3 day hotel stay.

[gotabejoe]

Arriving Heathrow and need hotel for three nights and then getting on cruise ship @ Southhampton. Please help with suggestions. Where would you stay? Transport from each place. Thank you in advance.

[sddsddean]

Do you mean 'arriving LHR, need 3 day hotel in Southampton (only one h)' or 'arriving LHR, need 3 day hotel in London (or somewhere else) then transport to Southampton'?

 

Simon

[gotabejoe]

Arriving LHR and need 3 day hotel then transport to Southampton. That would be perfect. 

[John Bull]

You won't want to spend 3 days at LHR, it's bland airport-land and a sea of parking lots. Most folk lodge there just for one night, mebbe two. For 3 nights it'd be a bit of a bind travelling back-and-forth to central London

 

It's 16 urban miles from central London, various travel options for that (best option will depend on where in central London you lodge). Transport from central London to Southampton (about 80 miles) on the morning of your cruise  can be by train or by bus from about £10 pp - again this might depend on the location of your hotel. A private transfer to Southampton would cost around £200

 

Southampton is 64 miles from LHR.

If you choose to stay there you'll need to book a direct https://www.nationalexpress.com/en bus from LHR for about £25 pp or a private transfer at about £135 to £155 for up to three people plus luggage. There's no sensible rail option.

Accommodation is much less-expensive than central London and altho it's a port city it has great rail connections for days out in places like Salisbury / Stonehenge or Winchester or Portsmouth or Bath.

 

So firstly you need to decide whether you want a hotel at LHR or in central London or in Southampton

 

JB 🙂

[Cotswold Eagle]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

So firstly you need to decide whether you want a hotel at LHR or in central London or in Southampton

 

Or, indeed, with three days to play with, literally anywhere else in the U.K. or the rest of Western Europe! 

Edited June 22 by Cotswold Eagle

[MeHeartCruising]

@gotabejoe  You need to tell us what you plan to do during your 3 days so we can help you pick an appropriate hotel for that area.  We don't know what location you want to be in for 3 days.

[-Lew-]

@gotabejoe...

We're doing basically the same as you in September.  Here's our plan:

 

Twelve Transfers from LHR to Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire Hotel at Leicester Square.  We have used Twelve Transfers in the past and have no problem recommending them.

 

Four nights at Radisson Blu Edwardian...have not stayed here; however, good reviews and well located in the West End for Broadway shows, excellent dining, and shopping...also easy access to transportation to all parts of London.

Twelve Transfers, hotel → Southampton on day of embarkation.

[gotabejoe]

How is the Hampton in Waterloo? Transport from LHR to the Hampton in Waterloo and then 3 days later from hotel to Southampton.

[gotabejoe]

I forgot Doubletree Victoria or Hampton Waterloo which is better for the tubes and to stay at.

[FionaMG]

3 hours ago, gotabejoe said:

I forgot Doubletree Victoria or Hampton Waterloo which is better for the tubes and to stay at.

 

Hampton Inn Waterloo is a very short walk (under 5 minutes) from the tube and train station. It's a typical Hampton with breakfast included in the price. This same train station (it's called "London Waterloo") is also where you'd catch the train down to Southampton so it's a good choice.

 

I haven't stayed at the Doubletree Victoria but it is also very conveniently located. Walking distance, if you don't have mobility issues, to a number of sites and right next to the train and tube station. If you stay here, you'll want to book on a National Express coach to get to Southampton. Victoria Coach Station, where NE coaches depart from, is separate from the train and tube station but is still just a short walk from the Doubletree.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, gotabejoe said:

How is the Hampton in Waterloo? Transport from LHR to the Hampton in Waterloo and then 3 days later from hotel to Southampton.

 

 

OK, central London.

The Waterloo area is quite convenient for a good few sights (nowhere is convenient for all)

 The nearest ho-ho bus stop in York Road is 15 minutes, three tube stations London's metro) within 10 minutes

The London Eye, Thames cruises, Westminster Bridge is 10 minutes walk, Big Ben is another 5 minutes across Westminster Bridge, Westminster Abbey on the other side of Parliament Square, and a 10 minute walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square takes you past or close to Churchill's War Rooms, the Prime Minister's address at 10 Downing St, and Horse Guards Parade. plus a number of minor sights. Total  just under 2 miles, 40 minutes (tho it'll take you longer) https://maps.app.goo.gl/MF8BMx1RxUcPbMz98

From Trafalgar Square the shortest way back to Hampton Inn is about 25 minutes.

 

Or if you're feeling fit you could leave Trafalgar Square under Admiralty Bridge & walk down The Mall to Buckingham Palace and return along Birdcage Walk to Parliament Square & back across Westminster Bridge to Hampton Inn. That would bring the total up to something over 4 miles 

 

Nearest ho-ho stop (all operators) is in York Road (12 minutes). A great way to get an over-view (& most include a river cruise) but too slow & limited for transport from sight to sight inside visits - for them take the Tube.

 

Transport to Southampton from Hampton Inn is a no-brainer - a 5 min walk to Waterloo Station for a train to Southampton Central station, 3 trains per hour, journey time about 90 minutes, fare can be as low as about £14 pp if you buy Advance tickets. They're available from about 12 weeks out, and only good for the train time that you book so don't miss it because walk-up tickets cost about £50 pp. Any train time up to about noon is comfortable for cruise registration. https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

 

The transfer from LHR to Waterloo isn't totally straightforward - I'll leave a Londoner to suggest the best options.

 

This website has a lot of useful logistics info https://www.londontoolkit.com/

 

JB 🙂

[muffydawg]

I just tried to book one of the Princess pre-departure hotels listed on the Princess website. The phone agent told me I was placed on a general waitlist (as opposed to a specific waitlist for the Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton) and was told Princess doesnt place booked guests on a specific pre-departure hotel waitlist any longer. Additionally when I requested an email confirmation that I WAS placed on a hotel waitlist, the phone agent said he could not send me an email.

 

I suppose I will call back on another day and see if I get a different answer. P.S. I sure miss that great Princess CVP I used to have (sigh)

[-Lew-]

20 minutes ago, muffydawg said:

I sure miss that great Princess CVP I used to have

 

Do you use a TA?  If so, have your TA follow up for you.  If you're going to continue to sail with Princess you're going to need a good TA to go to bat for you.

 

We accumulated 500+ cruise days with Princess before we pulled the plug.  We feel Celebrity, Regent, and Viking offer so much more at not much of an increase in cost.  

 

Also, if you don't use a TA, consider doing so.  You'll get better pricing, more OBC, and much better service.

[muffydawg]

1 hour ago, -Lew- said:

 

Do you use a TA?  If so, have your TA follow up for you.  If you're going to continue to sail with Princess you're going to need a good TA to go to bat for you.

 

No, I do not.