Southampton

As well as being a young and vibrant cultural hotspot, Southampton is also home to two reputable universities, University of Southampton and Solent University. Cruises wave bon voyage from our renowned docks; we nod our caps to our heritage with our SeaCity museum, which educates and informs all things Titanic.

Southampton is located next to the majestic New Forest.

Are you a forest or beach kinda person? Well The New Forest is a great compromise, you have the option for both and its only nine miles from our guesthouse. With ferry links to the Isle of White as well as an esteemed boat show, Southampton does have a little bit of something for everyone. Cruises set off from our famous docks, and we sure know how to have a party. Visit any of clubs and bars and you will feel the buzz of our local music industry.

Top Southampton Attractions

Southampton is located at the confluence of three rivers (the Itchen, Hamble, and Test) and as such has developed a deep and rich maritime history. Over the centuries the city has played host to King Henry V’s Royal Fleet, been the epicentre of the UK’s international wool and tin trade, earned royal patronage as a fashionable spa town and even had its very own treasonous plot to over throw the monarchy (The Southampton Plot). This rich cultural heritage has shaped and moulded the city and left a legacy that can still be explored today. Visitors can spend time walking the historic walls and buildings, visit a traditional merchants house, and learn about the city’s maritime history at the renowned Sea Museum. If you’re looking for hotels or accommodation in Southampton located within a 5-minute walk of all these historic sites and museums than our guesthouse is perfectly suited for you.

To help you make the most of your visit to Southampton and discover all that the City has to offer we have complied, some of the top local attractions. If you would like more information on any of the attractions below, please feel free to call us or talk to our well trained helpful staff upon your arrival.

Southampton Sea City museum

An incredibly informative and inspirational museum which examines the history of Southampton’s in two separate exhibitions. The first, ‘Gateway to the world’ explores Southampton’s role as an immigration hub through the lives of the settlers who called the city their home. The second and, according to our B&B guests, the better exhibition, focuses on the Titanic and its ill-fated maiden voyage from the docks of Southampton. What makes this museum so special though, in our opinion is the setting. The museum is set in the grade II listed civic centre in the former law courts of Southampton with several of the exhibits cleverly intertwined with their setting. Our favourite ‘The Inquiry’ details the 1912 public inquiry in to the sinking of the ‘unsinkable ship’ Titanic and is artfully juxtaposed with the main courts paraphernalia.

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Mayflower Theatre

Culture vultures with a particular appetite for theatre will be more than satisfied with Southampton’s offering. The city is home to the largest theatre on the south coast, Mayflower Theatre, as well as one of the UK’s few remaining producing theatres, Nuffield Southampton Theatres. Mayflower Theatre offers a jam-packed programme of touring musicals, dance, comedy, live music and plays - often direct from the West End. While Nuffield Southampton Theatres presents its own productions alongside visiting children’s theatre, plays, comedy, dance and circus.
Over the years, the theatre has played host to numerous national and international theatre productions and has even seen legendary rock bands, The Beatles and The Hollys sell out its amphitheatre.

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Tudor House and Garden

Tudor House is one of Southampton’s most important historic buildings. Built in the late 15th Century, it offers visitors a unique and atmospheric insight into the lives and times of the city and its residents through the years. Some of the best exhibits, are a medieval bronze cannon, a functioning penny farthing and a suitcase full of Victorian stuffed parrots! The Tudor house entrance ticket also includes access to the traditionally designed 16th century knot gardens that feature a fountain plot, a traditional 16th century herb and edible plant garden, a seat arbour, and a bee bole. Tudor house is situated a 5-minute walk from our city centre accommodation. For directions, please ask one of our helpful staff members.

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Gunwharf Quay

Over the years Portsmouth has grown from strength to strength, with the pinnacle of their success being the development of Gunwharf Quay. Gunwharf Quay is a shopping and leisure development that features all the UK’s best brands at rock bottom prices. Armani, Coach, Gap, and Hugo Boss all have a presence here as do Diesel, Guess, Jack Wills. If you get bored shopping for Bargains take a stroll over to the historic dockyard centre and visit the HMS Victory, Nelsons flagship in Britain’s greatest sea victory, the battle of Trafalgar. Gunwharf Quay is situated a 35-minute drive from Southampton, however you can catch a train from Southampton central train station that will drop you off right in the centre. Please ask the staff of our Bed and breakfast for train times and directions.

