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Does anyone know of somewhere [not too expensive] to stay at Newmarket? I’ve got to book my day out there but want don’t want to doso only to find there’s no available accomodation. The 2 hotels I’ve tried so far have just diverted me to call centres where they don’t sem to speak English
Even a recommended B&B would be fine [we don’t do ‘posh’].hi Moe…. long time, no see…
I can recommend this one…. we used to stay there but not been for a few years but looks much the same… Mr and Mrs Merry are very nice, racing people…. nice en suite room and good breakfast.. not far from the course… about £40 p.p per night… see what you think…. they only have 2 rooms and I used to have to book a bit in advance…. they didn’t always have vacancies…
click on ‘Birdcage Walk’ and you will see the property…
http://www.newmarket.co.uk/Places_to_Stay/Bed___Breakfast_and_Guesthouses/
Thanks! We’ve decided not to do Guineas weekend, but go to a quieter meeting, find our way around and then plan for next year. It was a lovely gift from work, but the logistics of the whole thing are getting quite difficult
. I’ll phone them up tomorrow and see when they’ve got vacancies. Doing Cambridge and Ely as well, I hope.
What a wonderful present Moe, if you wanted a quieter meeting why not come along to the day all the grey horses race against each other, I think it’s on 14th August, but best to check.
The hotels shouldn’t be charging premium rate for that meeting like they do for the Guineas but it’s usually a great day out and on the July Course too which is always a bonus.Would recommend The Rutland Arms in the centre of Newmarket Town. I haven’t stayed at this Hotel but have been for a meal there after racing and it’s extremely comfortable and pleasant staff. No airs and graces and a stones throw from the Newmarket Horseracing Museum and Warren Hill Gallops. From the Museum you can arrange a tour around the National Stud etc.
http://the-rutland-arms.hotel-rv.com/
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...It was the Rutland Arms that I liked the look of but ended up with the call centre
Phoned Mrs Merry and she’s got all dates available except Guineas weekend so that looks like the place for me! Now to decide on the meeting. Advised to avoid evening ones, but I’d sussed that anyway [now to sort a kennel out 
].You missed nothing at the Rutland (though it is where William Hill died, in the bath according to legend).
Personally always stay in Bury St Edmunds when up at Newmarket. The Abbey gardens are beautiful, plenty of nice pubs & restaurants, there’s the smell of hops drifting from the Greene King brewery and it’s just more pleasant all round. It’s about 10 minutes and £5 on the train from Newmarket. Worth a ponder if you haven’t already booked.The S.O. doesn’t like the road between Bury St Edmonds and Newmarket; he used to be a rep and there are certain roads he hates using. I assume the station in Newmarket is close to the course; worth considering if we do a day trip sometime. It’s all coming together quite nicely; thanks for all the info
I work in Newmarket and live 10 mins away so bounce any ideas off me.
You’ll be fine if you stay at B&B in Birdcage Walk – it’s a walk to the Rowley Mile but a 3 min drive to the July Course.
The good value hotel in Newmarket is the Premier Inn – next to the Clock Tower so excellent location and new and clean (if basic).
The Bedford Lodge is the best hotel in town although the brand new (opened at Christmas) Paddocks Hotel in Six Mile Bottom is very smart and London boutique hotel style.
The Heath Court is very well placed for the gallops and is a nice modern(ish), unpretentious hotel. The Rutland has probably seen better days but does have heritage.
In the morning you’re best bet is to drive up the High Street, turn right towards Cheveley and then immediately left up Moulton Road. This will take you between the Long Hill (on your left) and Warren Hill (on your right gallops). Park at the top on the left and get out and watch the horses working from dawn until after 10am.
You’ll have time to go to the Racing Museum and this is very worthwhile – much bigger than it looks from the outside. It is in the High Street – next to the statue of Hyperion which is outside the Jockey Club Rooms.
Pop into Tindalls Bookshop for your Racing Post and walk to the back to see their fantastic range of racing books.
As regards racing you can’t really go wrong. The Friday nights are fun – they will be announcing the bands soon – but hotels are pricey those nights. The Saturdays after a Friday night meeting are often very quiet but often have a nice race or two on the card.
The Rowley Mile has a very different – more professional – atmosphere than the July Course which is more of a party course. You can drive round and have a look at both of course.
