Hotel Hints

Families, heed the advice and use the hotel’s family-friendly amenities to their fullest. An indoor swimming pool and ‘Kidz Inn’ play area keep kids happily busy while on site. ‘Kids Stay and Eat Free’ is quite an offer of good value. Use this hotel as a hassle-free home base when visiting Paultons Park, Home of Peppa Pig World just 15 minutes away—it’s much more relaxing than staying at a smaller and lesser-equipped hotel.

There is one great and fine-known tip for cruise passengers, which is the “Park, Stay & Cruise” packages. Usually, these incorporate one overnight stay, breakfast, parking for the duration of one’s cruise (sometimes around 15 days), and pre-booked taxi to the terminal. It’s the very best way to travel cost-effectively and convenient to access, not at all like lining up distinct pieces for parking at the port.

Try to take advantage of the excellent Spirit Health Club at off-peak times. The pool can get busy with families in the late afternoon, so an evening or early morning swim is usually the best time to beat the crowds. The gym is so well-set-up it provides a great chance to squeeze in a workout pre- or post-travel day or meetings.

While the hotel’s Open Lobby restaurant is very convenient, you don’t have to drive far for a change of scene. A short taxi ride of between 5 and 10 minutes takes you into the Eastleigh centre, where there is plenty of local restaurants and pubs to have a selection of different cuisines. The enormous Westquay shopping centre in the heart of Southampton is only a 15- to 20-minute drive for many more eating and shopping outlets.