Hotels and B&Bs near railway stations

[whole diary]

[dorsetbeachcomber]

Any thoughts of maps or other navigation aids as well as the alphabetic lists?  I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I'll often stay a station or two up the line from where I'm working in order to find a hotel that suits me.

There's now a link page to the excellent map of all UK^▸ (United Kingdom) stations produced by Peter Hicks http://station-stays.co.uk/map

[grahame]

Any thoughts of maps or other navigation aids as well as the alphabetic lists?  I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I'll often stay a station or two up the line from where I'm working in order to find a hotel that suits me.

There's now a link page to the excellent map of all UK^▸ (United Kingdom) stations produced by Peter Hicks http://station-stays.co.uk/map

Nice map ... but it's not linking to the hotels for me 

I know you're one of the folks behind the "station stays" site - do you mind if I pull the data into my geographic search?

[grahame]

I know you're one of the folks behind the "station stays" site - do you mind if I pull the data into my geographic search?

OK ... I was on a role ... and the robots.txt file allows any crawlers to access the site ... so I've been able to set up a very crude example ...

Code:

5	SWI»  (Swindon - next trains)	Swindon	Holiday Inn Express Swindon Centre
35	MKM»  (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)	Melksham	[link]
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Acacia Bed and Breakfast
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Palmtree Cottage B&B
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Redesdale Arms Hotel
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	The Manor House Hotel
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	White Hart Royal Hotel
40	SAL	Salisbury	Websters Bed and Breakfast
45	BTH»  (Bath Spa - next trains)	Bath Spa	Halcyon Hotel
45	BTH	Bath Spa	Royal Hotel
45	BTH	Bath Spa	Three Abbey Green
45	CNM»  (Cheltenham Spa - next trains)	Cheltenham Spa	[link]
45	CNM	Cheltenham Spa	[link]
45	CNM	Cheltenham Spa	Premier Inn, Cheltenham Central
50	BRI»  (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)	Bristol Temple Meads	[link]
50	BRI	Bristol Temple Meads	[link]
50	GCR»  (Gloucester - next trains)	Gloucester	[link]
50	GCR	Gloucester	The Mulberry House

and I can click on any of the three letter codes to "centre" it 

[dorsetbeachcomber]

I know you're one of the folks behind the "station stays" site - do you mind if I pull the data into my geographic search?

OK ... I was on a role ... and the robots.txt file allows any crawlers to access the site ... so I've been able to set up a very crude example ...

Code:

5	SWI»  (Swindon - next trains)	Swindon	Holiday Inn Express Swindon Centre
35	MKM»  (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)	Melksham	[link]
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Acacia Bed and Breakfast
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Palmtree Cottage B&B
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	Redesdale Arms Hotel
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	The Manor House Hotel
40	MIM	Moreton-in-Marsh	White Hart Royal Hotel
40	SAL	Salisbury	Websters Bed and Breakfast
45	BTH»  (Bath Spa - next trains)	Bath Spa	Halcyon Hotel
45	BTH	Bath Spa	Royal Hotel
45	BTH	Bath Spa	Three Abbey Green
45	CNM»  (Cheltenham Spa - next trains)	Cheltenham Spa	[link]
45	CNM	Cheltenham Spa	[link]
45	CNM	Cheltenham Spa	Premier Inn, Cheltenham Central
50	BRI»  (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)	Bristol Temple Meads	[link]
50	BRI	Bristol Temple Meads	[link]
50	GCR»  (Gloucester - next trains)	Gloucester	[link]
50	GCR	Gloucester	The Mulberry House

and I can click on any of the three letter codes to "centre" it 

Interesting!  Not sure why you'd want every hotel/b&b linked to a map. They're all marked either adjacent to or within 15 mins walk of a station. If you're interested in any particular hotel you can click through to their website for their exact location.

[grahame]

Interesting!  Not sure why you'd want every hotel/b&b linked to a map.

Example (using the area of the country in my example).   I'm going to be working near - say Kemble station but there are no [suitable] hotels near the station.  So I'm going to stay near another station and catch the train.  Let's see ... there are good hotels near Bath, Gloucester, Moreton-in-Marsh and Swindon stations, and I just thought that overlaying your excellent rail route map with your valuable data would allow people to zoom in on a line and find nearby connected stations.  I struggled with your alphabetic list for a near-station hotel that I can use to get to Bow Brickhill ...

