Stop Over in Calais
Author
Discussion

Tom8

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

170 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Off to France an a few weeks time. Driving down on the Friday after work to Ashford for train to Calais so getting over there late. Looking for a reasonable hotel with secure parking (probably not underground as we have a discovery). Not overly keen on driving around Calais too much, but wondering what others have done when stopping over for the night?

chopper602

2,295 posts

239 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Wouldn't really stop in Calais, go a bit further up the coast (or the direction of wherever you are heading for) and there are plenty of options, often with unmanned reception desks so time of entry doesn't matter.

Big E 118

2,448 posts

185 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
We stayed here a few weeks back:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TYdSpk936zZTRfRD7
New hotel, pretty cheap but nice rooms, decent food. About the most secure place in France! It's where the police/military stay while they are on rota to patrol the Calais beaches.

mikef

5,699 posts

267 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
We had to stay overnight at short notice and ended up at the Première Classe Calais Centre - Gare (now the HECO Calais Centre) because it advertised a secure car park, gated overnight. It also turned out to be mainly migrant families housed there, which didn't feel quite so secure (but there weren't many vehicles in the car park)

Edited by mikef on Wednesday 23 July 11:19

Tom8

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

170 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Big E 118 said:
We stayed here a few weeks back:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TYdSpk936zZTRfRD7
New hotel, pretty cheap but nice rooms, decent food. About the most secure place in France! It's where the police/military stay while they are on rota to patrol the Calais beaches.
Ha, that is secure!

Tom8

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

170 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
mikef said:
We had to stay overnight at short notice and ended up at the Première Classe Calais Centre - Gare (now the HECO Calais Centre) because it advertised a secure car park, gated overnight. It also turned out to be mainly migrant families housed there, which didn't feel quite so secure (but there weren't many vehicles in the car park)

Edited by mikef on Wednesday 23 July 11:19
Interesting so they do house some in hotels as well?

mikef

5,699 posts

267 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Tom8 said:
mikef said:
We had to stay overnight at short notice and ended up at the Première Classe Calais Centre - Gare (now the HECO Calais Centre) because it advertised a secure car park, gated overnight. It also turned out to be mainly migrant families housed there, which didn't feel quite so secure (but there weren't many vehicles in the car park)

Edited by mikef on Wednesday 23 July 11:19
Interesting so they do house some in hotels as well?
They must have at one point. It looked like families with young children

georgefreeman918

728 posts

115 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
We are driving to France in the next coming weeks and arriving in Calais late, I'm planning on getting a couple of hours south before thinking of stopping anywhere near Calais

mikef

5,699 posts

267 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
georgefreeman918 said:
We are driving to France in the next coming weeks and arriving in Calais late, I'm planning on getting a couple of hours south before thinking of stopping anywhere near Calais
As I mentioned on another thread, the Hotel Atlantic opposite the beach at Wimereux, just north of Boulogne, is very good. Ideally you'd arrive in time for dinner, as the restaurant is excellent

Claret m

163 posts

85 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Depending on where you are going next. We use this hotel on all our trips to the SW.

Just be aware that the restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday, and it's a good restaurant!


https://www.bestwestern.co.uk/hotels/best-western-...

FlyVintage

191 posts

7 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Tom8 said:
Off to France an a few weeks time. Driving down on the Friday after work to Ashford for train to Calais…….
I’m sure you know already, but just in case; the terminal is at Folkestone, not Ashford.

zbc

941 posts

167 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
mikef said:
As I mentioned on another thread, the Hotel Atlantic opposite the beach at Wimereux, just north of Boulogne, is very good. Ideally you'd arrive in time for dinner, as the restaurant is excellent
Second this but can't comment on the parking as it wasn't a priority for us when we stayed there but hotel and restaurant were great

//j17

4,763 posts

239 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Depending what "getting there late" actually means if it was me I would (and in the past have) push on to Saint-Quentin, 1.5hr to 2hr south of Calais.

A number of both independent hotels like Hotel Le Florence (though you'd need to check on late check-ins) of ibis brands (used the ibis Budge "Center Gare" a couple of times, including checking in at 01:30AM / secure parking has a '1 storey' height restriction but always seemed a quiet, safe area and free car park just across the road if necessary).

vixen1700

26,299 posts

286 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
Or drive to Saint Omer which is under 30 miles away. There's a little Ibis there in the centre of time with a car park at the rear.

Plenty of places to have something to eat and it's not Calais. smile

Bill

55,927 posts

271 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
We've stayed (and are going soon) here on the way south: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uy4fvk6DqGohLd4b6 Gated parking and the breakfast isn't bad.

mikef

5,699 posts

267 months

Wednesday 23rd July
quotequote all
zbc said:
mikef said:
As I mentioned on another thread, the Hotel Atlantic opposite the beach at Wimereux, just north of Boulogne, is very good. Ideally you'd arrive in time for dinner, as the restaurant is excellent
Second this but can't comment on the parking as it wasn't a priority for us when we stayed there but hotel and restaurant were great
The Atlantic has a free car park opposite the rear entrance, with around 18 spaces (half the number of rooms), first come first served. There's a parking municipal a couple of blocks further away from the seafront

Old Merc

3,722 posts

183 months

Thursday 24th July
quotequote all
Why not stop here https://www-hostelleriesaintlouis-com.translate.go...
It’s 30 miles from Calais and a world away from all the hassle in a quiet village. Its a bit more expensive than an Ibis but well worth the extra.

Tom8

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

170 months

Thursday 24th July
quotequote all
Thanks all, we get in just before midnight so dinner not important only clean hotel and secure parking needed really. I've gone with Best Western which seems to do the job for us, hopefully all good. Hope also we don't get stopped with wine on the way home!