Hotels and B&Bs near railway stations

[whole diary]

[grahame]

...  a new thread with useful reviews of railway-convenient lodging would be useful - as long as the laws of libel are observed! ...

From a suggestion in a "Frequent Posters" topic.   I (and many others, I know) make a variety of train journeys and stay away at t'other end;  I look for somewhere that's convenient, clean, safe, and friendly where I can get a good night's sleep.  Other's priorities will vary.   I'm opening up this new thread, which I'll make "sticky" so that people can post on places that they've stayed.

Notes:

Views posted here are personal. If you're the poster, you're responsible for what they say.  If you're making a decision based on the posts, you're doing so on the original poster's say-so and not with any recommendation from the board.  If you're responsible for the place being posted about and would like to comment - you're very welcome to sign up and do so, or to get in touch with me be email if you prefer.

Posting for hotels / B&Bs suitable for rail users in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). If you want to tell us about a great place that's a long way from the station, only do so in exceptions circumstances such as "owner will meet you off any train" - and let's stick to the British Isles and not dilute to great hotels in the Netherlands.   By all means tell us about those in a separate thread

[Worcester_Passenger]

This is a really good idea, though the postings may need organising so that they can be accessed in alphabetical order by station. Some recent ones...

Skipton (OK, well out of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)-land) {SKI} : Herriott's. Immediately opposite the station. Very good and warmly recommended.

Newcastle upon Tyne {NCL} : Royal Station Hotel. Part of the station site and has a station-side entrance, though "security" barriers have made it more difficult to use of late. Rather old-fashioned, though the rooms have been refurbished to a decent standard.

Preston {PRE}. I use the Premier Inn that's 5 minutes walk from the station. Though there's a pub just outside the side entrance that's even closer.

Some others, that I've stayed in in the past, that are handy, but that I don't know what they're like at the moment:

Exeter St Davids {EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)} : Great Western

Carlisle {CAR} : County Hotel. Just outside station. If you're stuck between trains, their Mexican restaurant is a good place to eat.

Heald Green (south side of Manchester) {HDG} . Another Premier Inn that's handy for the station.

Derby {DBY} : Midland, but it's very pricey. Next door to the station.

Leeds {LDS} : Queens (same comment applies). Part of the station site.

Chesterfield {CHD} : Chesterfield Hotel. 100m from station. We used to use this for training courses on account of the ability to get to it by train from almost anywhere. But then it went into administration... Still trading, but no recent reports.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Morpeth {MPT} : Waterford Lodge. 5 minute walk from station down into the town. Recommended.

[JayMac]

Portsmouth Harbour {PMH}: The Lady Hamilton.

Small pub/bed and breakfast. Excellent value and the roast dinners (served every day) are fantastic.

[grahame]

This is a really good idea, though the postings may need organising so that they can be accessed in alphabetical order by station.

And that is in turn a good idea.  

If posters can add the station code (in curly braces?) I should be able to add a map - I've got one running already for the current "Four in a Bed" TV series rather than station-friendly hotels - http://www.wellho.net/demo/hotels.html

[bobm]

{PGN} Paignton

Stayed at the The Ashleigh Guest House in 2010.  It is between the railway station and the seafront and overlooks the Paignton & Dartmouth steam railway.  Bright and clean with a very attentive host - who even remembered my name throughout my stay.  Excellent variety at breakfast, mini fridge in the room, good choice of channels on room tv and a decent lounge if you don't want to sit in your room.

Very reasonably priced, especially out of season.

[JayMac]

Aha. I've stayed in the Ashleigh in Paignton as well!

I concur with bobm. Great location, great breakfast. I was able to watch some cricket being played on the neighbouring pitch with trains steaming in the background.

Off to see if I can dig up the pictures I took when there in 2009. Only about 8 memory cards to go through!

[bobm]

Portsmouth Harbour {PMH}: The Lady Hamilton.