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Southampton City Art Gallery

Housing over five thousand pieces of work from the Renaissance period to the modern day, Southampton City Art Gallery is an enjoyable and cultural day out for everyone. The primary focus is British 20th century artist with key works of Turner, Monet and Camden Town Group on displayed. The Gallery is housed in the stunning, grade 2 listed Civic Centre building, and is located next to the Sea City Museum. The Mayview B&B is the closet guesthouse to this Gallery, for directions please ask one of our members of staff.

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Best Local Restaurants

Where to eat in Southampton? Meat eaters, vegans, gluten free, gluten full – you're all welcome and catered for!

From hearty breakfasts and quick bites to lazy lunches, afternoon teas, fine dining and bountiful buffets – there’s all you can eat in Southampton. The city has the best tea rooms, cafes and restaurants to suit all your foodie needs. If it’s a good drink you are looking for Southampton has award-winning cocktail bars, clubs, pubs, wine bars and even speak easy bars.

Big and loud or small and intimate - the choice is yours.

Lakaz Maman

Opened in 2016 by MasterChef winner Shelina Permallo, Lakazmaman is an incredible Mauritian restaurant come cafe. The menu skilfully blends zesty citrus flavours with African traditional curries in a way that has been described as ‘sunshine on a plate?. Among our favourite dishes are the ‘Mauritian octopus and pineapple’ the house Cari’s (curry), and the sticky corn pops with tamarind and chilli. For the price and flavour this restaurant is our top pick in Southampton, and it’s also only a 4-minute walk from our Guesthouse. If you are only going to visit one restaurant in Southampton this is the one!

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Max's

Offering up scrumptious Italian and Mediterranean dishes, Max’s over on Oxford Street is known for its seafood. It is easy to see how passionate they are about food (the chef’s hail from Napoli) and the chicken cacciatore is exquisite. Loved by the locals, Max’s is a firm staple for good quality food and has one of the best wine lists in the city!

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Cafe Thrive

Cafe Thrive serve up an affordable vegan menu - just try and resist the cake display! There are plenty of healthy options to choose from (gluten/soya free options, too) but their most nutritious has to be the ‘big Thrive bowl’. Packed full to the brim with roasted vegetables, balsamic mushrooms (the unexpected gem of the whole dish), hummus, avocado, basil and lemon quinoa with falafel, topped with a sprinkling of sprouts and seeds. If you’re not into salads, there’s also a veggie-fuelled sandwich menu to choose from

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La Regatta

A beautiful Spanish tapas restaurant in the heart of Southampton’s waterfront. Now in its 22^nd year, there are over 65 tapas to choose from plus a good selection of main courses on the specials board. La Regatta has a very authentic vibe and beautiful décor to suit. Drinks menu is extensive enough to please different tastes, but the sangria’s are delightful – as close to Spain as you can get without leaving town!

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Coriander Lounge

By far the best Indian restaurant in Southampton, Coriander offers both traditional and stylised Indian food, with deep rich flavours. The head chef Saifuddn has won numerous awards and accolades for his menu, and the service here is excellent. Our favourite dishes here are the Masala Sea Bass, the Jhinga Salan (prawns cooked in a capsicum and garlic sauce) and the Chicken Jalfrezi. If this restaurant is your top pick please let us know and our B&B staff will be happy to book you a table. You do need a reservation!

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Local Area Guide

Southampton is a varied and diverse city, it can be loosely divided into 5 key areas, each one has a different environment, feel and vibe. You can party the night away in Bedford place, visit the cultural epicentre at Guildhall Square, go for a romantic meal in Oxford Street, or wander amongst the boats in the luxurious Ocean village. All of it within easy reach of our city centre bed and breakfast.

