RIAT 2009 - Accomodation?

[Memetic]

I am looking for accommodation for two on the night of the 18th within striking distance of RIAT.

Campsites, B&B hotels etc. that I have called have so far been full. I know it is late, but I was offered tickets yesterday.)

Any suggestions?

[chevvron]

Suggest you also check weather and accessibility first; look what happened last year.

[Memetic]

Well with how booked up the accomodation is holding out for the 5 day weather forecast does not seem ot be an option :-)

If I end up driving there I will take it into account, but driving 2.5 hour plus queue time, the show, followed by the Sunday traffic back makes staying somewhere a much more attractive option!

Memetic

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

How about driving the evening before and kipping in your car .

You say its for two people, this would best work of course if its
two blokes.

I have done it a few times. On my own I must add
Normally check the weather situation prior to setting off.

Find a quite off road spot, near Fairford, Sleeping bags/Big pillows/Blankets/Big Flask of Coffee/Tea, Some eats, and your all set.
Dont forget the Alarm Clock!!!!!

Driving late evening avoids Traffic.
Your ready then for early start , get in the queue early, then away you go for the Day.

Works for me!!

OPF

[Memetic]

... but the two was hopefully going to be my wife and me, so I would be onto a looser with that suggestion - planes are fine - roughing it not fine :=

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

What is it with "Wives", mine is the same .
No sense of "Adventure"!!!!!

Hat/Coat/Door , on me way....

OPF

[Cornerstone958]

Search the Web for Swindon can't believe that you will not find anything in Town. There are 2 Holliday Inn Express Hotels at least.
CS

[Jofm5]

I am guessing you tried all the links on here:- Accommodation and the Local Area (http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow/VisitorInformation/accommodation)

[Memetic]

Cornerstone958 - you are right, there are rooms at the Holiday Inn express as I write - £185 for a double. Fine for a decent city hotel, but too rich for an ad hoc weekend I am afraid.

Jofm5 - yep, Swindon tourist office found one hotel with a room, I called immediately - gone.

Cirencester tourist office sent me a list of private homes which may have rooms - a discussion for tomorrow.

All campsites, fully booked for about 30 miles around.

Looks like a drive.

[Jofm5]

If your driving down and dont want to be too far away newbury is not that far, with the bypass having been complete a good 10 years now it only takes around 5-10 minutes to get from town there to the M4 and a short drive from there.

Further down near swindon but the otherside of the M4 is hungerford which is also not that far away.

I visited fairford as a visitor to service personel living on base around 2000 (they had a great comissary there, where I used to buy Mt Dew by the case), there are pubs in the town centre with rooms but I would imagine those are gone.

Not sure if you have been before but access to fairford is fairly simple from the M4 (You just follow the ring road to the right of swindon and follow the A roads and signs) so anything along the corridor around swindow will get you to the traffic jam of getting in pretty quick.

Also there is decent access from the M5 to fairford (should be quieter unless alot of people travelling down from up north) - so maybe worth looking at little villages along that route for inns/b&b's - would be a longer drive on the night before but may prove easier on the day.

[Cornerstone958]

Try Marlborough 'The Inn with The Well' has a double room left + a couple of others in the area.
H I Exp Reading may be an option
Regards
CS

[Memetic]

Cornerstone958 - missed the room. just called. If it helps anyone else they have 2x rooms for th 17th

[tornadohotas]

MemeticA few years back (2002) and paid for the FRIAT ticket which gives admission on arrivals, Sat, Sun and departures days. Upon doing this I, only then(!) tried to get somewhere to stay. I had pretty much the same problem in that there wasn't a hotel room for miles around and most were out of my price range. I ended up contacting the local tourist office and they faxed me a list of private homes that were willing to rent rooms out during the airshow. I luckily managed to find a house in Kempsford which is literally 15 minutes walk from Fairford. It was something like £30 a night for my single room. Even better, when I arrived they were doing a bbq and even threw in some beers. I then sauntered down to one of the local pubs and sat in the beer garden with assorted airshow attendees and aircrew/groundcrew who had come for RIAT. All in all a brilliant weekend!!TH</p>

[Cpt_Pugwash]

Memetic,
You may be sorted now, but as of a few minutes ago, the Travelodge at Devizes had rooms available at £60. It's not too far a drive via Chippenham and Cirencester.

[kevrockjockuk01]

If you book early enough you can get rooms in Gloucester (30 mins away) for £9 !
We`ve done it past two years and its a dodle plus you get to do Staverton too
Leave it too late and you`ll be stung !
Keep alert and book early and you save a packet !!

Long haired Kev S

[Flypiripiri]

Hi Guys

My partner and I are both aviators and live on the approach to Fairford (with the country roads it's a 6 mile drive - quicker to cyclle and you can borrow our bikes!)We have two spare bedrooms. One is a double with en suite and the other has two single beds and it's own bathroom across the corridor.

I am not flying that weekend so am home to cook breakfast and am facing redundancy options so am happy for some extra pocket money!

Get in touch if you need a bed for a night or two.

[MAN777]

Hi Flypiripiri

please check your private messages

Thanks

[mil2civ]

I live in Fairford town itself (3 miles from RIAT entrance) and have 2 rooms available for Friday through to Sunday. The first is my room, which I promise to vacate and is a double with en-suite, the second is a double with a shared bathroom which I can change to twin beds if required. Being ex-RAF (Victor, Vulcan display co-pilot, VC10), ex-BA franchise and ex-easyjet I'll also bore you to tears with my war stories over your breakfast! I'll even give you a lift up to within 5 minutes walk of the main entrance if you want (us residents get a nice pass that allows us to drive around in our town...) and might be persuadable to pick you up at the end. Offers invited.