Small pub/bed and breakfast. Excellent value and the roast dinners (served every day) are fantastic.

Can vouch for that - stayed there in 2011, although not - as far as I know - at the same time as BNM!

[bobm]

Well that is just spooky......

[JayMac]

Weird. Almost instantaneous posts each concurring with the other. 

Who's stalking who? 

[grahame]

From the last 18 months or so ...
{ALO} Claremont Lodge, Alloa - In desparate need of redecoration and update, but friendlyness maded up for that 110%
{GCR^» (Gloucester - next trains)} Station Hotel and Cafe Bar, Gloucseter - really useful location and rooms fine. Breakfast service painfully slow
{PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)} Norfolk Plaza, Paddington - quite basic, but excellent value at Laterooms / cheaper and less stressful than commuting to MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)
{LIN} Bonsyde House Hotel, Linlithgow - BEWARE - "3 minutes from station" is in a racecar, and there are no taxis.
{LBG} LSE Bankside House, London Bridge - student digs, utilitarian but useful for bed in London overnight.
{LIV} Adelphi, Liverpool - faded grandeur; you'll love it or hate it
{PAD} Bayswater Inn Hotel, Paddington - OK for the night at Lateroom rates.
{MCO} Ibis, Manchester Oxford Road - yep, good, would certainly stay again
{FNB} Travelodge, Farnborough - not my cup of tea. Tired, clinical, breakfast (sortof) provided by clearly uninterested staff
{CBG} Fenners Hotel, Cambridge - well, it was near the station. Staff's parents dropped off / picked up with blaring radio and left engines running while waiting right outside my window.
Maldron, CityWest (Dublin) - Good; clean; lacked open restaurant though advertised it. Disinterested staff. Tram.
Savoro, High Barnet - Excellent room, superb breakfast. Staff concentrated on regulars to exclusion of others. Tube.
Smith's Guest House, Edinburgh - clean and tidy, but many rules and limited check in time.  Bus not train.

Chains ... which I also use and expect to use again;  can't think of any near stations that I've used though:
Holiday Inn Express
Premier Inn
Both chains generally good;  occasional exception at Premier Inn, but that's probably because I've used so many of them.

[trainer]

{YRK} There is a convenient Premier Inn less than five minutes walk (honestly) up the road from York Station in which I received a pleasant welcome despite it being busy.  However, next time I will opt for a much cheaper breakfast at J D Wetherspoon nearby (more basic, but half the price) and avoid the parties of lovely foreign students which dominated the breakfast room.

[JayMac]

Wembley Stadium {WCX}. Ibis London Wembley.

I really like the Ibis brand and will choose them ahead of Travelodge and Premier Inns. Ibis London Wembley often has very cheap rates when there is nothing on at the Stadium which is right next door. Just 10 minutes to Marylebone from the adjacent Wembley Stadium Station or a 5-10 minute walk to either Wembley Central or Wembley Park giving access to many other parts of London by National Rail/Underground/Overground.

Ask for a front facing room on the upper floors for fantastic views over West London. I've stayed here numerous times and never found fault with either the room allocated or facilities. The queen size beds are really comfortable.

The rates here are often just half the price of other more centrally located Ibis hotels in London. Put the money saved toward a Travelcard or Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) credit!

[Worcester_Passenger]

Chains ... which I also use and expect to use again;  can't think of any near stations that I've used though:
Holiday Inn Express
Premier Inn
Both chains generally good;  occasional exception at Premier Inn, but that's probably because I've used so many of them.

Thanks for the reminder.
Brentwood {BRE}. Premier Inn.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Melksham, Wiltshire. {MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)}

While his innate modesty may prevent grahame's posting such a link here, I personally can recommend the excellent Well House Manor, as I've stayed there several times.

A reasonably short walk from the station, or a cheap taxi ride - or a collection service may be available - to the hotel.  And vice versa, obviously. 

Chris.