Cruising From The UK? Check Out The Best Southampton Hotels With Cruise Parking

For many people who live in England and Wales, Southampton is within a drivable distance on the day you cruise – even if it means a very early start to get there.

But even if you do live within a reasonable distance, it often makes sense to get a hotel in Southampton for the night before – you can travel down in leisure, there’s no fear of delays or roadworks making you miss embarkation, and your holiday begins just that little bit earlier.

Hotels with cruise parking can be even better – it is sometimes cheaper than using a car park at the port.

It’s easier too since you keep your keys with you, with a taxi or a transfer from the hotel getting you right to Southampton Cruise Terminal the next day.

So, here’s a look at some of the best Southampton hotels with cruise parking packages.

List of Southampton Hotel & Cruise Parking Packages

Meon Valley is a complete country hotel with two golf courses and a spa. There’s also an expansive pool, hot tub, sauna, tennis court, gym and fitness classes, which are all free.

If you can arrive early enough the day before you can really make the most of the on-site facilities as your cruise begins.

It’s one of the further hotels from the cruise port but return taxis are included, taking away one more thing to book for your journey back to the hotel. Breakfast is included in your package too and the wifi is free.

You’d expect this hotel to be a luxury option, but depending on your dates, it could actually be the cheapest hotel and parking deal! 

If you’d rather stay closer to the port, then The Grand Harbour Hotel is the best choice. From here, you can walk to the ship in just a few minutes.

The Grand Harbour Hotel is one of a small chain of Leonardo Hotels that offer comfortable, modern accommodation. It has a brasserie restaurant and a swimming pool you could enjoy before you set sail.

No transfer is included in the hotel and parking package. But if you’re able to walk the 7 minutes to the City Cruise Terminal or the 15 minutes to Ocean or Horizon Cruise Terminals, you might not need one.

If you’re cruising from either the Mayflower or Queen Elizabeth II Terminals, or don’t walk to walk with your luggage, you can get a taxi or Uber for around £5.

Another fantastic Southampton hotel and cruise parking deal can be found at the DoubleTree by Hilton.

This is a highly-rated, premium hotel with a wide range of rooms including family options. It has a restaurant and a bar, and is in a really convenient location near the M27 motorway.

The cruise hotel and parking package is surprisingly affordable. It includes breakfast on the morning you embark on your cruise and a free return taxi – just let reception know what time you want it and they’ll take care of it for you.

4. MacDonald Botley Park

MacDonald Hotels are always picturesque and maintained to a high standard with an almost country-club vibe and the Botley Park Hotel is no different. Spacious, well-appointed rooms offer a great pre-cruise sleep while there’s a high-quality restaurant, a swimming pool and even a kids’ play area.

As part of the cruise parking package, you get breakfast and a one-way transfer bus to the port on the day of your cruise. You’ll need to arrange your own travel back to the hotel on the day you disembark the ship.

5. Elizabeth House Hotel

The Elizabeth House Hotel is a private hotel that’s near the centre of Southampton, with free parking (though not free cruise parking, unfortunately!) and a pleasant bar and restaurant area, though you’re close to other restaurants too if you want to explore.

Cruise parking is pretty cheap and available either with a hotel stay or without, so it’s also an option if you live within driving distance for the day of your cruise but want to avoid paying the inflated prices of port parking.

6. Holiday Inn Express M27 J7

The Holiday Inn Express is just off the M27 motorway and offers a budget option for a pre-cruise hotel and parking. There’s a hot buffet breakfast included with your stay and the restaurant serves evening meals too.

As part of the cruise parking package you’ll have a taxi included to get you to the port – just speak to reception to arrange a time. Just be aware that family rooms only sleep 3 at most, so you’ll need two rooms for larger families.

7. Hilton Ageas Bowl

The Hilton Ageas Bowl is situated within the famous cricket ground, with rooms that have a view of the pitch. As a Hilton Hotel, you can expect modern, luxurious rooms and a great buffet breakfast in the morning.

Booking a cruise parking package includes your parking for 7 or 14 nights as standard, though you can arrange extra nights as you need them. You also get a taxi service as part of the fee – the hotel reception will arrange it for you.

8. Holiday Inn Eastleigh

While Holiday Inns tend to have a reputation for being cheap and cheerful, the Holiday Inn Eastleigh is rated 4 stars and is super-comfortable and modern. It also has some great facilities, including a large pool, a gym (to get in shape before hitting those cruise ship buffets) and a restaurant.

The cruise package includes breakfast on the morning of departure and either a taxi or shuttle bus, depending on how many guests are travelling to the port on the day. Either option is included in the price of your package.

9. Twin Oaks Guest House

The Twin Oaks Guest House is a relaxing B&B that is furnished to a high standard and situated in the New Forest – so if you want to go for a leisurely walk before you set sail, there are some fantastic sights to enjoy.

Breakfast is included with a cruise parking stay, with all diets catered for. Parking is free on the night you stay in the B&B and then costs £5 per day while you’re on your cruise, with transfers available each way for £20.