I agree that there is little point in linking the local points to the stations on a countrywide map.

[dorsetbeachcomber]

Interesting!  Not sure why you'd want every hotel/b&b linked to a map.

Example (using the area of the country in my example).   I'm going to be working near - say Kemble station but there are no [suitable] hotels near the station.  So I'm going to stay near another station and catch the train.  Let's see ... there are good hotels near Bath, Gloucester, Moreton-in-Marsh and Swindon stations, and I just thought that overlaying your excellent rail route map with your valuable data would allow people to zoom in on a line and find nearby connected stations.  I struggled with your alphabetic list for a near-station hotel that I can use to get to Bow Brickhill ...

I agree that there is little point in linking the local points to the stations on a countrywide map.

Yes, I see your point now, but Peter Hicks has only given us permission to put a link to his map and not to embed it into our site.

[dorsetbeachcomber]

The directory now has over 500 places to stay.  Many thanks to all those who have contributed 

Barry Doe is reviewing the directory in the next issue of Rail Magazine in his Fare Dealer column.

[JayMac]

Stoke-on-Trent {SOT} The North Stafford Hotel. Directly opposite the station exit, no more than a 30yd walk.

Faded glory is probably the best way to describe this hotel. Although on my recent stay (21/03/2014) I couldn't find fault. Everything worked, the room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and it had a full size bath as well as shower.

[Brucey]

It isn't a hotel, but I'm recommend these apartments in Manchester if you have a group of people wishing to stay close to Piccadilly station {MAN} and gardens.  Six of us stayed here and the apartment was much more modern than the pictures suggest.  Having a proper kitchen helped too.  Only issue was one bedroom having two double beds ... not ideal!

http://www.housetrip.com/en/rentals/6562

[bobm]

Penzance {PNZ] - The Longboat Inn



It is right opposite the railway station and I stayed there for one night during the seawall disruption due to the lack of the Night Riviera.





Room was ^54.50 including Breakfast - which sadly I didn't get to try as I had to get going early.  The room had recently been refurbished and was amply supplied with power points - including some close to the bed.  So many hotels forget that people might like to charge their phone within arm's reach while they sleep!

A well stocked bar with real ale and a pretty extensive menu means an evening meal would not involve leaving the hotel.

Only two negative points - the plastic sheet liner did make the bed a little uncomfortable and the room did face the junction with the main road past the station.  It didn't worry me but might be more of an issue for a light sleeper.

[dorsetbeachcomber]

Penzance {PNZ] - The Longboat Inn

It is right opposite the railway station and I stayed there for one night during the seawall disruption due to the lack of the Night Riviera.

It was ^54.50 including Breakfast - which sadly I didn't get to try as I had to get going early.  The room had recently been refurbished and was amply supplied with power points - including some close to the bed.  So many hotels forget that people might like to charge their phone within arm's reach while they sleep!

A well stocked bar with real ale and a pretty extensive menu means an evening meal would not involve leaving the hotel.

Only two negative points - the plastic sheet liner did make the bed a little uncomfortable and the room did face the junction with the main road past the station.  It didn't worry me but might be more of an issue for a light sleeper.

Have added The Longboat to the website (http://station-stays.co.uk) on your recommendation and your photos!

[Worcester_Passenger]

Bradford International [BDI]. Stayed in the Premier Inn that's a five-minute walk away. The Premier Inn is fine, but the five-minute walk is very unattractive.

[JayMac]

International? Do you mean Interchange?

[Worcester_Passenger]

International? Do you mean Interchange?

Alas yes! I'd been booking a return trip to Germany just before I posted this, so my mind must have be far away...

[LiskeardRich]

I stayed in Torquay Premier Inn on Saturday night. 100 metres or so along the seafront from the station.
I struggled to get to sleep due to the heat of the room. It was very muggy, which although a non-controllable, the air con unit in my room was so loud I couldn't have it on and sleep at the same time. Left me an uncomfortable night's sleep.

The hotel was well positioned for the town centre, seafront and also Paignton and I think if the air con was quiet or room temperature was tolerable it would have been a good stay, but I had an uncomfortable nights sleep as a result of the muggy conditions.