We're planning to go over to France this year originally intended to take our tent but now decided to go for a mobile home and investigate for future years, plus got a baby and small child so seemed easier.
We can't get the ferry crossing we wanted so now considering going the day before and an overnight stay in a hotel.
Any experience, recommendations ??
Any help greatly appreciated
Thanks
Jen
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Hi Gen - Lots of experience -we have done this for last 8 years - 2 kids to hired mobile.
2 choices -'a' drive until you want to stop and then try to find hotel or 'b' book a hotel and drive till you get there.
Tried both - Plan b has always worked and plan a has never worked - all you find is 'Hotel complet'
book a BB hotel for a 4 person room = split level steep stairs or a Quickpalace = same level but bunk beds, or for a bit more kyriad wich I have not stayed in but have been recommended by others on here.
Would thoroughly recommend to BB chain too. They also do a nice breakfast - even with bacon and eggs! You want a room with a 'mezzanine', they're the ones that sleep four.
Are you booking your mobile home direct with a site or are you using Eurocamp/Canvas holidays etc. If you are going through the latter you can pick one of their sites on route and stop off for one night in either a tent or a mobile home.
Quote: Originally posted by campingmeerkat on 04/3/2006
We are a family of 5 - are they strict- do we have to get 2 rooms or can we put the 5th on an airbed?
This has been discussed before - if number 5 is a tot [can't quite remember how young] then its OK. I'd guess it would only matter if they knew -If they saw you arrive - and as the place is unmanned from 9 pm the staff are easily avoided until the morning when you are off - and I really doubt the room cleaners would ignore the provided 'do not disturb' or care . Ordering 5 breakfasts might be unwise - especially as they are 'eat as much as you can' co you would never need two. The matter of being searched for in a fire is not so easy - If les pompiers think there are 4 in a room they wil not look for number 5.
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Campanile hotels are really good value and always seem to have such friendly staff, Not sure about family rooms though as ours was just a small tot when we last used one. Worth a look on their web site though
------------- David Pulman ... flaps extended, gear down and settled on final approach for a smooth touch down
We've only tried hotels once. We went to the Etap hotel in Boulogne (the one at Outreau - there are two). It was excellent. The manager couldn't have been more helpful. We had a triple room, with a double bed and a single bunk across the top. There was an ensuite with a really good shower and proper hotel towels (lovely after a long drive). I think Etap are about the cheapest with an ensuite. Some chains (F1?) just have bathrooms down the landing.
If you stick accorhotels dot com in front of:
accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/etp/3190/fiche_hotel.shtml
you'll find the one I mean.
Liz
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We're traveling to the Vendee from Cherbourg but starting out from my in laws in Surrey.
It's not a bad drive and we'd intended to do it in the day and not need an overnight stop but the 7.30am ferry crossing we wanted is fully booked. The best alternative was leaving Portsmouth at midight and six hour crossing to Caen. Again it would be possible to drive straight to the Vendee but we've got two small children, a five year old and a baby. I can picture the scene that we don't get alot of sleep that night whilst the children will sleep, then have a four hour drive.
Thus we start the holiday absolutely shattered whilst the children are bright eyed and bushy tailed. Not much of a holiday me thinks.
So we're thinking of going a day early on the 7.30am crossing but stopping enroute.
You didn't seem pedantic to me !! but yes I agree that people have now given some good advice. It's useful to get the name of some decent hotel chains because although I know you can pick up a room on spec I'm not sure I'd like to risk it with two little ones.
We're traveling to the Vendee from Cherbourg but starting out from my in laws in Surrey.
It's not a bad drive and we'd intended to do it in the day and not need an overnight stop but the 7.30am ferry crossing we wanted is fully booked. The best alternative was leaving Portsmouth at midight and six hour crossing to Caen. Again it would be possible to drive straight to the Vendee but we've got two small children, a five year old and a baby. I can picture the scene that we don't get alot of sleep that night whilst the children will sleep, then have a four hour drive.
Thus we start the holiday absolutely shattered whilst the children are bright eyed and bushy tailed. Not much of a holiday me thinks.
So we're thinking of going a day early on the 7.30am crossing but stopping enroute.
Thanks
Jen
I'd forgotten how restrictive the western crossings were - Suggest "Thus we start the holiday absolutely shattered whilst the children are bright eyed and bushy tailed." will just about sum up what you are facing - but you'll son get over it. I'm not familiar with that bit of France but if the weather permits I'd be tempted to head for the nearest beach for you to relax after an early start and let the kids burn off some energy.
Quote: Originally posted by lizex on 05/3/2006
There was an ensuite with a really good shower and proper hotel towels (lovely after a long drive). I think Etap are about the cheapest with an ensuite. Some chains (F1?) just have bathrooms down the landing.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Over night Stops enroute to Site
