ChatterBank0 min ago
jersey..............where to stay
7 Answers
can anyone recommend somewhere to stay in jersey, 3/4 star hotel or b&b perhaps. want to go next year but would like some advice and inside information please. thanks.
Answers
more......
Things we did we found interesting
Durrel Wildlife Conservation Trust. NOT a zoo, but a place to save endangered animals. North of the island and a lovely place.
Gorey (South East of the island). Lovely harbour and historic castle.
St Brelades bay. Wide sweeping bay, good walking area (in fact Jersey is a good place to go walking...
Things we did we found interesting
Durrel Wildlife Conservation Trust. NOT a zoo, but a place to save endangered animals. North of the island and a lovely place.
Gorey (South East of the island). Lovely harbour and historic castle.
18:16 Mon 03rd May 2010
I went to Jersey for the first time 2 years ago, and after doing research we decided on the Merton Hotel, and I am glad we did.
http://www.seymourhotels.com/MertonHotel/
It is in St Helier (the capital) so is near most of the shops, bars, restaurants, and the main bus station (great way to get round the island).
But it is not in the dead centre of St Helier and is maybe a 5/10 minute stroll to the centre. So the facilities are nearby, but you are not in the centre of St Helier. It is also right next to Howard Davis park which is a beautiful public park.
The hotel is also a couple of minutes walk to the sea front at Harve Des Pas which is a lovely sea front with a small pier, outdoor swimming pool, restaurants etc
It also has a great swimming complex which is free to hotel guests (see web site for pictures)
The reviews of Trip Advisor are generally very good (see here)
http://tinyurl.com/33elhzk
http://www.seymourhotels.com/MertonHotel/
It is in St Helier (the capital) so is near most of the shops, bars, restaurants, and the main bus station (great way to get round the island).
But it is not in the dead centre of St Helier and is maybe a 5/10 minute stroll to the centre. So the facilities are nearby, but you are not in the centre of St Helier. It is also right next to Howard Davis park which is a beautiful public park.
The hotel is also a couple of minutes walk to the sea front at Harve Des Pas which is a lovely sea front with a small pier, outdoor swimming pool, restaurants etc
It also has a great swimming complex which is free to hotel guests (see web site for pictures)
The reviews of Trip Advisor are generally very good (see here)
http://tinyurl.com/33elhzk
I found the Jersey web site very helpful finding things to do
http://www.jersey.com/english/
The web site also produces a great "Whats on" guide that gives you an idea of what there is to do in Jersey (it comes out every month or so) and you can download it from their web site.
From the web site home page select "Request a Brochure" on the right, then where it says "Select brochure type" select "Whats on Guides".
The April/May one is there now (even if you are not going there yet it is worth looking at these guides as they are packed with stuff).
You can also select "Maps and Guides" from the same place and download various useful maps and guides (as you would expect)
http://www.jersey.com/english/
The web site also produces a great "Whats on" guide that gives you an idea of what there is to do in Jersey (it comes out every month or so) and you can download it from their web site.
From the web site home page select "Request a Brochure" on the right, then where it says "Select brochure type" select "Whats on Guides".
The April/May one is there now (even if you are not going there yet it is worth looking at these guides as they are packed with stuff).
You can also select "Maps and Guides" from the same place and download various useful maps and guides (as you would expect)
Some more info that I hope you find useful.
We decided to stay in St Helier because it is by far the biggest town, and all the roads on the island radiate out from there. The islands is very small, maybe 7 miles by 5 miles.
If you stay anywhere else on the island you really need a car to get around, whereas in St Helier you can get anywhere by bus very quickly as the central bus station is in St Helier.
Apart from one or two wide roads, most of the roads on the island are very narrow (country lanes) so driving around is not much fun. Personally I think you are best getting a weekly bus pass and seeing the whole island by bus (they do offer a number of circular bus routes round different parts of the island). The buses are VERY reliable.