Bedford Place

Situated a few minutes’ walk from The Mayview Guesthouse, this area is a cool and trendy collection of bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants, popular with students and contract workers. It is also the nightlife hub for the Southampton’s young and hip generation. Here you will find top local and national artists, such as ‘Chase and Status’, Annie Mac, and even Idris Elba DJ’ing across three key venues – The Orange Rooms, Junk, and Switch. In addition to the clubs you will also find a host of pre-club bars, showcasing local talent, and several cafés and restaurants at the budget end of the spectrum.

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Cultural Quater

Just a few steps away from Westquay Shopping Centre, you’ll find the remains of one of the most important parts on Southampton’s fortification walls, The Watergate Ruin, which provided secure access from the commercial part of the city’s Old Town to Town Quay.
Southampton has long been a treasure trove for culture vultures. The newest jewel in its crown, and one of the city’s biggest developments in recent years, is its Cultural Quarter.
At the world-class contemporary art gallery John Hansard Gallery, visitors can discover a spectacular array of exhibitions from leading visual artists from around the world, and enjoy talks, workshops and masterclasses, led by experts in the art industry.
Just a few steps away from John Hansard Gallery sit three more galleries for visitors to explore: Solent Showcase Gallery, Southampton City Art Gallery and The Art House. Each one is free to enter, and again offers special events and activities alongside their scheduled exhibitions.
Solent Showcase Gallery strives to encourage engagement, discussion and participation across the local community through art. It regularly showcases exhibitions from both national and international emerging artists that portray a range of different themes and media.

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Oxford Street

Trendy and upmarket Oxford Street is where you will find Southampton’s wealthy and elite dinning out and sipping prosecco until the early hours of the morning. There are several excellent independent restaurants’ in this area offering cosmopolitan British, French and Italian food, alongside a few of the usual chain restaurants. There is also a late-night bar/Disco ‘Dock Gate 4? that is the go to place for the older generation who want to carry on partying late into the night. The best time to visit this area is on a Friday or Saturday night or for alfresco dinning on a sunny day. Whilst just about walkable from our The Mayview B&B it is far easier to catch a taxi, please ask a member of our team and they will order you one.

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West Quay Shopping and Dinning in Southampton

West Quay Shopping & Dinning

Westquay Shopping centre features 800,000 square foot of retail space, and over 150 shops. It is one of the largest in-city shopping centres in the UK, with all the major brands featured here, including John Lewis, Hugo Boss, Cath Kidson, Apple and a host of others. In 2017 Westquay South opened its doors, a new food led extension of the shopping centre. This is a mecca to high street food chains and features the London based Red Dog Saloon (Try the wings challenge!), The Real Greek, Five Guys (Great Burgers) and firm favourites Nando’s and TGI Fridays. The centre also hosts various exhibitions and events in the space in front of Westquay South next to the old town walls. Previous events have included water fountains for kids to play in, a huge large screen TV showing Wimbledon tennis tournament, with strawberries and cream on offer and an Ice Skating ring. As our bed and breakfast is situated in the centre of Southampton the shopping centre is an easy walk. Please ask staff for directions.

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Ocean Village

Situated around the harbour of Southampton, Ocean Village is an exclusive development of Bars, Restaurants and apartments aimed towards the upper end of the Southampton Market. The main draw of this area is the views of the waterfront and the alfresco dinning opportunities offered by ‘Banana Wharf’ ‘Blue Jasmin’ and ‘Bocaro’. It’s also a great area to take a walk around and view the yachts boats moored here and see Southampton’s architecturally stunning 5-star hotel – The Harbour house hotel (it’s shaped like a cruise Liner). If your planning a special occasion, then try the bar and restaurant on the top floor of the hotel which offers spectacular views of the waterfront, excellent food and some traditional cocktails. Ocean Village is approximately a 25-minute walk from our central Bed and Breakfast, if you need a taxi please ask our staff.

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Ocean Village around the harbour of Southampton

Southampton

Southampton is located next to the majestic New Forest.

Top Southampton Attractions

Southampton Sea City museum

Mayflower Theatre

Tudor House and Garden

Gunwharf Quay

Southampton City Art Gallery

Best Local Restaurants

Lakaz Maman

Max's

Cafe Thrive

La Regatta

Coriander Lounge

Local Area Guide

Bedford Place

Cultural Quater

Oxford Street

West Quay Shopping & Dinning

Ocean Village

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