Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Reflects recent average nightly prices reported by our partners, and may not include estimated taxes or fees. Price at checkout may differ.
Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.0
#3 of 31 hotels in Southampton
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Welcome to Holiday Inn® Southampton, the nearest hotel to the city's bustling cruise ship terminals. The perfect choice for travelers embarking on journeys with renowned companies such as Red Funnel, P&O, Cunard, Carnival, and Princess Cruises. Benefitting from onsite car parking, the hotel is the ideal option for your pre-cruise stay. Situated just a short 5-minute drive from the city center's attractions and within easy reach of Southampton Central station, where direct trains to London await, accessing our hotel is both convenient and efficient. Plus, with on-site parking available and Southampton Airport a mere 20-minute drive away, your travel needs are seamlessly met. Looking for family-friendly adventures? Experience the thrills at Paultons Theme Park, home to the beloved Peppa Pig World, just a 20-minute drive from our hotel. Alternatively, immerse yourself in the rich maritime history showcased at the SeaCity Museum, conveniently located within a 15-minute walk.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
The Holiday Inn Southampton garners positive remarks for its prime location, often highlighted for its proximity to cruise terminals and city attractions. Many guests praise the cleanliness of the hotel and the friendly, professional service, although some have experienced slow check-ins.
While the rooms are celebrated by some for their views and amenities, others find them outdated and suggest they could benefit from a refresh. Mixed feelings are evident regarding the hotel's amenities and value, with particular criticism aimed at noisy air conditioning units and additional charges for parking and other services.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Uninviting
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Mixed
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Currently, at this hotel, I had a wonderful stay, check-in was quick, staff are very nice and helpful. Lovely room 415 which had a lovely view out to the cruise terminals, had a wonderful sleep here and the air conditioning in the room is spot on, window opens for fresh air which is a bonus these days, nice size room with iron and ironing board, also kettle with tea,coffee,sugar and milk. What struck us was the nice smell of the hotel. Stairwell looks a bit grim but smells amazing. Maybe put carpet all the way up would 100% improve it. Parking is £15 for 24 hours. The food was a bit expensive in the restaurant but had a nice meal, the atmosphere was very nice. The car charger on site works fine. All in all, I started having bad experiences in Premier Inns, so I went for the holiday inn, and it's 100% better. For our cruises in the future, I will be booking this hotel from now on. Lovely chilled start to our holiday, thank you.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Holiday Inn Southampton, an IHG hotel
Responded 22 Jun 2023
Good afternoon Merritt72, Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience at Holiday Inn SOUTHAMPTON. Please know that your feedback is extremely valuable to us. We use feedback, such as yours, to continuously make changes to our brand to improve the guest experience. We hope that you will give us the opportunity to serve you again in the future. Again, thank you for choosing Holiday Inn, and if I can be of assistance to you, please contact me directly at 02380179600 or frontofficemgr@hisouthampton.com. Sincerely, Louise Best Front Office Manager 02380179600 frontofficemgr@hisouthampton.com
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed for 1 night at this hotel in July this year as we had an early ferry to catch across to the Isle of Wight.
In terms of location this hotel ticks all the boxes as it is positioned adjacent to the Solent right by the cruise and ferry ports. There is parking onsite which costs £15 overnight.
From the outside the hotel looks quite old fashioned but as soon as you step inside that modern Holiday Inn feel is there is buckets.
The bright and funky bar/restaurant/lobby area serves as drinks, dining and check in with uber friendly and helpful staff everywhere. It was a hot day so we checked in, dumped our bags in the room and went straight down to the bar to sit outside in the sunshine.
The room was large and modern. It felt like the hotel had had a refurb recently and the room in particular was in a really good condition. Clean, fresh and with great views of the Solent.
We didn't eat dinner in the hotel as we went out but we did have breakfast. The food was a served hot buffet with lots of self service continental items available at the same time. The food was hot and tasty and definitely set us up for the day.
Particular mention to the lady on reception that checked us in, a thousand apologies to the hotel but I can't remember the ladies name but she was dark haired, European and her name began with 'A' (I think).
Overall, if I need to be in Southampton again in the future, this hotel would definitely be on the list as we had a great stay with fab service in a great location.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
We stayed here for one night in late August prior to a cruise departure. The room was booked through Hotels.com and paid for with tripled up Tesco ClubCard Vouchers. In total, we paid £12 cash and £35 of tripled vouchers, so the total room cost was £117 for an Executive Room, 1 King Bed, Sea View including breakfast.