People live mostly on the South and East of the Island. The North of the island is very rugged and wild (beautiful walking country) but hardly anyone lives there and few decent roads go there (have a look at a map in Google and you see that).
The West of the island is just one huge sweeping bay/beach, but again rather wild and desolate and few peope live there (quite a few people live in the South West).
The island changes dramatically when the tide goes out, and I believe the island almost doubles in size, particulalry in the South East. When the tide goes out in the South East you can walk about 1.5 miles out, to the Seymour tower, and old military tower.
We did this when we were there and it was an amzing experience.
to be continued....
We decided to stay in St Helier because it is by far the biggest town, and all the roads on the island radiate out from there. The islands is very small, maybe 7 miles by 5 miles.
If you stay anywhere else on the island you really need a car to get around, whereas in St Helier you can get anywhere by bus very quickly as the central bus station is in St Helier.
Apart from one or two wide roads, most of the roads on the island are very narrow (country lanes) so driving around is not much fun. Personally I think you are best getting a weekly bus pass and seeing the whole island by bus (they do offer a number of circular bus routes round different parts of the island). The buses are VERY reliable.
People live mostly on the South and East of the Island. The North of the island is very rugged and wild (beautiful walking country) but hardly anyone lives there and few decent roads go there (have a look at a map in Google and you see that).
The West of the island is just one huge sweeping bay/beach, but again rather wild and desolate and few peope live there (quite a few people live in the South West).
The island changes dramatically when the tide goes out, and I believe the island almost doubles in size, particulalry in the South East. When the tide goes out in the South East you can walk about 1.5 miles out, to the Seymour tower, and old military tower.
We did this when we were there and it was an amzing experience.
to be continued....
more......
Things we did we found interesting
Durrel Wildlife Conservation Trust. NOT a zoo, but a place to save endangered animals. North of the island and a lovely place.
Gorey (South East of the island). Lovely harbour and historic castle.
St Brelades bay. Wide sweeping bay, good walking area (in fact Jersey is a good place to go walking and they do have a walking festival twice a year).
The Jersey War Tunnels (Ho8). Built by the Germans (using slave labour) during their occupation in the second world war. In fact there are lots of remains of second world war buildings around the island.
St Helier - We liked St Helier, just small enough to be homely, but large enough to have many shops, bars, places to eat, things to see etc.
Fort Regent. A Napoleonic Fort on top of a hill in St Helier. Now a leisure centre, but all the outer walls of the fort still remain, and you get some great views of St Helier from up there (many people who visit St Helier dont go up to the fort as it is not promoted as a historic building, more as a leisure centre.
Here is a picture from the fort looking West to St Aubins bay (the modern development in the centre of the picture also contains hotels, multi screen cinema and many bars and restaurants)
http://tinyurl.com/3x3dplv
If you want to know more just ask
Things we did we found interesting
Durrel Wildlife Conservation Trust. NOT a zoo, but a place to save endangered animals. North of the island and a lovely place.
Gorey (South East of the island). Lovely harbour and historic castle.
St Brelades bay. Wide sweeping bay, good walking area (in fact Jersey is a good place to go walking and they do have a walking festival twice a year).
The Jersey War Tunnels (Ho8). Built by the Germans (using slave labour) during their occupation in the second world war. In fact there are lots of remains of second world war buildings around the island.
St Helier - We liked St Helier, just small enough to be homely, but large enough to have many shops, bars, places to eat, things to see etc.
Fort Regent. A Napoleonic Fort on top of a hill in St Helier. Now a leisure centre, but all the outer walls of the fort still remain, and you get some great views of St Helier from up there (many people who visit St Helier dont go up to the fort as it is not promoted as a historic building, more as a leisure centre.
Here is a picture from the fort looking West to St Aubins bay (the modern development in the centre of the picture also contains hotels, multi screen cinema and many bars and restaurants)
http://tinyurl.com/3x3dplv
If you want to know more just ask