APAT Season 9 - Travel Tips [Master Thread]

[Paulie_D]

The APAT English Amateur Poker Championship will be played at the the G Casino Coventry over 30th & 31st May 2015.

Cardroom Address:
Grosvenor G Casino, Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry, CV6 6GE

Google Map link

Can players please consider using the APAT LateRooms link above as they are an APAT commercial partner and extremely competitive.

Prices: All prices are approximate based on searches for 3 nights (Fri/Sat/Sun nights) via Laterooms or, where the hotel is not available via LR, the hotel"s own site.



Onsite & Nearby Hotels

Ricoh Arena Hotel

Hotel Address :
Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry, CV6 6GE

Distance from Casino: N/A On-Site

Rates: c.£60 (Pre-pay) inc Free WIFI [Limited Availabilty - Some Nights Sold Out]
Breakfast: c£10.00
Parking: Free (Phoned hotel, they validate all parking tickets for guests)

***

Novotel Coventry M6/J3

Hotel Address :
Wilsons Lane
Longford
Coventry CV6 6HL.

Distance from Casino: Approx 1 mile

Rates: £53 p.n. (via Novotel - No availability via Laterooms) [Also Limited Availability on Saturday]

Breakfast: £7.95 - Buffet
Wi-Fi: Chargeable
Parking: Free(?) - Onsite

Other Hotels

Holiday Inn Coventry M6/J2
Hinckley Road,
Coventry CV2 2HP

Distance: Approx: 5 miles
Rates: c.£58
Breakfast: c.£13.50
Parking: Free

***

Hilton Coventry M6/J2
Paradise Way
Walsgrave Triangle
Coventry CV2 2ST

Distance: Approx: 5 miles
Rates: c.£60
Breakfast: c.£18 (based on 1 or 2 sharing)
Parking: Free (assumed)

***

Premier Inn Coventry M6/J2
Gielgud Way, Cross Point Business Park,Coventry CV2 2SZ

Distance: Approx: 5 miles
Rates: c.£42 (Premier Saver)
Breakfast: Chargeable but not recommended (Taybarns)
Parking: Free

***

These are the hotels closest to the venue. Coventry has a wide range of hotels in the city centre and cheaper options can be found. However, you should factor in the travelling distance and possible taxi costs when making your comparisons.


Please note that I am not personally recommending or endorsing any of these. As always, if in any doubt, do your own research and check review sites such as TripAdvisor or read the reviews on your chosen booking site.

Paulie

[Paulie_D]

Owing to conferences, the De Vere (Ricoh) hotel is sold out on Saturday as is the Novotel.

For myself, I"ve booked the Premier Inn M6/J2 for 3 nights, £126 all in. Ger too.

As an alternative, the Premier Inn Nuneaton/Coventry is about the same distance from the Ricoh (4.5m / 10mins) and is only £39 a night for each of Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

[Paulie_D]

[Paulie_D]

The APAT Belgian Amateur Poker Championship will be played at the Casino De Namur, Namur, Belgium over 25th - 27th September 2015. [Yes, 3 days]

The host casino is expecting a large local contingent and thus there will be two entry flights, Day 1a (Friday) and Day 1b (Saturday).

Cardroom Address:
Avenue Baron de Moreau 1
5000 Namur, Belgium

Google Map link

Prices: All prices are approximate based on searches (Fri/Sat/Sun nights) via Laterooms or, where the hotel is not available via LR, an alternative consolidator site (probably booking.com) or the hotel"s own site.


Accepting that this event will be of interest only to a minority of APAT players I will limit my "advice" to just a few options. Unfortunately, at the time of writing the options provide by Laterooms (an APAT commercial partner) are somewhat limited so I may have to colour outside the lines a little.

However, can players please consider using the APAT LateRooms link above as they are usually extremely competitive.

Onsite & Nearby Hotels

Hotel Beauregard - Onsite / Linked Hotel

Hotel Address :
Avenue Baron de Moreau 1, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: Onsite

Rates: Flexible (via Booking.com)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£45 per nght

Note: The APAT Belgium Team have secured a special deal. Details can be found HERE

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free
Parking: N/A (I assume)

***

The Royal Snail Hotel

Hotel Address :
Avenue de la Plante 23, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: 230m/ 0.1m (3 minute walk)

Rates: Advance (via Booking.com)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£70 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free

***

Ibis Namur Centre

Hotel Address :
Rue du Premier Lanciers 10, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: 1.5km/ 0.8m (3 minute drive / 20 minute walk)

Rates: Advance (via Booking.com)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£50 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free

***

Grand Hotel de Flandre

Hotel Address :
Place de la Station 14, 5000 Namur (opposite Station)

Distance from Casino: 2.8km/ 1.5m (6 minute drive / 30 minute walk)

Rates: Advance (via Booking.com)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£63 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free

***

Other Hotels

Best Western New Hotel De Lives

Hotel Address :
Chaussee De Liege 1178, Namur, 5101

Distance from Casino: 8.7km / 5.4m (10 minute drive)

Rates: Advance (via Booking.com)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£51 per nght

Breakfast: Included (probably Contintental)
Wi-Fi: Not AFAICT



Some additional options added by our APAT Belgium colleagues from last year but not available at time of writing. Linked for reference and in case rooms open up in the interim.