Room was more than adequate, although I feel I would have been disappointed had we not used Tesco vouchers. Yes there were robes and slippers, yes the bed was big and comfy, yes there were 2 small bottles of water and one chocolate bar between the two of us. Bathroom was dated, shower pressure was not the best, toiletries were basic. Not really sure that any of that added up to 'Executive'. The view of the cruise ships and City Cruise Terminal was fantastic, and probably the best part of the upgrade to be honest.
We ate in the bar area in the evening, food was delicious, service was a bit hit and miss. They were operating on a new system and seemingly had lots of new staff.
Breakfast was of really good quality, but very little in the way of social distancing or COVID protocols :(. We also saw one member of staff clean a floor spillage & then use the same cloth/paper towels to wipe a table. Fortunately, before we had a chance to tell the person who appeared to be in charge another waiter had seen what happened and she came and sprayed the table down and cleaned it thoroughly. Not good though....
Check-in and check-out were simple and easy, parking was £15 for the night. Kind of assumed there may be some discount due to having a room booking but unfortunately not.
COVID secure policies seemed a bit hit and miss, lots of mask-wearing notice and requests, but little or no social distancing with table use etc even when areas were relatively empty. Hand sanitisers empty or blocked.
Would happily stay again, but only for a decent deal or voucher offer on the room.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Sea view higher floor, executive rooms are worth it for the view only
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
An excellently located hotel, being right next to both ocean terminal and just down the road from mayflower terminal. Do not be fooled by its dated exterior, this is a hotel that not only has good size rooms, lovely breakfast and an amazing view but also is excellent value for money.
Checkin Check in was easy and quick, even with the Covid distancing in place. The reception staff were welcoming and got us to our room super quick.
Room:
On this trip I was on the 5th floor in a double room and I would say the 5th floor is where the best views start as your higher than the surrounding trees. The room itself had a simple yet effective setup with a desk, a tv a small Table and chair. The room has a hairdryer and a fridge. The fridge was not stocked but thats likely COVID restrictions. Upon arrival I had two bottles of water and two fingers of a kitkat which was complimentary. The bed was soft the medium in firmness and I found it comfortable. The room was comfortable and had full AC on the wall. There was 6 power plus in the room 4 on the desk and 2 by the bed. All the sockets were new with the ones on the desk also having 4 USB ports. The signal on the TV was a little choppy and its just freeview but it fine and did what I needed it to.
Continuing my recent Trent I examined the entire room using a dark light and with the exception of small collections of dust in the corners of the cabinets its cleanliness was excellent. The bedding was clean and no fingerprints on any of the surfaces. This shows the room has been cleaned to a very high standard.
Bathroom
The bathroom was sufficient. Like the room it was also very clean, with only small areas of dust in the extreme corners. There was hand soap, shampoo and condition provided and two towels. My biggest critique of the bathroom is that the shower cubical is a little small and if your of large persuasion then you may struggle to shut the door. Also a toilet brush would have been helpful.
Breakfast
We had our breakfast at 8am and it was hot and the hostess was attentive and gave an impression of nothing was to much trouble, she even got me a Diet Coke as I don’t do Tea & Coffee. I had a hot breakfast and it was hot and really nice. The hotel was very busy so we were conscious of not sitting to long but we never felt rushed by the staff.
COVID Procedures
Now as always I will caveat this with I am from Scotland where we have been much more strict on COVID requirements than the rest of the UK. It’s clear that some thought has been put into how people use the lifts and balancing the number of people in the dining room. My biggest surprise was the lack of people wearing masks, but thats likely because it’s a legal requirement in Scotland but its not in England.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Higher rooms are better and executive rooms seem to have safes which normal rooms do not.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed here for one night pre cruise, as most in the hotel seemed to be. It’s an ugly 1970s style concrete blob from the outside. It’s right on the riverfront close to all the cruise terminals and a few minutes walk from West Quay shopping and the town centre.
Check in was quick and the guy was very friendly. Parking is expensive at £15 but if you use the yourparkingspace app it’s about a third of that price. The reception/bar area is light and modern and if you are a IHG member you get a free drink each which is a nice touch.
We booked a super king sea view room. I notice that the description of these has now changed to River view which is more accurate. The room was modern, spacious and had everything we needed. The bathroom was again clean and modern. The bed was lovely and comfortable. The room has floor to ceiling windows offering nice views over the estuary and cruise terminals. They also have city view rooms but looking at the position of the hotel I reckon most rooms will have some view out to the river, albeit side on.
We didn’t eat at the hotel simply because there are a wealth of restaurants within a few minutes walk at West Quay or in town.
