2013 Meet

[giraffe]

When I booked a room through Late rooms (I think) I was told when I came to pay to phone them directly next time as they will honour the price quoted on Late rooms and don't have to pay 15% to the middleman. I know I'd rather the money went to the hotelier than the middleman.

[Bunnylump]

Unfortunately Premier Inn seems to have gone up in price for the dates we want (as have a few of the other hotels I looked at before) but I found this which seems to be fairly central and has the bonus of free parking.

Comments Bunnylump and Looby please? I will keep looking to see if I can find anything slightly cheaper but ought to get on with work again now.

Hope the interview went OK MBH and that the outcome is whatever is best for you.

Sorry, LAT, the telepathy didn't work this time... But if whatever this is is central, has parking, beds and a loo then I'm sure it will be fine.

[gill216]

So far I'm good for that weekend. I had intended staying with mum but thinking about it, staying with her might be a bit much for her. She fusses. Needs/wants to cook huge meals, change beddding etc even though it was washed after my son stayed and this in turn creates washing (and ironing- she irons sheets!!) I may join you in a hotel and stay an extra night or simply arrive earlier and leave later. Go for a triple room if you can get one just in case that doesn't happen. I may offend her if I dont stay with her.

[Bunnylump]

It'd be fun if you were able to join us Gill. I'm thinking midnight feast.

[gill216]

Feast??? What about the vino????

[Bunnylump]

Well, vino goes without saying when the word feast is mentioned in my house...

I might try to avoid the half chewed chocolates this time though...

[LAT]

Sorry, LAT, the telepathy didn't work this time... But if whatever this is is central, has parking, beds and a loo then I'm sure it will be fine.

Oh B*****
Sorry, I shall have another look and see if I can find it again. Serves me right for looking in my lunch hour and posting in a hurry.
I've just got home though and need to do other stuff first but I will try to look later this evening.

At the moment we will be three definites for the hotel I assume. With Gill as a possibility plus another couple of mystery possibilities - but not a couple, if you know what I mean. Sorry I don't want to be more specific yet as I think that is for them, not me, to mention if they do think they will be able to come along.
I haven't found any triple rooms yet other than those with a double and single bed. I'm a bit wary about that for two reasons - I'm not sure who would volunteer to share a bed, and sometimes the single bed isn't full size. So it is looking like a twin and a single, or two twins I think.

[Bunnylump]

I don't care who I sleep with (that sounded wrong, didn't it??) but I do probably snore, talk in my sleep and definitely fidget a lot.

[SparkOut]

I don't care who I sleep with (that sounded wrong, didn't it??)

sounded fine to me, about par for the course

[Bunnylump]

Mentally stores a sneaky kick on the shins for International Man of Mystery...

[LAT]

Yes, I think your comment could have been slightly better worded Bunny!

I think this was the hotel I meant to post a link to

http://www.laterooms.com/en/hotel-reser ... -tyne.aspx

But I shall do some more research later

[Bunnylump]

Looks OK - I've just been reading some of the reviews, many of which comment on shabbiness - but that really doesn't worry me as long as the sheets are clean. It definitely sounds like free parking is a big bonus, and most comments mention this - so I assume that parking is an issue in the city. My only other comment is that several of the reviews mention noise from The Only Way is Northumberland types passing at 4am, but apparently there is a "quiet side" of the hotel to ask for...so that we could keep all the other residents awake until 4am as wel!.

[gill216]

Honestly? I wouldn't want to stay on Newgate Street in the city centre unless it has changed considerably. I wouldn't want to stay anywhere slap bang in the city centre on a Friday or Saturday. I'm not saying dont go to the city centre, I'm saying stay on the edge of it instead. Newcastle City centre isn't huge. Most places are accessible without having to be stuck in the middle.

Edit: MBH , is this what was the Swallow hotel? I've just checked it out. Has that precinct been smartened up in the last few years? Unless it has changed considerably for the better I wouldn't recommend it.

[Bunnylump]

Fair enough. I can't comment because I've never been there. I must admit I'm not actually at all keen on ANY city centres usually!

[LAT]

OK, that's a fair comment.

So plan B is maybe a hotel with good transport links to where we will want to go. I am trying to save poor Looby from having to spend too much time driving us around once we get up there. I don't really know what city centres would be like on a Friday or Saturday night these days. Guildford is usually fine!!

Maybe my next step is to research the metro system. Of course we also want to be somewhere that we can get breakfast, and near to where we could find an evening meal - again to save the driver, and in particular so she can have a drink or two!!

[Bunnylump]

We could always go mad and get a taxi if the worst came to the worst. I quite agree that it would be best to avoid Looby having to drive around the city, especially as it would be good for us all to be able to have a drink. I'm very happy to walk places if that's possible.

[LAT]

Well walking had been my first choice which is why I was looking for somewhere fairly central but maybe we need to think about moving a bit further out. Maybe up-river nearer to wherever it is the walking trail starts? As long as we can find places to eat nearby.

[LAT]

Found Jesmond Park Hotel and have provisionally booked a twin and a single room as there was no booking fee and we can cancel up to 23rd Oct.
Breakfast is included and there is parking.

http://www.jesmondpark.com/

But we can still look in case we find somewhere better. At least we have beds!

[Bunnylump]

Thanks for doing that LAT, that looks fine.

[LAT]

Hope this is in a better area Gill?
And hopefully not too inconvenient for our activities so we won't need to rely on cars. It seems to be fairly near a metro stop I think.