday Inn is basis compared to the Grand Harbour one but we love it. Fantastic views from floor to ceiling walls, good food and good staff. Staff very friendly. Have stayed there twice before and are already booked before our cruise this July.

Have to say that if I was booking a special stay for a special birthday the Grand Harbour may tempt us as we hear it has been renovated.

[Big Stevie]

For someone just wanting convenient stop over the night before a cruise then the Holiday Inn is more than adequate. But as somewhere special for a birthday then its a no. Our room looked a bit dated but was perfect for what we wanted. Id look somewhere else for a posh room to help celebrate a birthday.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Big Stevie