Help needed - accommodation around Birmingham

[WeMeetInFairIthilien]

Morning all,

Bit of a plea for info/ideas.

We were meant to be heading up to PIL, near Manchester on Monday, for a week. Heading up from the South West (M5, M6).

2 adults, 8 yo and 4 yo.

However, MIL is now ill, and not sure she'll be feeling up to us visiting by Monday.

We've got the time booked off work, so thinking about alternatives.

We'd thought about a Birmingham trip, I'm the October half term, and are wondering about moving the plans forward, so we could then still head up to Manchester later next week, if MIL feels better.

Was potentially going to get the combined tickets to see Warwick Castle, the Lego Experience, Sealife Centre and Cadbury World.

If we do, where would be best to stay?

I've no idea yet of where they are/in relation to each other.

We're happy to share a room for a couple of nights.

Is anything likely to be available for Monday night?

Thank you!

The sealife centre and lego are close to each other and very close to the city centre. Cadbury World is further out of the city but probably only a 15 minute drive. Warwick Castle is further away, under an hour from central Birmingham obviously depending on traffic.

You could stay centrally, Broad St has lots of hotels and accept Warwick will be more of a day out, you could combine it with a trip to Stratford which is a nice town to visit. On the otherhand you could stay somewhere near the NEC which is between the city and Warwick, for Sealife and Lego experience you could just get the train in which is a very frequent service and leaves you in the city centre.

I'm also in the south west and I'd probably stay close to the M42 which is handy from the M5 and also links to motorways going north. Maybe the premier inn at Longbridge, straight down the Bristol Road to Bournville and the city centre or train from Longbridge Station into the city centre and an easy hop onto the M42 to connect to M40 and into Warwick.

Sorry as I might have just made you more confused.

There are so many hotels I would imagine you could find something and it depends how close you need to be.

Hope your MIL is making a good recovery.

To some extent it depends what you want to pay.

Try the Staycity apartments in the jewellery quarter

I stay there for business, the 1 beds are only £75 a night next week (I booked my trip for next week last night, they have a sale on) and you get a sofa bed which the 4yo/8yo can sleep on

There's parking too and it's walkable to sealife, lego experience & city centre

I would recommend this small independent hotel. It’s in a lovely location on outskirts of Sutton Coldfield Birmingham . Would be better with your young children than a city centre location. I have never stayed here as live close by but regularly go for meals here .

forgot to add , to get in to Birmingham centre , you can park at Sutton Coldfield train station which is nearby and take the train in

Id head for premier Inn at Warwick
or Leamington

you can get the bus G1 from outside the premier inn at Lemaington to Warwick from Leamington or the train - as it saves parking in Warwick which is a nightmare

Id probably stay in leamington at the Premier Inn as more places to eat in the evening - though you may want to reserve a table

Red hot mama for pizza is good as is the Greek restaurant Taverna Meraki
just round the corner

You can get the train from Leamington or Warwick to Birmingham and both towns are 2 miles from the M40

Manchester is easy to drop back onto M40 and then get M6

Thank you, that gives me something to focus on.

If we've got a back up plan, then the children still get a holiday, we don't waste any annual leave, and it takes the pressure off of MIL.

Go to Liverpool instead. It's a fantastic city.

Yes, I am sure that it is.

However, we want to take the children to the aforementioned places, with the option of continuing on to PIL. They are of a good age to enjoy the 4 attractions, and if we cannot carry on to Manchester, then we are much closer to home.

Liverpool, Formby Point, Chester etc. will be a different, future holiday, when we have more time to plan it properly, and the youngest child will be able to enjoy it more.

If you have time when you are near the sealife/lego venues a trip down to Gas St basin is a nice thing to do with kids, particularly if you have a boat trip. Birmingham have done a lovely job with the walks along the canal.

I'd go for a Premier Inn in Birmingham. The Lego Experience, Cadbury World and Sealife centre are central Birmingham. Warwick Castle is about 45 minutes away. There is also Drayton Manor theme park with lots of rides for younger DC. They used to have Thomas Land (Thomas the Tank Engine themed area) not sure if they still do but they do have a nice zoo inside of Drayton Manor Park. DM is only 45 minutes from Birmingham towards Snowdome and if it is wet and raining there is the Snowdome with swimming, shoots & flumes, climbing wall, ice skating and snow play/tobogganing/skiing all good if it rains.

Oh dear.

Poor MIL has gallstones/gall bladder infection and is currently in hospital.

We've decided to head to the Youth Hostel in Stratford on Avon (staying in a bell tent - so excited!), and visit the town and Warwick Castle, for a few days.

Then, will either come home, head up north to see PIL, or head into Birmingham (either a Premier Inn, or the Apartment hotel in the Jewellery Quarter). This will all depend on how MIL is doing.

At least we've got a plan, and whilst MIL is ill, she's getting the medical care she needs.

The Black Country museum is also excellent, if you fancy venturing in that direction.

I don't know if they still do it but we did a deal at the holiday inn in Birmingham a few years back that included family tickets to Cadbury world. It was around £100 for a family room, breakfast and the tickets, the hotel had a pool as well.

Birmingham has a clean-air zone. Is your car compliant?

There are child-friendly attractions in Stratford e.g. Butterfly Farm, MAD museum. There's also a castle at Kenilworth (English Heritage).

Thank you - yes I had twigged this earlier and checked (we live in another clean-air zone) and we're all fine.