Pictorial review of Novotel Southampton. (post 1 of 2 due to image limitations)


Hotel foyer by BA_pics, on Flickr

I hope this thread and review help others trying to decide whether to stay here (or possibly in a UK Novotel as I am told they are all the same). 

I tend to stay in Hiltons or when staying with Accor, usually the Sofitel brand where possible or Mercure otherwise as they seem to be where I needed to go, so my experience of Novotel is limited and if something stated is obvious or typical please chalk that up to a newbie getting a first peek.

In Southampton there are four brands from the chain available to the Accor member: Novotel at the top, Mercure, Ibis and Ibis budget. All except the Mercure are in the same compound and share the same car park, the Mercure is only a short distance away on the high street. Typically, the Novotel is the most expensive of the four for the area on any given night (around £ 100) with the Mercure coming in around £ 85 usually and the Ibis brands slightly lower than that. Whenever there is a sale on I try to spend a few nights here and this can sometimes be a very good deal IMO at £ 60-£70 / night for an exec room and breakfast. Parking is a blanket £ 6 / night regardless of where you stay and is roughly what is charged by other hotels in the area. (no one provides free parking to my knowledge in the city centre).

So, to start off, some points about where it is located and how to get there:

The 3 hotels (Novotel, Ibis and Ibis budget) are what you could still call downtown, if not immediately in the city centre. The below map (copyright Google maps) shows the hotel and how to get there. You need at some point to get on to West Quay Road (A33) and then turn in on Harbour Parade to the small industrial estate with the McDonalds on it. (There is a small brown box with HOTELS on the sign but it is not the easiest to see). Once on Harbour Parade turn left at the first round about and follow that straight on for about 100m to the gated entrance (McD’s will be on your left). You need to press the button and collect a card to enter and get this validated at some point at your hotel. You can get it validated immediately and have in and out rights as well as simply waiting for the next day. Parking spaces are a bit tight and the three hotels are generally quite full so hard to find a good spot, however, (as long as I am not staying there  ) my tip is to go towards the Novotel (directly in front of you as you enter) and then turn slightly right to a smaller car park that seems to be missed by the masses and in one area is semi circular which allows more space to open doors. I’ve not had a problem with crime or lighting here at night so it is safe (especially with the regional police station across the street behind the Novotel!)


Detail for driving directions to Accor hotels Soton by BA_pics, on Flickr

Some real world pics;

Looking out from the Novotel 5th floor towards the Ibis Budget hotel and McDonalds and gated entrance:


View to parking lot and Ibis styles by BA_pics, on Flickr

Looking a bit more to the left (again from 5th floor) you can see the Ibis Hotel:


View from 5th floor towards Ibis by BA_pics, on Flickr

Later, if you want to walk downtown (a 10 minute walk without stress) you could follow this route (again copyright Google maps):


Walking to high street from hotel by BA_pics, on Flickr


West Key shopping area by BA_pics, on Flickr

This will take you on sidewalks (pavements here in the UK) past the shops in the estate to the big shopping mall here in Southampton called West Quay. You can use the car park to get across the road and up a few levels to where the main high street is or look around the mall. You can see West Quay here in the picture behind the Tesco store (small John Lewis sign on big building in background).

Finally, in terms of location, the hotels are within walking distance to most downtown restaurants and you may wish to use TA to find your choice, however, an excellent (but very busy) curry house Indian restaurant is Coriander Lounge on the high street (just across from the Mercure so easy to find), or for more variety go down to Oxford street and you’ll find several other types of food with some chain restaurants such as Prezzo or Pizza Express. These are all within 20-30 minutes walk and well lit so safe at night. There is another area, mostly frequented by students to the North East of Southampton which is also popular but requires a taxi or driving.

blue circle is Oxford Street (copyright Google Maps):


Oxford street for decent restaurants and pubs by BA_pics, on Flickr

One word of caution: don’t go in the parks at night, they are not safe.

The hotel itself:


Novotel Soton Entrance by BA_pics, on Flickr

Entrance and Check In:

The entrance is well lit and pleasant with a quite modern design. There seems to be quite a bit of red in this hotel, not sure if that is standard in UK Novotels or not…seems a bit strange with the blue logo from their brand IMO. Anyway, as you enter, the reception is on the right with the fitness room at the far right. The lobby is quite open and well lit but there is not much seating unless you go to the bar area to the left of the entrance. Almost straight ahead are the two smallish elevators that are fairly slow but work well and never seem to have a queue so works for the occupancy it seems. You’ll only get two people and checked luggage in each lift or possibly 4 people without bags. The doors take forever to close and there is no button for that.

There are some public computers (iMacs) available just to the left of reception but they looked to be standing use only (no chairs).

Only 5 floors to the hotel with some meeting rooms I believe on the ground floor and some at least on the 5th floor to the left when you exit the lift.

The restaurant is just between the bar and the lifts and curves around to the left behind the bar area.

