A hotel room for auditions

[Jazzpaws]

DD has applied for auditions at ENBS 8th Feb and RBS 9th Feb (hope this is a good idea to do them back to back). We live a 2 hour train ride from London, so it makes sense to stay overnight. Can anyone recommend a decent, reasonable hotel/travel lodge nearby? 

[Jan McNulty]

It is worth checking the Travelodges and Premier Inns. I have just booked one in Central London for next year. Although the Saturday was a lot more expensive, the Friday was £58!

[Lottie]

Ibis hotels can offer a good price sometimes.

 

We've stayed in one up a street besides Euston Station a couple of times with no problems. It's called Ibis London Euston St Pancras. Looks like it's £83 for Sat 8th Feb.

 

Even Ibis London Shepards Bush is only £63 for that Saturday but have no idea what it's like.

 

Check on London Transport for London (TFL) on what Tube weekend rail work is taking place as you wouldn't want to book somewhere and then find that the tubeline you needed was out of action.

[pas de chat]

Any recommendations for Tring and Chester?

[Tulip]

Jazz paws have ENB confirmed that date for you yet, as a lot hadn't had any confirmations of dates on the forum yet. I think your daughter will be fine doing the two auditions back to back, good luck yo her.

[HAIRBELLES]

Any recommendations for Tring and Chester?

I need to stay over in the New Year and the Hilton Doubletree was coming up at £66 plus breakfast which is a fantastic rate, beautiful hotel down the rd from Hammond....Booking.com

There is a Travelodge (Warrington Rd) that is situated at the bottom of the lane that leads to Hammond, it is connected to the Toby Carvery.

Words of caution....the big Travelodge in Chester is now University acommodation and I am of the opinion it will drive up the prices of the smaller ones round and about. The Travelodge at Cheshire Oaks always seems reasonably priced and only 10 mins away.

Lots of nice little hotels and guest houses in an area called Hoole which is slightly nearer the school.

If you stay in the centre of Chester allow lots of time to get to the school as a 10 minute journey can be more like 45 mins at that time of day.

[2dancersmum]

we've usually stayed at the Warrington road Travelodge in Chester.  It is handy for the school and for avoiding the traffic but the plus point for us (apart from price) is the fact that it is one of the few Travelodges that has twin rooms - useful for when it is DD and myself as we both get a proper bed without having to share.

[amanda-w]

Any recommendations for Tring and Chester?

We stayed at the premier inn at Tring, only a few minutes drive to Tring Park School and a Beefeater on site. Small rooms compared to most premier inns but friendly staff, clean and convenient for the auditions. I think it was about £70 for us both with breakfast.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I do have to say I wasn't overly impressed with the Warrington road travelodge. We've stated there as a family & dh has also stayed there a few times. It's OK - but I found the room grubby. Premier Inn is much nicer - but it is very convenient & dd and dh will probably end up staying there during show weeks next year for convenience.

[Jazzpaws]

Jazz paws have ENB confirmed that date for you yet, as a lot hadn't had any confirmations of dates on the forum yet. I think your daughter will be fine doing the two auditions back to back, good luck yo her.

Thanks Tulip - you are right,need to wait for the confirmation -  that's the date she selected, just me trying to be organised,( which is quite out of character ), did your DD do any back to back x

[Tulip]

Hi jazzpaws yes I think she must have done the same as you two years ago, as she did the feb ENB audition. It's not so bad them doing auditions back to back as they are usually at their best and focused. All the best of luck for your daughter x

[along for the ride mum]

We stayed at the premier inn at Tring, only a few minutes drive to Tring Park School and a Beefeater on site. Small rooms compared to most premier inns but friendly staff, clean and convenient for the auditions. I think it was about £70 for us both with breakfast.

I've stayed ther too and found it adequate but, second time round , got a room at the infinitely more comfortable Pendley Manor Hotel for £70! A lovely room, great breakfast and use of the spa and it is five minutes at most from Tring school

[Its her Life]

For Tring, we stayed at the Holiday Inn (just south of Aylesbury), situated on the A41. It was about a 10 min drive down the A41 into Tring. It was £83 but think that was a flexi rate, so could maybe get it cheaper if you chose non-cancellation option. For ENB, we stayed at the Jury's Inn, right next to Imperial Wharf stn. About 10 min walk to the school. Can't remember rate though, I'd have to dig papers out. Several others stayed there as well. For RBS, we were really lucky & got special deal at the Hilton nxt to London Bridge station! Very convenient for us as we are from the south & nxt morning just 2 stops in to Charing Cross on main train network.