Peniche Ange Gabriel

Hotel Address :
Quai des Chasseurs Ardennais 3, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: 3 minute walk

Rates: (currently Sold Out)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£45 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free


Les Tanneurs

Hotel Address :
Rue des Tanneries 13, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: 13 minute walk

Rates: (currently Sold Out)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£45-90 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free


Peniche d'Hotes MS Elisabeth

Hotel Address :
Avenue Baron Luis Huart 1, 5000 Namur

Distance from Casino: 3 minute walk

Rates: (currently Sold Out)
Friday - Monday (3 nights)
c.£45 per nght

Breakfast: Yes - Extra
Wi-Fi: Yes - Free

***

Please note that I am not personally recommending or endorsing any of these. As always, if in any doubt, do your own research and check review sites such as TripAdvisor or read the reviews on your chosen booking site.

Paulie

[Paulie_D]

Getting There - By Train

Assuming that one does not wish to drive (which is an option if you are planning on making an extended trip out of it) then your options are Fly or Train.

Trains

The Eurostar service from London (or Ebbsfleet or Ashford if in Essex/Kent/SE England) takes just over two hours to get to Brussels Midi and you can include the onward train to Namur for very little extra.

Seat61.com

London to Any Belgian Station including Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Liege starts at £45 one-way or £79 return in 2nd class:

Eurostar tickets to Brussels used to be automatically valid to any station in Belgium, but this arrangement ceased in October 2010. You must now buy a ticket to "Any Belgian Station", which is listed as a separate destination, costing £6 more one-way or £10 more return than a standard class ticket to Brussels.  In first class, it"s £9 one-way, £17 return more than the price of a Standard Premier or Business Premier ticket to Brussels.  With a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station you can hop on any onward train from Brussels to anywhere in Belgium within 24 hours of your Eurostar arrival in Brussels.  On the return leg, you can use any suitable train from your Belgian starting point to Brussels within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure back to London.  No reservation is necessary for Belgian domestic trains, you just hop on any train you want.  It"s not valid on high-speed Thalys or German high-speed ICE trains (not to be confused with Belgian or Dutch IC trains, which certainly can be used).

The travel time from Brussels-Midi to Namur is approximately 1 hour.

Travelling to Namur?

If you buy a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station, it"s valid by Eurostar to Brussels and then by any suitable connecting train service from Brussels to anywhere in Belgium as long as you complete the journey within 24 hours of the Eurostar arriving in Brussels. You can"t use high-speed Thalys or ICE trains, but Belgian InterCity (IC) trains are fine.

In the inbound direction, you can travel from anywhere in Belgium to Brussels on any suitable train except Thalys or ICE high-speed trains within the 24 hours before your Eurostar departure from Brussels to London.  Again, InterCity (IC) trains are fine.  Trains generally run hourly or half-hourly between Brussels and all main Belgian cities, no reservation is necessary, you just hop on and find any empty seat.

A ticket to Any Belgian Station costs £6 more one-way or £10 more return than a Eurostar ticket to Brussels, in other words, from £79 return in standard class, which is extremely good value.  In first class, it costs £9 one-way or £17 return more than the price of a Standard Premier or Business Premier ticket to Brussels.

Beware of out-of-date advice.  Until 11 October 2010, a Eurostar ticket to Brussels was automatically valid to any station in Belgium.  This was a fantastic deal for passengers, but less fantastic for Belgian national railways (SNCB) as they received no revenue from this arrangement.  The arrangement ceased on 11 October 2010, and there are now two separate destinations shown on the Eurostar website, "Brussels" if you just want Brussels itself and "Any Belgian Station" if you want to travel beyond Brussels, the latter priced higher than Brussels.  Incidentally, a ticket to "Brussels" still allows a free train transfer from Brussels Midi to Brussels Central, Brussels Nord, and several other central Brussels stations, but no longer to anywhere in Belgium.

You can use the online timetable at www.bahn.de or www.b-rail.be to check train times.  Allow at least 20 minutes in Brussels to make a connection on the outward journey, and 45 minutes (preferably more) on the return to allow for the 30-minute Eurostar check-in.

Buy a through ticket to Brussels from over 130 UK towns & cities...

Eurostar offer through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Brussels or Any Belgian Station - use the booking form on Seat61.com to see which UK stations have through tickets to Brussels or any Belgian station by Eurostar & to book online.

... or buy separate UK & Eurostar tickets...
Alternatively, you can buy separate tickets for the UK part of your journey.  There are special tickets to "London International" from most UK stations which have better terms and conditions specially designed for connecting with Eurostar:  Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras).

Seat61.com has a wealth of detail on routes and other options (car/ferry etc) so it"s well worth a read and bookmarking for that matter.



The Belgian Rail site is excellent and even includes platform numbers etc.



Loco2.com

Very useful site for booking from your local station to Namur (or anywhere) including Eurostar.

Shows you the steps of your journey too when you click the little arrow. [Example from 2014]

[Paulie_D]

Getting There - By Air

The other option is, of course, to fly. Brussels is a business hub and is well served both by train and by air.

I"ll leave it to the individual player to decide on their best option.

Please note, however, that flying will only get you to Brussels...you would still need to make your way to Namur, presumably by train. So you might wish to refer to Seat61.com again [Linky]

Flight Searching

My preferred site for flight searches is Skyscanner.net . You cannot book through Skyscanner but it will link you to the appropriate airline site.



Flying to Charleroi (Brussels South)
(additional content from DodgyEnd)

As already mentioned, Charleroi is closer to Namur. So this might be a good option depending on where you are.

There are direct Ryanair flights to Charleroi from:
Dublin (£52)
Edinburgh (£72)
Manchester (£40)

[jayteejack]

Eurostar has a special at the moment. London Belgium any station £35 each way.
Just booked return for november to Spa £70