mikedparen

Would anyone have a recommendation for an upscale dinner/overnight in the vicinity of Southampton? We're arriving at 6 pm on a Sunday night at Southampton airport, with a QM2 sailing the next day.

We're very comfortable renting a car, driving somewhere for dinner/overnight and a few hours of sightseeing before heading back to the ship. We've done this a few times before, but usually with 2 or 3 days to work with, not 20 hours.

Many thanks!

Gordon_R

Try the New Forest. It's an attractive rural area with some good hotels and restaurants less than 30mins drive from SOU. Carey's Manor hotel in Brockenhurst is very nice with good restaurants, and there are plenty of other choices. Check out:-
http://www.thenewforest.co.uk/

willit

I would recommend Winchester for several reasons:
a) You would not need a car - The railway station is right next to the Airport and trains run frequently - (3 minutes,22 minutes and 33 minutes past the hour) and take between 10 and 20 minutes. Southampton Airport is small, and usually it is a very short period from Landing to clearing customs.
b) There is plenty to see in the city itself, not least the Cathedral
c) There are some good restaurants.

Cholmondley_Warner

Another vote for Winchester. The train staion is just outside Southampton Airport and goes directly to winchester in about 15 minutes.

As for "upscale dinner and overnight" I would recommend either the Hotel Du Vin or the Wykeham Arms.

I've never stayed in either (Winchester is my home town and I used to live next door to the Wykeham so hardly needed to stay there) but both are nice and a friend recently stayed at the Wykeham and loved it. Both are well known for their food.

I've eaten in both. Both are excellent.

In the morning get the train to Southampton Central station and a cab to the dock (or, if you're feeling spendy, a cab from Winchester to the boat won't kill you).

Sothampton's a bit of a khazi I'm afraid and doesn't really do "upscale".

janisj

All of the above is really good advice. It is really up to you if you want to have a car or take the train.

The New Forest is absolutely lovely - one of my favorite parts of England. But if you are flying in long haul, driving the first day is or can be a huge problem.

Winchester is also a really great place for a day+ visit. And I have also eaten at the Wykeham (while staying a week in the New Forest) and it was terrific. The trains could not be easier.

So flip a coin and decide which appeals more: The hassle of getting/returning a rental car and having lots of beautiful rural scenery, Beaulieu, Bucklers Hard, etc - or taking the train to Winchester and back and seeing the Cathedral, Mill, College, a few museums and just a very attractive city.

You honestly could not go wrong w/ either choice - just DON'T stay in Southampton!

flanneruk

The train I'm about to step onto takes just 7 minutes from Southampton airport to Winchester.

There are three trains an hour from the airport, through Southampton, to Brockenhurst. 20-25 mins to Brockenhust: about 15 mins back to Southampton Central the following day. Very pleasant walking round Brockenhurst, and there are bikes for hire at the station too.

chartley

You are also in easy travel distance of Salisbury, Stonehenge and the naval delights of Portsmouth.

As to driving after a long-haul flight, I doubt if Southampton gets any flights over 2 hours.

janisj

I know there aren't any long hauls into Southampton - but I thought maybe they were connecting to Southampton from another major international airport hub to catch the cruise.

mikedparen

Thank you very, very much. These are are some of the best insights one could hope for. We're flying FlyBe from Brussels, so an easy flight. We visited Winchester 2 years ago when we did a similar trip, and it is a beautiful town and cathedral. We had a couple days that time and stayed at Amberley Castle, touring a portion of the southern coast from Brighton to Southampton. Amberley's too far for this quick visit. I am amazed never to have heard or read about the New Forest until now. I've seen it on maps, but I just assumed it was a nature preserve of some sort. It's clearly much more than that. I am going to try to get a room at Rhinefield House. Any recommendations on a top 1 or 2 things to do near Rhinefield house with 6 hours to play with?

Many thanks again.

Cholmondley_Warner

The New Forest is 1,000 years old - so still pretty new by our standards. It was William the Bastard's private hunting ground. It's a forest with deer and it's own unique ponies that you won't see anywhere else in the world (and lots of pigs wandering around too).

It's lovely.

willit

If the weather is good, and you don't mind a little excercise, hiring bicycles (Or a tandem) is good fun in the forest. There are also good walking trails, although the paths can get muddy.

Otherwise JanisJ's suggestions of Buckler's Hard or Beauleiu are both very good.

Gordon_R

Good choice. The Rhinefield ornamental drive right outside the Rhinefield hotel is a fabulous section of the New Forest. Lots of opportunities for an easy cycle or walk and you are guaranteed to see both deer and New Forest ponies in this area.