[Yaffa]

When searching for hotels, a useful starting point can be monesavingexpert.com's hotel sales page: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/hotel-sales - This week's bulletin includes several deals including including a Travelodge offer (£25 rooms on sale from 26th December, for stays between 1st Jan and 27th October, excluding central London).

 

Yaffa (no connection to the above - just passing on the info)

[Moneypenny]

The Strand Palace Hotel in central London is reasonable and is only a 5/10 min walk from Covent Garden. It's a large hotel, but room was modern and very clean when I stayed there with dd last year. I think it's also undergone quite a major refurb.

[LinMM]

There is a Travelodge in Drury Lane which Ive walked past many times but don't know what the prices are like....but very convenient.

The 8th Feb is a sat so could be expensive but the Sunday could be a good rate.

A friend of mine from Eastbourne takes her two kids up to London staying over on Sunday nights as they are often much cheaper then.

[Jan McNulty]

That's the Travelodge I am booked into in May! Very cheap on the Friday, not so on the Saturday so averages out as reasonable!

[tomuchtallent]

My niece works at the Mayfair and we stay there for £50 a night encluding breakfast!

[meadowblythe]

Travelodge in Covent Garden was fine when we used it - great value for money  but a few years ago now.

 

Tring - we always used the Holiday Inn Express at Hemel Hempstead.  Highly recommended although again haven't been there for a while

[Jazzpaws]

The confirmation letter came today - 8th February 9.30am arrival for English National Ballet and 9th February  at 11.45 am, so it's safe to book    . Plus Elmhurst at 8.30 am on 16th January   which will mean an overnight stay too.Busy, expensive times - just hope it doesn't snow. 

[sugarplumsmum]

Were having the same problem here, not had any details about when my Dd Hammond audition is, her high school said they had to fill a form out and it said on it the audition is Monday 13th Jan but we've not been told anything so do we go ahead and book a room just encase the audition is in the morning?? Is anyone else waiting for info from them

[2dancersmum]

double check your email and spam folder for email from Hammond.  DD's friend missed email confirmation of her audition - sent within days of them receiving the form as she was expecting a letter from them.  Mon 13th December is one of the dates for senior auditions for the diploma course.  The audition starts at 9am with registration from 8:30 am.  Details of timings for the day are on their website if you scroll down the page on post 16 dance.

[lilacfairy]

Hi can I just ask if when your applying for these auditions if you r accepted are you given a choice of audition dates ? My daughter will be auditioning next year and I'm worried about work etc

[Picturesinthefirelight]

There are upper school auditions at Hammond on 13th or 27th January. They will begin in the morning.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Yes do check your spam folder. I missed loads of PTA & other information emails from the school (trips, Xmas carol service etc) as they went into my spam folder & hard copies sent to dh disappeared into the pit known as his car!

[2dancersmum]

lilacfairy - it depends on the school I think.  Some give you a choice on the application form and others seem to allocate in order of receipt of application ie fill up 1st audition date first then onto 2nd date etc.  Most do publish dates well in advance so you should be able to advise if any of the days are difficult or impossible for you.

[Jazzpaws]

Hi can I just ask if when your applying for these auditions if you r accepted are you given a choice of audition dates ? My daughter will be auditioning next year and I'm worried about work etc

The earlier that you apply, the more choice that you have - some are on weekend days - RBS ENBS and Central, but then if DD is fortunate enough to get a final place, I don't think there is any choice there

[sugarplumsmum]

I know this sounds stupid but how do I find my spam folder on a virgin media email account? I've never had to check it before so not sure if I have one as normally if its advertising/spam I tick it then it gets blocked before it gets to me   

x

[Jan McNulty]

If you go to the Virgin Media website:

 

http://www.virginmedia.com/

 

Click on the email tab on the top right hand side of the screen.  It will give you the log on screen.  When you have logged in, there is a list of folders on the left hand side.  Make sure it is fully expanded and you will find the spam folder near the bottom of the list.  There is an option to register if you have not already done so and that should give you access to the mail server.

 

I have found that Virgin Media are excellent at trapping genuine spam, whether you have marked stuff or not, but it is always worth checking this folder occasionally as sometimes genuine emails get put in there.

[lilacfairy]

Thankyou 2dancers mum !