Prices vary a lot for this hotel and this seems to be linked to how many cruise ships are in port the day after as this is a favourite with cruise passengers because of its proximity to the terminals. However, early booking does get the price down to a reasonable sum for a modern, reliable, friendly and well located hotel. Still not sure why it’s leisure centre hasn’t reopened after Covid though.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Ask for a high up room for the best views.
Join the IHG programme to get a free drink voucher.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel public areas are done out with a bright, modern feel and it was clean and pleasant.
The staff are lovely and probably the best thing about the hotel. Antonio on reception has a wicked sense of humour, Skye in the bar was very friendly and what she lacks in experience she makes up for in personality. The breakfast staff are very attentive. Due to covid all cold buffet and drinks were self service but hot food was served through a hatch by a staff member. I don’t understand how it was decided to differentiate between the two, surely covid doesn’t discern between both?
The practical side of being beside the port (I suspect the majority of people who stay here are going on cruises) probably outweighs the 24/7 noise of the same. But as a TOP TIP, bring earplugs!
The bathroom was done out lovely in a decorative sense however it was rather impractical. With only one hook and no towel rails there was nowhere to hang/dry multiple towels. The shower door opens inwards and the on tap is on the farthest side so when you reach in to start the shower you get wet, as does the bathroom floor. The provided toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash) are in dispensers on the wall, directly opposite the door handle, which restricts movement somewhat and has been the cause of a few ‘funny bone’ bangs. However the shower does have 3 different settings and was a good temperature.
The hanging space in the wardrobe unfortunately is not sufficient if you’re staying more than a night or 2. There are only 3 fixed hangers for dresses/long items of clothing and 4 for shorter items, however the space isn’t deep enough to hang a man’s shirt without it crumpling and getting creases at the bottom. Small points, but for practically minded people it’s something to consider.
All in all we had a pleasant stay, and for our purposes of visiting different areas along the south coast, it was a perfectly positioned base.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Norman Cardoso, Other at Holiday Inn Southampton, an IHG hotel
Responded 22 Nov 2021
Dear Lweeze, Thank you for your review and kind comments about the staff being attentive and friendly. It's a busy and challenging time and I am beyond proud of the efforts being put in by each and every member of our team, your recognition will mean a great deal. The hotel is set to undergo a refurbishment in the near future and the feedback mentioned will be dealt with as we undergo the refurbishment which is an exciting time for the hotel. I look forward to welcoming you back at the hotel and will ensure you have a seamless experience. Warm Regards, Norman Cardoso Operations Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
we stayed at this hotel and liked how close it is to the sea. When my 60th birthday came my partner booked 3 nights here to celebrate, we upgraded to the best room that we could and we had a lovely big window to look out over the water and see the ships as they came in. We had also asked if they had any homeless people in the hotel as this was just after the 1st shutdown due to covid we were assured that no they had not. The 1st night in the room I was badly bitten so we asked to be moved from the room (even though they said that they had deep cleaned the rooms and charged more for the privilege) . We were taken the room on the floor above and we were happy to change but offered no compensation just points and the amount added up to nothing. Again I was badly bitten during the night, we saw the manager who said whilst we were out for the day they would do a deep clean of the room again during the night I was bitten even more we saw the manager who again did nothing, on arrival at home I spoke to the pharmacist who told me they were human flea bites the manager was informed , he said he would have to have a company in to check the room out and it was found he said to be infested but they would be doing a deep clean yet again we was offered no compensation and it took us a long time to get our money back. No compensation for ruining my 60th birthday and i suffered from the bites for several weeks afterwards. There is no way that I would recommend this hotel or their group management they had no concern for myself no compensation or interest what memories I have of my 60th birthday so no I would not recommend this hotel
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:do not go it is full of human fleas
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kshitijj Arora, General Manager at Holiday Inn Southampton, an IHG hotel
Responded 20 Feb 2021
Dear dawnptyler, Firstly, I would like to thank you for taking time to share your feedback on this platform. As this matter was discussed with me directly at the time the issue was raised and following that I would like to remind you following things were done: - a) Open on arrival we room moved you to the choice of your room. b) We awarded extra points as the inconvenience. c) Complimentary drinks vouchers were organised. Following your return to home you confirmed you had been bitten by human flees and as soon this was informed, I had our pest control company to investigate once this was confirmed I owned up to the situation and confirmed if you would like us to invite you back for weekend on us to compensate for the inconvenience or award you as much as 20000 points to give you a complimentary night away anywhere within the IHG group and as I mentioned before until this situation happened there is no way of pre-judging of infestation. Once you had confirmed after me chasing you up to resolve this, I refunded the full amount of your stay. Once again, I am extremely apologetic for the situation however and I did everything to make up for this without getting threatened. Hope you will give us a chance to serve you again. Best Regards, Kshitijj Arora Operations Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel is in an excellent location near the harbour, you are very close to the Red Funnell and Red Jet terminals that take you to Isle of Wight. Also close to the cruise liners. 