Best Hotels near Houndwell Park Playground, Southampton

The hotel looks bright and modern, with a decent car park. The many many signs all over the place about fines if you don’t register your vehicle make the parking and hotel entry somewhat intimidating. If they are concerned about parking. Why not just have a barrier with a token from reception to exit? Reception was friendly and we had a room on the ground floor with a lovely view of a ****y bank of earth through a rather small window. The room was clean, well appointed but the ceiling lighting was awfully dim. The bathroom was clean but we didn’t feel that entry/exit from the bath was very safe if you had limited mobility. Dinner in the restaurant was extremely disappointing. The space is modern and the kitchen is open, but the service, though very friendly was extremely and embarrassingly slow. This needs to attended to. The place was not at all busy. In the end we went to the bar to get a drink to fill in the waiting time. Someone on a neighbouring table waited ages for a beer which was served flat and had to wait a long long time for a replacement. Our tear and share bread was so over cooked, we struggled to cut it with a pizza wheel. The fish and chips were very tasty and well presented. The tagliatelle was over cooked and the sauce completely tasteless. The only flavour in the dish came from the nice garlic prawns added as an extra. We decided against deserts as we anticipated another very long wait. While we were there a neighbouring table was re-occupied but was not sanitised between guests. This could have been so much better! Breakfast was easier because it’s self serve, but it was busy and the few staff were unable to keep pace so tables took a long time to be cleared and longer to be cleaned. We had to get our own cutlery as this job was also slow. Breakfast selection and quality was quite acceptable. We were happy with the hotel but it was badly let down by the extremely slow dinner service.

I had stayed in this hotel many moons ago when it was part of the to Marriott group, I understand it is now Ellite /Britannia hotels and there is nothing ellite about it. Check in time is 4 pm, and checkout 10 am, that gives six hours to clean and turn around the vacated rooms, So you would expect them to be absolutely spotless, room was clean enough, it smelled of smoking but went, when the windows opened, few hairs in the bath tub, the wooden cabinets smelled musty and dust on lamps, but the bed was clean and so was the bedding. On check-in I didn’t realise it was 4pm, I assumed it would be 2 pm or 3 pm at the latest. I asked if any of the rooms were serviced so I could check in early, I was told there were lots of rooms ready but you have to pay £20 extra to check-in early regardless of the fact they ready, I was due to be at a wedding at 5 pm, I had to accept the £20 payment, I was not impressed as this took my one night stay in this hotel to £189 for the night. In comparison I could get a one night stay in the Park Plaza, Waterloo for the same price in London! This hotel is not worth that much a night. The hotel was like a maze and had to go upstairs along creaky corridors carrying a suitcase case up more stairs with no accessibility by lift to my room (room 657) Room had the very basics cheap nasty shampoo, A few sachets of tea and coffee, towels but no bottled water. At night I could hear a few guests from other rooms, it didn’t disturb me. The pool is absolute mess, it had a pipe going from the hot water tap into the pool, which I burnt my bottom on and my husband burned his thumb, I can only assume the heater doesn’t work so it’s the only way they’ve got to heat the pool, The water didn’t look very good I wonder if the filter was working? In photographs on booking.com their shows a Jacuzzi, there isn’t one! there hasn’t been a working for more than 10 months, and the broken one has now been removed altogether, I think it’s very misleading. I don’t like to book a hotel without a pool and a Jacuzzi, I like to relax why I’m away from home. The pool look too scary to go into, and there was no Jacuzzi! Breakfast wasn’t too bad, Choice of cereals, fruit juices and cooked breakfast, no croissants or pastries. Coffee was horrible. Breakfast is advertised until 10am but they closed and locked the doors at 9:58, I only made it with 10 minutes to spare, it wasn’t explained me that breakfast actually ended at 10. I would assume people could still go for breakfast at 10 and still have time to sit down and eat, this is not the case! Would I stay here again absolutely not! it is probably a £50 a night budget hotel in the middle of nowhere unless you are playing golf I really wouldn’t bother. Disappointed that booking.com gives this hotel four stars.

In summer, there is a problem with air conditioning and refrigeration. It is very hot at night. Other facilities are very good. The room is very big and the bed is very big. The service is very good

I booked at the last minute whilst working in Winchester so wasn’t expecting much for the money so was really happy it exceeded all my expectations. I had a super quiet room, overlooking the garden, which was pretty huge in comparison to other places I’ve stayed. Definitely my new favourite place to stay when I’m next there.

This was my first time venturing out into the world after the pandemic and a coeliac diagnosis two years ago. The hotel was quite busy on the Friday when I checked in and only one lift was working, but that really was a small niggle. The lift was repaired by the time I returned to the hotel in the early evening. The restaurant was great when it came to catering to my gluten allergy. There were a few options, and the guy at the front of house went the extra mile to check if the fish was fried in the same oil as non-GF food. Unfortunately, that was the case, and I'd suggest that either provision is made for a separate fryer, or the GF designation is taken off that item on the menu. But there were other things I could have, so it wasn't really a problem. Breakfast was excellent. The lovely young lady at the front of house took my order and explained that the chef would prepare it in a GF-section of the kitchen, so I'd have a 15 minute wait. It really wasn't a problem and it was well worth the wait. Beautifully prepared, generous portion. Friendly service. The room was fine. I loved pulling back the curtains in the morning and seeing the massive cruise ships in port. Only quibble was the pillows, but I'm picky. Otherwise the room was nice and clean, and I appreciated the a/c. I would definitely stay here again.

Booked a room and called to request an extra bed. All agreed. At arrival, staff insist no extra bed and couldn't care less as I was told ”well there's nothing we can do”. Appalling service for such a big hotel.

Convenient location ! There are so many shops and restaurants within walking distance.

Excellent facility and location but it would have been very nice to have telephone in the rooms to be able to make requests. The bathroom/shower room (for the club room as in my case) needs to have shower curtains or door to prevent the water coming out when taking your shower. Apart from that, excellent facilities and AMAZING Breakfast and dinner.