Any recommended Jersey and Guernsey holiday accomodations? Any tips?

I've decided to keep close to the shores (of sorts!) and I'm looking for just over a week break to Jersey and Guernsey. Thinking ferry over to one, stay 4 days hop to the next one, and stay another 3 or 4 days there.

Few daft questions :D
It's not part of the UK, right? So is it part of the EU, as in I have an EHIC card, would it be covered there? Would I need to get travel insurance for any health problems?

Can anyone recommend accommodation there? I'm probably looking for St Helier on Jersey, as I'd be using buses to get around as much as possible, and some where close to the sea would be nice.

I am assuming that you can get between both islands via boat/ferry. Is that the case?

Looking around mid Sept to try and catch the Air Display they have on, and look at the lavender fields, and anything else static (castles, houses etc) that take my fancy after.
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Comments

  • lazer
    lazer Posts: 3,402 Forumite
    Jersey isn't part of the EU either.

    As far as i know they have a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, which means that you would be treated as a local citizen, Emergency care is therefore free - think GP appointments etc would need to be paid for.

    There is boat from Jersey to Guernesy daily, and flights also (I think)

    You can also get a boat to France for a day trip.

    St Helier is a lovely town, the beach is lovely, however the tide can mean its a bit unusable at times.

    I recommend a visit to Elizabeth Castle, with at high tide is an island, and at low tide can be reached on foot.

    There is a very good public bus service around Jersey - I think it is around £1.50 per journey, and in Guernesy its £1.

    You can do an island tour on the public bus service instead of taking the private tours. There would not be a commentary on this, however, arm yourself with the map of the bus route, and a visitor guide from the tourist office!

    Enjoy your visit - if you need any more info just ask, I visited Jersey around 6 times last year (Usually involving at least 2 flights as going from Ireland!)
    Weight loss challenge, lose 15lb in 6 weeks before Christmas.
  • Lifeforms
    Lifeforms Posts: 1,486 Forumite
    I've had a good look, and there does seem to be a lot to actually do over there, but the idea of a day trip to France sounds quite good too!

    Having explored the transport side of it, I have to rely on buses, which is what grabbed me most about both of the islands, they seem to have very good networks going. I think I've spotted that they change to a winter time table October, so hope that by going sept I can still gain benefit of the good services. Thinking because it is so touristy that I'd be able to get week, or 3/4 day passes as well to save a little bit.

    In general what is the weather like along that time of year?
  • lazer
    lazer Posts: 3,402 Forumite
    I was never there is September, but I was there is may & June, and it was a bit hit and miss with the weather. Its slightly warmer than here, and somedays were lovely.

    However, as its all coastal, it can get very windy and very chilly at times, even when the sun is shining - so make sure and bring a jacket.

    Not sure about the 3/4 day passes etc, but they probably do have them.

    where abouts are you plannign on staying? I would recommend the Havre des Pas region (Technically its St Saviour, buts its less than 10min walk into the town, and the beach is lovely and some of wee cafes etc)

    I tended to walk most places when i was there, very nice walks along the beach. Walked from St Helier to St Aubins one day, got the toursit train back up along the promenade, the next day walked out to Gorey, stopped for lunch, and a a bit of sunbathing, bit of swimming etc. It was about an 8 mile walk but i never really noticed the distance as it was a lovely sunny day and i just walked gently and relaxed on the beach. Again I got the bus back.

    My boyfriend was working in Jersey at the time, so i did all the touristy things during the day when he was at work, then spent the evenings having dinner, and relaxing with him, and going out for drives as he had the car over with him.

    Some of the hotels do very good deals, in conjunction with the ferry - check out condor ferries.
    Also be prepared, that prices for accommodation can be very high, I didn't find the cost of living too high but I wasn't paying accommodation, which is expensive. The food was generally okay priced, some reasonable places for breakfast and lunch especially the pub grub and cafes. There is a number of restaurants - some are very exspensive, but it is an island full of millionaires, so they have to be catered for, but there are much cheaper options too. Just be sure and check teh menu prices first!
    Weight loss challenge, lose 15lb in 6 weeks before Christmas.
  • Tarry
    Tarry Posts: 11,195 Forumite

    where abouts are you plannign on staying? I would recommend the Havre des Pas
    region (Technically its St Saviour, buts its less than 10min walk into the town,
    and the beach is lovely and some of wee cafes etc)

    I second that :) I stayed in Roseville street in that area last week in St Helier and it was lovely. Quick walk to the beach (I was staying near the outdoor swimming pooll) and about 10 minutes easy walk to the main town of St Helier and about 15 minutes or so from Liberation station where all the buses go from. I paid around £1.70 to get to Gorey and to St Aubins single from Liberation station.

    In regards to travel insurance I personally made sure I had some, better safe than sorry. I didn't day trip to Guernsey this time around as the ferry service condor where operating their winter timetable and where not sailing frequently to Guernsey, and Illes Manche where not sailing until 14 April, so didn't use them.

    The buses in Jersey are easy to ues, and they all go from a very up to date bus station in Liberation station opposide Espanade.

    I enjoyed walking around St Helier, it was a lovely town, and I did enjoy my visits to a couple of department stores there too. I was lucky as I have friends on the Island and one of them took me around the Island so I could take in Devils Hole, Plemont bay etc :)

    Jersey is beautiful so enjoyed my time over there :) and was sad on the day I had to fly back home again as my time went so quickly. In fact this time last week I was walkign around St Helier.
    The Very Right Honourable Lady Tarry of the Alphabetty thread
    -I just love finding bargains and saving money
    I love to travel as much as I can when I can
    Life has a way to test you, it's how you deal with this that matters
  • You definately need travel insurance. I know Guernsey has stopped their free health care for uk visitors (unless you can prove hardship). Not sure about Jersey but could be the same?

