Pre-cruise night at Novotel Southampton, then sail

Novotel Southampton is on West Quay Road, next to the Western Docks. The hotel is Accor mid-range, with modern rooms, on-site parking, and easy access to the Western Docks cruise terminals. This page covers the pattern.

Why this hotel for a pre-cruise night

The Novotel is in the same broad cluster as the Leonardo Royal, Voco, and Ibis hotels on West Quay Road. The hotel category is mid-range 4-star, comparable to the Voco. The on-site facilities suit families and small groups.

Distances:

• City Cruise Terminal: about 0.5 miles. Walkable.
• Mayflower Cruise Terminal: about 0.8 miles. Walkable.
• Horizon Cruise Terminal: about 0.6 miles. Walkable.

For Ocean and QEII Terminal sailings, a short taxi covers it.

Which cruise lines benefit most

The Novotel suits:

• Families and small groups (the Novotel brand caters well to families).
• Cruise customers wanting a reliable mid-range pre-cruise night.
• Western Docks terminal sailings on any cruise line.

The arrival

The hotel is on West Quay Road, accessed from the M27 via M271 to A33. Hotel guest parking on arrival.

The evening

The hotel restaurant covers a standard pre-cruise dinner. The Westquay shopping centre is a 5-minute walk for chain restaurant options. The Old Town is a 10-minute walk for independent restaurants.

For families, the Novotel restaurant or a Westquay chain works well.

Cruise morning

A typical pattern:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Check out by 11:00 am.
• Drive the short distance to the cruise terminal, or walk for the closest terminals.
• Hand the car to us at the cruise terminal short-stay car park.

Cruise day timing

Standard 90-minute arrival applies.

Taxi cost from the hotel

Around £6 to £10 to any Western Docks terminal. £12 to £14 to Ocean or QEII Terminal.

Compared with the Voco and Leonardo Royal

The Novotel sits between the Voco (mid-range) and the Leonardo Royal (premium 4-star) on price and feel:

• Novotel: modern, family-friendly, mid-range.
• Voco: standard mid-range hotel.
• Leonardo Royal: premium 4-star with spa and waterside views.

For families, the Novotel often suits best. For honeymoon and milestone customers, the Leonardo Royal or Harbour Hotel are usually the better picks.

Booking

For cruise parking, the quote returns the flat price. The Novotel Park & Stay page covers the standard pattern.