Contract Staying Away: Hotel Tips

[Sysman]

Plus when the Landlady tells you they always prefer Locally sourced products - check that means something like "local farms and butchers" rather than "the local Tesco"....
I kid you not!! Tesco brand - Cereals, Jams, Yoghurts, Bread, Milk, Fatty Bacon and Tulip Sausage.

They also had the nerve to sell "Home Made Jam" for £4+ next to the breakfast table!!

That reminds me of a fellow contractor who swore by his B&B landlady's "Duck à L'Orange". Someone spotted her getting it from the local budget deep freeze place.

Then there was the landlady who only served breakfast from 7:30 onwards. Not at all good when you have an 8 o'clock start.

[AlfredJPruffock]

The Lights dimmed as the talk turned to Basingstoke ...

CUK readers may by aware that for several years I have had a fasincation with Basingstoke - but not having actually visited this modern Shangrila - perhaps one of the Basingstoke contractors might like to post their Basingstake experinces ?

[doodab]

The Lights dimmed as the talk turned to Basingstoke ...

CUK readers may by aware that for several years I have had a fasincation with Basingstoke - but not having actually visited this modern Shangrila - perhaps one of the Basingstoke contractors might like to post their Basingstake experinces ?

It's Basingstoke NOT Boringstoke

It's not an awful place to work if you live in SW London because you'll be going against the flow of traffic.

[JobsAGoodUn]

When I stayed away close to Gatport Airwick a while back I went thru the Spare Rooms web site:

SPARE ROOM for flatshare, house share, flat share & rooms for rent

Came up with a room a short distance from where I worked, with a little old lady (no, I did not get any extras thrown in....) who was glad of the company. It was really nice coming back in the evening, we'd have a quick chat, but when my room door was closed it was completely private. Cost was £300 a month, which was way cheaper than any hotel.

[Saddo]

There is another option:

Commuters Go Camping To Avoid High Rents - Yahoo! News UK

I worked with a guy about 4 years ago where he did exactly that - he had a caravan in a local caravan park (this was outside of London), which he used Mon-Fri - and he would cycle into work, then he would go home to his beloved on the south coast for the weekend. He left the caravan permanently moored 7 days a week.

And he was a permie

[Ignis Fatuus]

There is another option:

Commuters Go Camping To Avoid High Rents - Yahoo! News UK

I worked with a guy about 4 years ago where he did exactly that - he had a caravan in a local caravan park (this was outside of London), which he used Mon-Fri - and he would cycle into work, then he would go home to his beloved on the south coast for the weekend. He left the caravan permanently moored 7 days a week.

And he was a permie

I do that, but in a motorhome. On one contract, the DBA did the same: not in a caravan park but in the office car park. We even had a barbie there one evening. Of course that was in Germany, you probably couldn't do it in the UK for some little Hitler (oh the irony) saying it wasn't allowed.

[Lea]

When I stayed away close to Gatport Airwick a while back I went thru the Spare Rooms web site:

SPARE ROOM for flatshare, house share, flat share & rooms for rent

.

Renting a room in a professional house share is a great way to get a bit more for your money and good facilities (toaster / washing machine / oven).
Lots offer short term lets, most prefer 6 months - and have no landlord living on site, so are very relaxed home from home. I would say that the average room price is £85 for a fairly decent double - and around £95+ for an ensuite. You can get a £60 per week single room (all of these have bills and facilities included). It must be a nightmare having to pack everything up to take it home at the end of the week - and so much easier to just walf away and lock the door. You can choose if you want Monday - Friday or to stay there all the time, depends on the landlords / property. There are about 3 good room sites if you have time to find your own, Easyroommate, spareroom, roombuddies. Just bear in mind most of them will want a deposit and advance rent - but is worth it in the long run.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Currently renting a small granny annexe from a bloke (his granny died a while ago).

Last two hotels I stayed in let me leave a bag there over the weekend so I was lugging less on the train.

I always carry a radiator key (this isn't art of the long-running joke) and have bled the rad several times in chilly hotels!

[cojak]

I'll be trying a couple of hotels around Earl's Court over the next few weeks to find out what they're like.

I'll nip into a few and see if they'll do me a deal for staying over 3 nights per week.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I'll be trying a couple of hotels around Earl's Court over the next few weeks to find out what they're like.

I'll nip into a few and see if they'll do me a deal for staying over 3 nights per week.

Ere Cojak - no blog entries for a while...