Stop over erm route to spain- cheap hotel?
Has anyone stayed in a hotel? Thinking it would be so much easier than that caravan for a quick stop overnight, but concerned about the security of leaving a van in a car park?
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Not sure where you are planning on stopping on your way to Spain as you don't say which ferry port you are crossing to. When we travel through France in the winter months we often have a stopover at
Camping Fontclair near Bellac. They do B&B as well as a small all year round caravan site. You can also book an evening meal for €20 a head if you contact them in advance. We stay in our
van but book the evening meal so all we have to do is sleep in the van and not bother with cooking but they also have B&B rooms if you fancy a change.0 -
We've stayed in hotel car parks en route....slept in the van
Places like Campanile and Ibis do a great buffet breakfast for a few euro. We usually partake in that.
Likewise in the UK, Toby carpark, in for brekky in the morning.
Russ
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Has anyone stayed in a hotel? Thinking it would be so much easier than that caravan for a quick stop overnight, but concerned about the security of leaving a van in a car park?
We have parked the caravan outside a very rural French B and B and felt no safety risks at all - but by the time we had put together the overnight things we needed, taken foods out of the caravan fridge to put in their fridge, gone back outside twice to pick up things we had forgotten, and again in the morning for change of clothes, and then again to put everything back....it would have been infinitely easier to pull into a campsite and sleep there In the caravan.
But we don't fuss with awnings and aquarolls for overnight stays, don't have a caravan full of bikes and clutter, don't have dogs, and know of sites where we can stay overnight without unhitching , so other folk might feel differently. Enjoy.
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We have stayed overnight twice in hotels, with the caravan. The first time was when we were on our way to Spain for Easter, it was pouring down with torrential rain, it was cold, we had two surly teenagers with us, and after trying three closed campsites, we'd had enough. We stayed in a hotel just off the motorway near Beziers, and they were great. Staff moved their cars, to give us a safe area to park, where we would be able to get out the following morning.
The second time was in similar circumstances but this time there was plenty of room in the hotel car park. Neither of these stops was booked in advance, but we did park outside the car park whilst checking that they had room for us and room for the caravan. Hotel car parks can be tight places, especially with a caravan, and we were lucky both times to find space.
There were no issues with security - but there are so many campsites near to the main routes through France that I would stay in hotels, these days, only in exceptional circumstances. It's easy, with a good guide book or website, to find a site just where you decide to stop. You generally don't have to book and if you stop before 4.00 pm there are almost always pitches available. If not there's another site just down the road a piece!
Like Eurotraveller, when we arrive on site we just put our steadies down, our hook-up in, our table and chairs outside, and open a bottle of wine. Our caravan is not cluttered with stuff in the 'aisles', the toilet fluids are kept topped up, and there's always food and wine in the fridge. Generally, then we fill up with fuel at a nearby supermarket whilst unhitched (another saving - and can be enough to pay for your campsite and a couple of drinks) and if it's a supermarket we like we may stock up with food for the next day.
Easier, really, than a hotel stopover where parking and the issues mentioned by Eurotraveller can be a hassle. If you do decide to do it, then pack two overnight bags with washing stuff, night clothes, change of clothes for the following day and toiletries - and make sure there is no food in the fridge which will spoil whilst left unhooked overnight. You might also want to take in your kettle, milk and tea and coffee - French budget hotels rarely supply them and I really can't manage without a cup of tea first thing in the morning.
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Never felt the need ourselves but do understand where you are coming from. It often seems a bit of a faff to set up the van just for one night, especially if you are in cold and wet mid France in the winter. That is why we try to make time to stop for
at least two nights each time, have a day's rest and look around the area/town.That said there is a lovely site in the Loire Valley near Saumur,(which might be a little out of your way, depending on your route} which we have used travelling from Spain to Dieppe,
Le Serpolin is an English owned small CL type site with caravan storage and they advertise B&B.0 -
We're going from Scotland to Barcelona area with Dover - Calais crossing. yes it's quick to set up, but even easier would be to park and not even unhitch, with a bag ready to take into a room.
If you do do it, then my tip would be (as Eurotraveller hints at) find an out of the way B and B where you can park your car and caravan hitched up in their ample car park. The trauma is not in the 'hotel' bit (ie the check in, taking stuff into your room etc) but in the finding somewhere to park up in the first place and then wondering if it's going to be safe.
Having done it twice, I think you'll find it less easy than it appears!
On a campsite you know you'll have enough room - in a hotel car park imagine the difficulties. Drive into any Travel Lodge, and then try to find somewhere to park your car and caravan!!! The same thing happens in France.
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