I’m sure you’ll have questions nearer the time so fire away.
PS We love Bury St Edmunds – our shopping town and where our daughter goes to school. I have to do the A14 school run between Bury and Newmarket every day and it does get busy!
By the way if you come in Spring time then I really recommend doing the bus tour of the National Stud (next to the July Course) where you can see the Stallions, mares and foals. A nice and informative outing.
It did cross my mind that I needed to go to the National Stud as early in the year as possible [we went to the Irish National Stud a few years ago and saw a foal that had just been born]but I can’t leave the dog in kennels if the weather might be a bit cool [did really want to go to the Craven Meeting but that’s too early; next year perhaps]. Can’t believe I’ve never been to Newmarket before. Problem is I’ve realised I can’t go in my wax and thermals
and it says ‘no trainers’; my mutant feet wear nothing else, my posh shoes being Doc Martens]Moe..come to the Craven Meeting this year it’s the one I’ve been looking forward to since the last race on the Rowley Mile at the beginning of November 2013.
I’ve been lucky enough to be a Member there for the last 3 years and can assure you that you can wear your Wax and thermals, every sensible persons wraps up for the Craven, and although you won’t be able to wear your trainers in the Members enclosure a decent pair of wellies are allowed, so jump in. You are going to see some decent future champions for the coming season and even pick out a Classic winner amongst the runners, it’s my favourite meeting of the year apart from the Guineas. The viewing around the paddock is fantastic and then a quick nip round to the racecourse after jockeys have mounted to watch them go down before heading off to the bookie and back to watch the race.
Don’t forget to visit the newly opened Frankel Bar (overlooking the Paddock) where you can see some fantastic pictures of ‘Himself’ and Sir Henry, and all his wins celebrated and detailed around the walls, there is also now a permanent Gift Shop which is part of the Newmarket Horseracing Museum where you can purchase racing books, mugs, pens and all sorts of horse racing memorabilia, beware if you enter you won’t come out empty handed.
Have a great day, whenever you go, and let us know how you got on. Jac
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Moe, if you can bear lifting your mutant feet out of bed at cockcrow then I’d really recommend watching morning work on the gallops
If I recall correctly it was the Bury Side gallops we were taken to circa 6.30 am and it was a terrific experience. This was about twelve years ago and among all the well known faces, both human and equine, it was particularly pleasing to see old Lester riding work for Willie Haggas
Can’t remember directions from Newmarket town though I’m sure Adrian and Triptych can fill you in
For the record, on my two visits to Newmarket we stayed at a hotel in the nearby village of Mildenhall though I can’t remember the name
The Rowley Mile and July Course are chalk and cheese really; the former (pre new grandstand) a rather dour and forbidding place I thought whilst the latter a summer place
par excellence
.Though I’ve only been to each once
A photo by the bronze statue of Hyperion on the High Street is a nice memento
Work gave me the whole package which includes a trip to the gallops and a stable visit,and someone else gave me the same minus the afternoons racing as well [same thing happened last year as well with a different present]so we’ll be doing that over two consecutive days. Also hoping that the guy we met at our racing club last spring who promised to show us ‘parts of Newmarket that others don’t get to see’
is there at the next meeting. Could be a weekend to remember! It’s always amazing going somewhere new for the first time; although you can get more done when you return again because you know where everything is it’s never the same as that first excitement of being somewhere new.It was the Rutland Arms that I liked the look of but ended up with the call centre
Phoned Mrs Merry and she’s got all dates available except Guineas weekend so that looks like the place for me! Now to decide on the meeting. Advised to avoid evening ones, but I’d sussed that anyway [now to sort a kennel out ]...oh that’s good… I do hope you like it…be prepared for a hearty breakfast…
…for informal lunch or afternoon tea.. we used to go into Waitrose’s caff in the town centre….not expensive and easy going… might see a trainer or two wandering around shopping… well, they would wouldn’t they..?
best of luck….
I also recommend The Pantry if you want lunch/dinner in town. It is a really nice restaurant right in the middle of the shopping centre and it is THE place where racing people go. It’s owned by Anne-Marie (Lady Cecil’s daughter) and does everything from proper meals to coffee and cakes.
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