Best place to stay when using an ALR?

[Fenchurch SP]

Thinking of getting an All Line Rover sometime but it's not great if you live in the South East because of the restrictions from many of the London stations so where would be a good place to base myself for a week?
Obvious contenders would be cities where many long distance trains start their journey early in the morning, eg Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, York, Newcastle; maybe hotel prices would be the best way to decide.
I would be mainly travelling in England with maybe one trip to Scotland to do the Kyle of Lochalsh line.

 

[mrcheek]

a lot of it depends on how fussy you are over hotel quality. I personally love Travelodges, since all I want is a simple breakfast, a shower and a bed. But I know a lot of people want something better.

Ive stayed in Leeds before, a very good place to be, as its very central to the UK, and you can basically leave in a different direction every single day.
Ive also done Newcastle, which is a great location if you prefer to explore further north and Scotland. The only drawback in Newcastle is that the Travelodge is right by the river, and is a steep uphill walk to the station!
In Manchester I stayed in an Isis Budget, which wasnt great, but again, a good location.

Derby has plenty of budget hotels too, and is also central, and again, the option to travel out in a different direction almost every day.

 

[The exile]

The long-suppressed 20-year-old in me is busy thinking “ALR - stay? What are overnights for?” How things have changed! Not that I ever did the full 7 days on the trot- but I doubt I could cope with my preferred 2x3 + day trip now either - even if the trains made it possible!

 

[xotGD]

Overnights on the Scottish sleepers. It's the only way!

 

[Mike99]

I've based myself in the Ibis in Bradford (Shipley). It is a few minutes walk from Shipley Station and often cheaper than hotels in Leeds. Shipley has a frequent service to Leeds and Bradford, also services on the Settle and Carlisle line.

 

[Flying Snail]

Not sure why you would want to stay in one location for the duration of an ALR, even somewhere with multiple routes like Leeds would have you covering the same ground repeatedly if you are having to set out and return to the same place every day.

2-3 nights in one place then move on has always been my preference.

 

[Mike99]

Not sure why you would want to stay in one location for the duration of an ALR, even somewhere with multiple routes like Leeds would have you covering the same ground repeatedly if you are having to set out and return to the same place every day.

2-3 nights in one place then move on has always been my preference.

I haven't stayed in one location throughout an ALR. I was offering the OP a location that in the past I've found convenient and not to expensive.

 

[Flying Snail]

I haven't stayed in one location throughout an ALR. I was offering the OP a location that in the past I've found convenient and not to expensive.

I wasn't referring to your post, rather the OPs wish to base himself in one place for a week.

I should have quoted it to avoid a misunderstanding, sorry.

As it happens I have stayed in the Shipley Ibis and it is a reasonable budget hotel although I would suggest requesting a room not on the ground floor as you cannot have the room window open without it being a security risk from the canal towpath right beside it.

 

[AndrewE]

If you are travelling by train Dundee Sleepers can't be beaten for B&B as far as I'm concerned (eat and drink in the Phoenix) and - for B&B - the travelodge at Torre gives you what you would expect...

 

[Iskra]

It would indeed seem amiss to not use the sleepers overnight a couple of times at least, although you'll probably find the Night Riviera better value.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

Thanks for the replies.
I think maybe I'll use the Caledonian Sleeper the first day (you can use it the evening before the first day of validity right?) and then pick a couple of places to stay 2 or 3 nights at. I wouldn't want to stay in a different place every night because I would have to drag a suitcase around with me all the time. With the current situation regarding industrial action I would be reluctant to book hotels too far in advance so I'm probably not going to get a great deal.

 

[xotGD]

suitcase

A rucksack or holdall would be a better option - especially if you are planning multiple changes of train each day. Travel light!