sarahnrandall

Hello!
I'm looking for accomodation recommendations. We'll be in Belfast the first week of September for 3 nights/4 days. We'd like to stay within walking distance to the Golden Mile &/or the University areas (even though we'll have a car).

I'd like to stay under 100 pounds/night.

I like Benedict's but the bar on the bottom floor makes me think we won't get much sleep. Is it really that noisy?

Any other ideas?

Melissa5

Sarahnrandall, good luck with your search for quiet and convenient accomodations in Belfast. "Cambe" should be able to give you good advice on this question. She is usually on this board or on the Northern Ireland board (United Kingdom?)

We just returned recently from our July 2006 trip to Ireland. At first I tried to find quiet accomodations near the Botanic Gardens and Queen's University area. However it was my bad luck that the "quiet" places I e-mailed didn't answer me. I ended up staying in a quiet small town 20 minutes south of Belfast called Hillsborough.

We were delighted with our stay! I know you want to stay in the city. But maybe somebody else reading this thread could benefit from this info. Fortwilliam County House just outside of Hillsborough is about a 20-minute drive into Belfast. www.fortwilliamcountryhouse.com It is a charming country house (actually a farm house) with very welcoming owners. We enjoyed the Victorian room and the country charm.

We drove into Belfast on a Friday and had no problem finding street parking near the Botanic Gardens in Belfast in the late morning. From there we were able to walk to the Botanic Gardens and the Queen's University. I don't actually recall whether we moved our car before driving on to park near the City Hall and also see the Crown Liquor Saloon, but I remember we were able to find parking. Bring a city map of Belfast streets.

Good luck with your search and hope you find just the right place for you. Belfast is an interesting city. Like all cities the streets can be noisy with the traffic. Don't get a room on a main street. Perhaps you can go for a b&b or hotel on a side street with less traffic. I think cambe has some advice on this.

Enjoy gorgeous Ireland!

cambe

Hi S.

I live in Belfast and would NOT reccommend Benedict's. The bar is a noisy drunken place and has a reputation as a UDA (protestant paramilitaries) hangout.

For your budget you would do much better in a B&B and there are several in the University area.

http://www.infotel.co.uk/15368

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-4026..._guest_house-i

http://www.4ni.co.uk/listing.asp?cat...7&level1=6

All of these get good reviews and are within your price range however, unlike Melissa (hi Melissa) I cannot give you a personal recommendation as to the accommodation but the area is excellent.

If you would prefer a Hotel the only one within your price range that I would say is OK is Jurys

http://belfasthotels.jurysdoyle.com/jurysinn_belfast

It is in a good location and not too noisy.

I can however personally recommend various restaurants in Belfast if you are interested.

Hope this helps

Helen

aggiegirl

I stayed at Windemere Guest house in 2004. It was 55 pounds (sorry, don't know how to make the symbol) per night. It was walking distance to the University, located on a quiet street. The accommodations weren't the most comfortable (tiny shower and old mattress), but it was the best I could afford and it was quiet. Parking is behind the house or on the street. We parked the car for the stay and did everything in Belfast city centre by foot.

NewYorkTraveler

I've made a reservation at Windermere for the first week of September. I guess I shouldn't expect too much.

On a side note, if you read reviews for Belfast B&B's on Trip Advisor you'll notice a great many that complain about reservation cancellations without informing the traveler. Avenue House, an accommodation I was interested in, has three reviews, two of which complain about bookings cancelled without their knowledge. I contacted several myself and they all asked for a contact number and arrival time, but not a credit card number. I've stayed at over a dozen B&B's in Ireland and never had this problem, but now I'm concerned about my reservation. Can anyone offer an explanation of this practice?

Thanks.

aggiegirl

If you made your reservation at the Windemere with Hilary, don't worry, you'll be fine. Also, maybe the beds will have been upgraded since I was there two years ago. The building itself is cool, an old Victorian home with really tall ceilings. It made me think I was staying at my grandparents' house. Breakfast was good, by the way. Enjoy Belfast!

NewYorkTraveler

Thanks aggiegirl.

Do you recall any decent restaurants in the area?

aggiegirl

Sorry, I sure don't. For lunch I sort of did a picnic in front of City Hall with goods purchased at Marks and Spencer's food hall and I can't recall what I had for dinner. Hmmm...that's going to bug me...where did we have dinner?! You should look into whether or not the Crown Liquor Saloon serves food. I just popped my head in there, but it was the coolest pub I've ever been in.

cambe

Hi NYT,

This is my list and most are within walking distance of the University Area.

Indian:
Zafron Restaurant, Lisburn Rd,
Indie, Stranmillis Road

Italian:
Café Milano www.thinkitalian.co.uk/1024/milano.htmlGreens Pizza, Lisburn Road

Orential:
The Red Panda (best in town) www.theredpanda.co.uk/
Harbour View www.harbourviewbelfast.co.uk
Suwanna, (doesn’t look great but best Thai food in Town), Great Victoria Street

Splurge:
Cayenne (the owner is Paul Rankin a famous TV Chef) http://www.rankingroup.co.uk/
James Street South (expensive but excellent) www.jamesstreetsouth.co.uk/
Deans Brasserie, Howard Street

General:
The Square www.square-restaurant.com/
Cafe Zinc, Stranmillis Rd,
Shu, Lisburn Rd,
Oxford Exchange St. Georges Market,
Nick's Warehouse, Hill St,
Deanes Deli, Bedford Street (highly recommended),
Taps (fun Tapas bar), Lisburn Road,
Tedfords fish restaurant, (recommended) Donegal Quay

Coffee Shops:
Swanstons, Lisburn Road (best coffee in town and super lunches)

Pub Food:
McHugh’s http://www.mchughsbar.com/index.asp ,
Chelsea Wine Bar, Lisburn Road,
Tatu Wine Bar, Lisburn Road,
The Kings Head, Lisburn Road, www.kingsheadbelfast.com/index.asp,
Cutters Wharf, Stranmillis
http://www.belfastpubs-n-clubs.com/

cambe

Sorry that should have been
Italian:

Cafe Milano.
www.thinkitalian.co.uk/1024/milano.html Greens Pizza, Lisburn Road

Ann41

cambe list of restaurants is pretty extensive, so I just have one thing to add: do not eat Chinese food in Belfast. It's just not very good. There used to be one good place on Donegal Pass (cannot remember the name to save my life), but since it moved further up the street to bigger and better premises, the food has gone way down hill.