5 minutes walk to the shopping centre. There are some excellent restaurants in Southampton. The hotel is very comfortable, the bedrooms are spacious and well maintained. All the staff are very friendly and very helpful. The breakfast is good quality and they give large portions. This hotel is ideal for a short break or an over stay if you are going on a cruise. Overall good value for money. Would recommend.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Recent stay was one of many visits to this hotel when working in Southampton. I was given a room designed for accessible use for those who need to use a wheel chair. This is great if this is what you requested but to be given a room of this type as an able bodied person is not suitable. Bathroom sanitary ware is all positioned for wheelchair / disabled use. So mirrors and wash basins are significantly lowered, toilets raised and fire exit lights are fitted within the room and put out a constant glow throughout the night. Confirmed by hotel reception that because my employer pays a Government room rate that room allocation is dependant on how many other guests are booked in to the hotel and paying the standard room fee I was offered to change to a “normal” room. Yes, this is how reception described it but I would have to pay an upgrade How is this fair? I stay in hotels because I have to travel for work A hotel is my home for the week where I want to be comfortable and sleep well. Being penalised for this and treated differently to other guests because of the amount of money paid for the room is totally inappropriate Yes, I did raise this with the hotel at the time but the solution offered was a paid upgrade. No apology, no discussion, that’s it, you’re stuck with the room you’ve got because you didn’t pay as much as everyone else
Read more
Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from IHG Service, Owner at Holiday Inn Southampton, an IHG hotel
Responded 30 Nov 2022
Hi jimmH5342MB, Thank you for choosing IHG Hotels and Resorts as your travel partner. It's a pleasure to have you as one of our guests! We always strive to provide the best service to our guests. I'm sorry for the experience. I shared this with our hotel management. I'm certain that all you've pointed out will be looked into and addressed accordingly for us to provide a better guest hotel experience. I hope you'll consider us again for your future accommodation needs! Stay safe, Jomar M. Case Manager IHGService
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very clean, comfortable beds. Our second visit so expected more
COVID arrangements all good
Very difficult to drop off luggage and a disabled person all the supposed drop off spaces had cars parked in them which stayed all night. Car park about 10 minute walk - not expensive £5.50
Food was very expensive considering it was only ‘bar food’ £10 for a glass of wine - maybe extra for COVID
Heating in bedrooms did not work when you turned it up it just blew out cold air. This was in both our rooms
Breakfast very nice continental breakfast bags delivered to the however if you didn’t like what you were given there was no choice. There were hot rolls in the foyer but both had eggs in. Not quite sure why breakfast could not be served in the bar area like dinner was.
A disappointing stay
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from IHG Service, Owner at Holiday Inn Southampton, an IHG hotel
Responded 4 Nov 2020
Hi Dylan1953_10, Thank you for visiting and for writing to us about your experience. Our hotel provides an environment of peace where you can gather with your loved ones. I reviewed the feedback and appreciated your remarks on our cleanliness and comfort. However, I'm sorry for the issues with the heating unit, the obstruction on the entrance, and breakfast. I understand your disappointment about this matter. I shared your comments with our managing team and took action to prevent this from happening again. I invite you to share your next travel journey with us. Best wishes, Oscar C. Case Manager IHGService
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stowmarket, United Kingdom14 contributions2 helpful votes
I can confirm exactly the comments made by Ellaine H. The hotel is very accommodating and happy for guests to wait in the public areas until joining their cruise ships or whatever. We were very happy with our overnight stay and would certainly stay there in the future. It’s proximity and parking make it very convenient for cruisers. Hope this helps.
San Antonio, Texas135 contributions107 helpful votes
I concur with the previous replies. I don't think there are any rooms on the ground floor, a quick email to the property should get you an answer. I can think of several reasons not to use this hotel and the tiny elevator is just one. But if you are physically able to walk up a flight or two of stairs you could send the luggage up/down in the elevator and catch up with it. I don't remember if they had a bell boy or not. All things considered IF you are taking a cruise and IF your ship is leaving from the dock right behind the hotel (ours turned out to be quite a way down the road) you can't beat it for convenience. Good luck!!
There are more places to choose from in the Southampton area.
PRICE RANGE
HK$614 - HK$1,065 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
holiday inn southampton hotel southampton, southampton holiday inn
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandHampshireSouthampton
NUMBER OF ROOMS
133
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
