Hotels Southampton

[patrinka]

Which hotel would you reserve for a 1 night stay in Southampton? This will be for June 2018 - Jurys Inn, Mercure Center Dolphin or Holiday Inn?

Also, which pier does Princess use?

Thanks!

[John Bull]

I rate Jury's Inn as a bit too "corporate".

Not a great location either - it's close to the city centre but on the opposite side to the cruise, bus and train terminals, the big West Quay mall, and the city's best pubs & restaurants and few old-town sights

More important, it's in the middle of a traffic roundabout (traffic island) though most guests cross without getting flattened by the traffic.

 

The Mercure Dolphin hotel is in old-town. A convenient location but can be noisy if you have a room at the front. It's an old coaching inn with a great history so if you want a "British" experience it's a good choice. That's what we try to do when we travel (Miami art-deco in South Beach, Istanbul Ottoman house, Glacier Nat Park log cabin, South African rondeval etc.) But bear in mind that history comes with its downsides - rooms of mixed sizes, sloping floors, rabbit-warren corridors and such.

 

Rooms at the front in Holiday Inn in Herbert Walker Avenue overlook Southampton Water, those at the back look over City cruise terminal & ship. Very popular with those cruising from City Cruise Terminal (mainly RCI, NCL, Celebrity), but also convenient for the city's old-town waterfront and shopping.

Has a very 1970's look, but public rooms got a long-overdue make-over last year.

nb. The city also has two HI Express's. Both are on the city limits, not convenient esp for those without a car.

 

Consider also

Premier Inn West Quay. Britain's best budget chain, the excellent West Quay location is between Hol Inn and city centre.

Ennios (Italian) and Pig-in-the-Wall (set into the city wall) are two excellent boutique hotels if you're prepared to splash a little more cash. Both are near HI and Premier Inn, again excellent locations. (nb - location of Pig-in-the-Wall on TripAdvisor was totally wrong, at long last now corrected)

 

I know that Hilton/Doubletree is a popular chain in the US. But both Southampton hotels are on the city limits, same as HI Express's.

 

Princess use Ocean cruise terminal and Mayflower cruise terminal.

Ocean is at the bottom of old-town, easily walkable with luggage from Ennios, Pig-in-the-Wall, Grand Harbour, mebbe also HI, Premier Inn West Quay, and Mercure Dolphin.

Mayflower not so convenient, it's further than it looks on a map but only a short £6 to £10 taxi ride from any city centre hotel.

Thumbnail map at the bottom of https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_accommodation.htm

 

Port schedule at http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/live_information/shipping_movements_and_cruise_ship_schedule/cruise_ship_schedule/

 

JB