Check in was quick as I had done e checkin each time I stayed. I was in an exec room and didn’t expect or think they could upgrade me any higher so wasn’t bothered about the room. In the check in pack I was always handed a drinks coupon without asking and internet access code. I wouldn’t generally recommend staying here in an non-exec room as the one time I did (granted a few years ago now) it was in poor condition from overuse: threadbare rugs with stains on them and well used furniture. The exec rooms are in very good shape and can be recommended without issue though (just book it during a sale or pay to get the better room, you’ll be glad you did).

I do like the new door keys which are made of some wood material that still has a swipe strip on it but just seems right to make it out of recyclable material.

I’ll get to the room in a minute, but for now, some of the main public areas first on the ground floor:

The Bar area: (just to the left of the hotel as you enter), always had a few people there enjoying a drink and meeting up, seemed pleasant enough with appropriate mood lighting in some spots.


Bar by BA_pics, on Flickr

This is a picture of the bar area seating with the bar to the left in the picture behind that wall and the restaurant in front of you:


Bar lounge area by BA_pics, on Flickr

Restaurant: (I have only tried breakfast here so can’t comment on evening meals or the bar service):

The buffet area (which is at the back of the restaurant and behind most of the seating area):

Breakfast area by BA_pics, on Flickr

The buffet was excellent and well stocked and very clean. The staff were always excellent, cheery and helpful. You can order speciality coffees at no extra charge 

Some quirky individual seats with TV’s and places for working I believe…not seen this in other Novotels or Accor hotels…


Restaurant seating by BA_pics, on Flickr

The general breakfast seating area just as you enter the restaurant (looking out towards the police station across the road):


Restaurant seating 2 by BA_pics, on Flickr

Now up to the room:

The rather drab and quirky carpeting of the hallways on the 5th floor: (I thought they had only patched some of the carpet but it looks like it was meant to be this way with two tones)


Hallways by BA_pics, on Flickr

(Post 2 of 2 due to image limitations)

The Exec Room:

It seems the rooms are all much of a muchness…


Floor plan by BA_pics, on Flickr

View from Entrance into room:


View to Room by BA_pics, on Flickr

View back to entrance:


View to Entrance by BA_pics, on Flickr

Area immediately after entering the room: (wardrobe with mini fridge, safe, etc):


Wardrobe by BA_pics, on Flickr

Inside the fridge are four water bottles with two sparking and two still from a reputable brand here in the UK. At least two bottles are free of charge…not sure if all of them are as only two had the labels around the neck.

Bottled water in fridge by BA_pics, on Flickr

Strangely, (to me at least) the French like to have their washrooms with separate loos. No sink in the loo, which I don’t like but at least you can do your business without interruption in case someone needs a mirror or to use the sink I guess and the rest of the bathroom will smell nicer for it! (sorry, couldn’t resist)


French style loo by BA_pics, on Flickr

The Loo is just inside the room (which i believe is typical to Novotels) with the wardrobe to the other side and the washroom a bit further along after the loo before entering the main room area.

Opposite the bed, there is a 32 inch TV mounted on a pole that can be swung around to face the work desk. There is also a new style Bose sound dock for connecting your MP3 player to:


TV Bose speaker by BA_pics, on Flickr

Work desk with Nespresso Machine: I do like having such machines in the room as we have one at home and you know what you are going to get for quality. Only 4 pods but I’m sure they would fill it up if you asked for more.


Work Desk by BA_pics, on Flickr

The main attraction (double bed) which is comfortable but not the best bed I have ever slept on);


Exec Room Bed by BA_pics, on Flickr

I do like the fact that Accor hotels seem to get small details right (both for styling and for practicality) such as bedside plugs for your phone / alarm…and a few light switches to get the right lighting for both reading or general purposes.


Convenient plug bedside table by BA_pics, on Flickr

Beside the bed is a nice chocolate treat (I assume these are in each exec room but maybe they are for platinum members only?)


chocolate by BA_pics, on Flickr

Coming back up the hall, we reach the bathroom: (which is standardised and quite modern in style but practical and a good space for one)


Bathroom by BA_pics, on Flickr

The standard (so I am told) Novotel bath amenities: (seemed decent enough)


Amenities by BA_pics, on Flickr

I have reported the general stay in the main 2015 thread so won’t repeat that info here but hope these pictures and this review help those considering the area and hotels over the other options here (IHG or Hilton).

Apologies for the many pictures but hope that it only affects those interested so not reducing speed to the general forum.

Thanks for reading this far, curious to hear comments if this is typical of a UK Novotel (or even worldwide) or what differences, even subtle ones there are? Any questions please do post them and either I or someone better in the know will try to answer.

Finally a plea, if you do stay somewhere regularly, even a standard hotel such as Ibis, Novotel, consider doing a review thread as the details can make a stay great regardless of the cookie cutter hotel interior…and at least for me, pictures are worth a thousand words…they can allow others to judge for themselves the look and quality of a place along with the words being written, so try to take one or two please! Thanks!