Reserve hotel in advance during Bank Holiday weekend in England?
Nov 28th, 2004, 03:15 PM
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Reserve hotel in advance during Bank Holiday weekend in England?
We'll be travelling late May to England and have all of our accommodations set through May 26th. The last three nights (May 27-29) will fall over the Bank holiday. Would it be prudent to book ahead? We're looking at staying near Windsor so the drive to Heathrow won't be far. My initial thought was to stop wherever we fancied, however, I'm having second thoughts. If pre-booking would be the wiser course, does anyone have a B&B or hotel recommendation?
Nov 28th, 2004, 05:51 PM
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I can give you my personal experience...
We usually stay in Windsor on the last night of our UK trips - we love Windsor, and it's great to be so close to Heathrow - if your flight does not leave until the afternoon, you can stroll around the town in the morning. 2 years ago we stayed in Windsor on the Saturday night of the May bank holiday weekend. As usual we did not book this last night in advance.... just went to the Tourist Info office on the High Street and enquired what sort of vacancies there were for hotels around £100 double. As we have before, we got the Castle Hotel for that price (although unlike previous times that rate did not include breakfast). The Castle is a lovely, historic hotel on the high street, right across from the castle itself.
I usually have almost every night of a driving trip booked in advance, but I've never booked the last night in advance, and haven't had a problem. But I'll bet there are others who have had difficulty, so I'm reluctant to advise one way or the other.
However, you could book a day or two in advance, through the Tourist Info office of whatever town you're visiting that day - it's a service they offer for a slight fee.
We usually stay in Windsor on the last night of our UK trips - we love Windsor, and it's great to be so close to Heathrow - if your flight does not leave until the afternoon, you can stroll around the town in the morning. 2 years ago we stayed in Windsor on the Saturday night of the May bank holiday weekend. As usual we did not book this last night in advance.... just went to the Tourist Info office on the High Street and enquired what sort of vacancies there were for hotels around £100 double. As we have before, we got the Castle Hotel for that price (although unlike previous times that rate did not include breakfast). The Castle is a lovely, historic hotel on the high street, right across from the castle itself.
I usually have almost every night of a driving trip booked in advance, but I've never booked the last night in advance, and haven't had a problem. But I'll bet there are others who have had difficulty, so I'm reluctant to advise one way or the other.
However, you could book a day or two in advance, through the Tourist Info office of whatever town you're visiting that day - it's a service they offer for a slight fee.
Nov 28th, 2004, 05:52 PM
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I can give you my personal experience...
We usually stay in Windsor on the last night of our UK driving trips - we love Windsor, and it's great to be so close to Heathrow - if your flight does not leave until the afternoon, you can stroll around the town in the morning. 2 years ago we stayed in Windsor on the Saturday night of the May bank holiday weekend. As usual we did not book this last night in advance.... just went to the Tourist Info office on the High Street and enquired what sort of vacancies there were for hotels around £100 double. As we have before, we got the Castle Hotel for that price (although unlike previous times that rate did not include breakfast). The Castle is a lovely, historic hotel on the high street, right across from the castle itself.
I usually have almost every night of a driving trip booked in advance, but I've never booked the last night in advance, and haven't had a problem. But I'll bet there are others who have had difficulty, so I'm reluctant to advise one way or the other.
However, you could book a day or two in advance, through the Tourist Info office of whatever town you're visiting that day - it's a service they offer for a slight fee.
We usually stay in Windsor on the last night of our UK driving trips - we love Windsor, and it's great to be so close to Heathrow - if your flight does not leave until the afternoon, you can stroll around the town in the morning. 2 years ago we stayed in Windsor on the Saturday night of the May bank holiday weekend. As usual we did not book this last night in advance.... just went to the Tourist Info office on the High Street and enquired what sort of vacancies there were for hotels around £100 double. As we have before, we got the Castle Hotel for that price (although unlike previous times that rate did not include breakfast). The Castle is a lovely, historic hotel on the high street, right across from the castle itself.
I usually have almost every night of a driving trip booked in advance, but I've never booked the last night in advance, and haven't had a problem. But I'll bet there are others who have had difficulty, so I'm reluctant to advise one way or the other.
However, you could book a day or two in advance, through the Tourist Info office of whatever town you're visiting that day - it's a service they offer for a slight fee.
Nov 28th, 2004, 06:59 PM
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taggie-
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Do you feel three nights in Windsor is too many? You only spent your last night there. We'll be coming from a self-catering cottage in Chipping Norton so would not want to spend the extra nights in the Cotswolds. Any advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Do you feel three nights in Windsor is too many? You only spent your last night there. We'll be coming from a self-catering cottage in Chipping Norton so would not want to spend the extra nights in the Cotswolds. Any advice would be most appreciated.
Nov 28th, 2004, 08:06 PM
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We did only spend the last night there but have also been there several times before. 3 nights might be a bit long, depending on what you want to see and what pace you do things at. Would a long walk/picnic in Windsor Great Park be of interest? Also, you could use Windsor as a base and go to Hampton Court Palace, if you haven't already been - it's not too far. There is quite a bit to do in the area - make sure you see some of Eton, and perhaps take a boat cruise through the locks along that part of the Thames. There's quite a bit of nice shopping in Windsor. And of course the castle. You can also go to Runnymede.
Or maybe spend a night in Oxford in between Windsor and the Cotswolds?
Windsor will get crowded on the bank holiday, with people coming in on the train for the day, so keep that in mind too.
Or maybe spend a night in Oxford in between Windsor and the Cotswolds?
Windsor will get crowded on the bank holiday, with people coming in on the train for the day, so keep that in mind too.
Nov 28th, 2004, 08:06 PM
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We did only spend the last night there but have also been there several times before. 3 nights might be a bit long, depending on what you want to see and what pace you do things at. Would a long walk in Windsor Great Park be of interest? Also, you could use Windsor as a base and go to Hampton Court Palace, if you haven't already been - it's not too far. There is quite a bit to do in the area - make sure you see some of Eton, and perhaps take a boat cruise through the locks along that part of the Thames. There's quite a bit of nice shopping in Windsor. And of course the castle. You can also go to Runnymede.
Or maybe spend a night in Oxford in between Windsor and the Cotswolds?
Windsor will get crowded on the bank holiday, with people coming in on the train for the day, so keep that in mind too.
Or maybe spend a night in Oxford in between Windsor and the Cotswolds?
Windsor will get crowded on the bank holiday, with people coming in on the train for the day, so keep that in mind too.
Nov 28th, 2004, 09:34 PM
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Many places will have a two night minimum over the Bank Holiday. It is always a good idea to pre-book over any of the Bank Holidays because if an area has lots of B&Bs/hotels it is because there is lots to see/do and there will be double the normal number of visitors. I personally wouldn't stay 3 nights in Windsor. Not because it isn't nice or doesn't have lots to see w/i a reasonable drive. But mainly because it is a fairly expensive town.
I'd personally stay somewhere in Wiltshire or Hampshire for 2 nights, and stay the last night in Windsor.
or maybe 2 nights near/south of Bath (which can also be pretty pricey) and one night in Windsor.
I'd personally stay somewhere in Wiltshire or Hampshire for 2 nights, and stay the last night in Windsor.
or maybe 2 nights near/south of Bath (which can also be pretty pricey) and one night in Windsor.
Nov 28th, 2004, 10:09 PM
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taggie, LOL, I think I know what is happening. Fodors has been a "mess" today. When one hits the post button nothing seems to happen. So one hits the post button again. The post button does not seem to be posting immediately as it has in the past. It seems to be taking quite a bit longer for ones post to show up on the thread. Very aggervating.