    Acommodation wise the ferry and acommodation deals are okay if you want to just go for 2 nights but for longer I would recommend getting a cheap £70 return flight with either aurigny as they do fee free flights from time to time (sign up to newsletter) and flybe are not bad either. Then hire a car when you get there for £10/£15 a day or take the bus. I recommend a car, you will get a lot more sight seeing in!

    For cheaper acommodation go on google and search for B&Bs Jersey or Guernsey or visit last minute, expedia, late rooms etc etc for a hotel. You may find doing it this way is cheaper than the package deals.

    I myself think Guernsey is a prettier island and if you are a foodie you will find there are more top restaurants in there than
    anywhere outside of London and if you go in October they have the tenner fest where lots of restuarants normally priced out of the average Joes budget can get 2 or 3 course lunch or dinner for a tenner!

    For the beer lovers Guernsey has more pubs per square mile than anywhere in the UK and holds the record for the closest pub to a church in the UK.

    Lastly for shoppers you have all the big uk brands like M&S etc.
    Of course all VAT free unlike Jersey.

    Of course Jersey is still very nice with plenty of shops, pubs, restuarants etc. Both islands are good for mountian bikers, hikers and water sports.
  • Tarry
    Tarry Posts: 11,195 Forumite
    I flew with BA and it cost £89, which I thought was reasonable, plus I had 23kg buggage, one piece of handbuggage and my handbag. If you look early enough, the price isn't too bad :)

    I hope to visit Guernsey one day, as I definetetly loved Jersey :)
    The Very Right Honourable Lady Tarry of the Alphabetty thread
    -I just love finding bargains and saving money
    I love to travel as much as I can when I can
    Life has a way to test you, it's how you deal with this that matters
  • Lifeforms
    Lifeforms Posts: 1,486 Forumite
    I don't really want to fly over, so I'll live with a ferry happily.

    There seems to be two, a short and a long time ferry, but it kind of recommends that you use the longer time ferry in case of rough seas. Well I wouldn't know if it's rough till the day I guess, difficult decision!

    It'll just be a singleton, so no doubt I'll get a slap about the face with a wet fish regarding singles prices :-( though regarding a ferry, keeping it foot passenger should keep it reasonably cheap too.

    I hadn't actually considered making it a Package Holiday. Was just going to sort it out myself, and didn't really occur to me that it would be offered in travel agents, so I popped into a couple today to pick up brochures, will go back tomorrow with a rough date and see what price I'm looking at. Accommodation will be the dearest I guess, but I can honestly live without 5 star all singing dancing, entertaining hotels. A simple B&B will do fine, as long as food is easily obtained along the way, which it certainly seems to be from what has been said.

    As I'm looking Sept, I'm thinking I might head over in time for the Air Show and keep that as my main reason, with a few days either side to explore both Jersey and Guernsey.

    As an aside. I kinda am seriously tempted to then travel by train if possible through france and back up through one of the ferry ports that way. Add a couple of extra days on, especially now after reading you can do day trips to france!
  • Tarry
    Tarry Posts: 11,195 Forumite
    edited 19 March 2012 at 8:54PM
    Ah, no worries, it's actually wierd for me to be recommeding flying for once instead of the other way around. When I sail places, for example, Ireland (I know not Jersey, but just saying as I use ferries than), I always book onto a slow ferry, because you can't guarantee the weather as the slower ferries have more chances of sailing than faster ones, especially been in September and us maybe getting second hand hurricanes (I hope not as taking a ferry that month elsewhere lol), but anyway.

    If you book into a B&B and into a single room, I don't beleive you pay extra, or at least I didn't last week. If you are interested in staying in Jersey, I can recommend a very good B&B that I stayed in last week. I paid £28 per night there, and the breakfast was quite good, and the area very nice :) It was a very nice B&B, had free internet, and was not far from the beach. The owner/propertiar was very nice and your room tided every day, which I found strange, but good. It also was very clean, and I felt safe and homely there. I stayed there as a single female too, and I didn't pay through the nose for it.

    I didn't do it as package holiday, like to do things my own way, booked my flight over there (for you your condor ferry) and than booked my accomadation. Travity blue coaches run around the Island, but they seem dated, so I used the local buses.

    If I go over again, I will fly over again, but hope to go more in season and pop on the ferry to pop over to Guersney and perhaps St Malo :)
    The Very Right Honourable Lady Tarry of the Alphabetty thread
    -I just love finding bargains and saving money
    I love to travel as much as I can when I can
    Life has a way to test you, it's how you deal with this that matters
  • Lifeforms
    Lifeforms Posts: 1,486 Forumite
    I'm thinking September and the trip might not be so smooth, so the long ferry would be best.
    I just remember a trip to France, when coming back we boarded the Ferry, went to bed expecting to wake up in England, cept we woke up still in France! too rough a journey to leave. I always felt sorry for my Brother then, as he had work to get back to, he went a day earlier on the Lorry transport, and had a terrible journey back. When we eventually got going, it was pretty calm :D

    I would definitely love a recommendation! That's pretty cheap, looking at some of the places in the mags I've got, they're a bit dear, and a bit excessive!
  • poet123
    poet123 Posts: 24,099 Forumite
    edited 19 March 2012 at 9:53PM
    If you would stay in Gorey I can recommend Maison Gorey, not fancy but very friendly and homely. All the island is well served by the bus route so anywhere is not too far from anywhere else and is accessible. It is right next door to Jersey Potteries.


    http://www.maisongorey.com/tariff.html
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