10. Hunters Lodge Guest House

Hunters Lodge is a really friendly guest house situated in a fantastic location in Southampton, within walking distance of the cruise terminals (although taxis are available if you’d prefer it). Breakfast is included too.

There’s a family room that sleeps three by default, but an extra bed can be added – just let the owners know when you book. Cruise parking is reasonable too at £8 per day.

11. Ibis Southampton Centre

The Ibis is a reasonably-priced 3-star chain hotel that is in a great location close to the cruise terminals, so you don’t have to worry about booking taxis. Parking packages can be booked via the Accor website – the hotel group which looks after Ibis, Novotel and Mercure.

Breakfast is available for an extra charge, although when I stayed here we had breakfast in the McDonald’s that’s right outside! This is a great central location so there are lots of good restaurants nearby for an evening meal the night before you sail.

One thing I would say is to be careful if you plan to stay here in the summer. Our room was incredibly hot in August. They did provide a small fan, but the window only opened a small amount and there was no air-conditioning so it didn’t do much to help.

12. Ibis Budget Southampton Centre

Situated right next door to the main Ibis hotel is the Ibis Budget, a 2-star hotel that is clean, modern and bright but aimed at those who are looking to spend a little less on the comfort of their hotel before they set sail.

Again, parking is booked via Accor, and the location is excellent since you’re just a short walk from the cruise terminal. The Ibis Budget also has larger family rooms than its more premium sister hotel, so if you’re part of a group, this could be a better choice.

13. Novotel Southampton

The Novotel Southampton is situated close to the Ibis and is managed by the same Accor group, so when making an enquiry for cruise parking you could end up being assigned to either hotel depending on availability.

The Novotel is bright, modern and comfortable and has an indoor pool and fitness centre. Plus, up to 2 kids stay free when sharing a room, which could be handy for keeping costs down.

14. Greentrees B&B

Greentrees is a small, traditional B&B situated in a bungalow property a short distance from Southampton. If you want to relax in a quiet location the night before your cruise, this is ideal.

Your B&B stay includes a cooked breakfast and private bathroom, and your car is parked in a fenced car park with CCTV for £4 per night. Transfers to the cruise terminal are available for £20.

The only rooms available are double or twin – this isn’t a suitable choice for families.

15. Solent Hotel & Spa

The Solent Hotel is a picturesque spa hotel that is a fantastic choice if you’ve booked a cruise with a view to pampering yourself and you want to get started early. The hotel is situated near Fareham with great transport links to get into Southampton and to the port.

The cruise parking package for the hotel includes breakfast but not a transfer – you’ll need to arrange your own taxi for embarkation morning and for returning to the hotel once you’ve disembarked.

16. New Place Hotel

The New Place is a stunning hotel in Shirrell Heath set in private gated grounds. It has a swimming pool and fitness room, and a restaurant and bar onsite too.

Their Cruise & Stay package isn’t listed on their website but I’ve checked with them directly – it costs £215 for one night of bed and breakfast for 2 people, up to 14 days of parking, and a taxi to and from the port. You can pay for extra parking for £2.50 per night.

17. Careys Manor Hotel & Spa

Careys Manor is another hotel situated a little further from the terminal, amongst the New Forest, but thanks to excellent road links you’re never a long drive from boarding the ship.

The hotel offers luxury accommodation in a private setting and has its own 2 AA Rosette restaurant for the perfect dinner to kick start your holiday. Parking packages are available directly with the hotel and they can arrange a taxi for you to take you to the terminal on departure morning.

My Recommendations

After thoroughly researching the best hotels with parking in Southampton, these are the ones I recommend…

1. Best Value – Meon Valley Hotel

While it’s a little further afield, the included transfers in the parking package mean you’ll still get to the cruise terminal in plenty of time, and with such an amazing range of facilities, you might want to get to the hotel as early as possible the day before you set sail to take advantage.

2. Nearest – Leonardo Royal Grand Harbour Hotel

If you like the idea of walking across to the terminal on the day you embark then this is a fantastic option – it’s really close and it’s a great hotel too.

3. Best B&B – Hunter’s Lodge

The cruise parking isn’t the cheapest rate at £8 per day but that’s likely to be cheaper than you’d pay at the port, plus the actual accommodation is great value – you’ll pay less here for your hotel and parking combined than you would for probably any other package on this list.

This one is mentioned a lot in cruise forums and the owners are super-friendly too.

Final word

If you live more than a couple of hours’ drive from Southampton then I would always suggest getting a hotel the night before, if your budget allows. And choosing one with cruise parking just makes things so much easier.

It’s also a great choice for families because family holidays are always hectic. Having a bit more time to travel down in advance and maybe plan something fun the night before just takes some of the stress of the day away.

Plus, a lot of people prefer to park at a hotel rather than the terminal because it means they keep their car keys with them – and there are no concerns about anything happening to your car while you’re not watching it.

Related Posts:

• The Best Luggage Storage Places in Southampton
• How To Get To Southampton Cruise Terminal by Train
• Coach Travel to Southampton Cruise Terminal