Accommodation and transfers
The GRR has partners who provide these services so please do note their contact details. The GRR office won’t be able to help you with these enquiries.
Camping
The Great River Race has partnered with the 14th Richmond Scout Boating Centre since 1994 to provide camping facilities for crews taking part in the race. The campsite is a few minutes’ walk from the finish of the race at Ham, Richmond with space for up to 350 tents and 25 Caravans, Campervans or Vans. Car parking is available on Riverside Drive next to the site. There are three shower blocks with toilets.
Breakfast is available on the Saturday and Sunday mornings with a hog roast and bar open on the Friday evening. There are catering facilities available at the race Finish on the Saturday evening.
The campsite opens on Friday at 16.30 and closes at 13.00 on the Sunday. Arrangements can be made for you to arrive to set up on the Thursday but there will be young children around on the Friday and so you will have to vacate the site between 9 and 16.30 because all adults there must be CRB checked at that time.
You can find the Thames Young Mariners campsite just off Riverside Drive, Richmond TW9 1NN.
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Hotel accommodation
Our partner for arranging local hotel accommodation is Crusader Travel, 58 Church Street, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 3NR.
Email them: bruce@crusadertravel.co.uk or call +44 208 744 0474 quoting code GRR.
Accommodation at the GRR rate is available for the Friday and Saturday night of the race weekend. There are four hotels on offer:
The Lensbury, Teddington
This luxurious hotel is on the river with beautiful grounds and a well-equipped gym. All prices quoted are per night for the room and include breakfast, car parking, wifi and use of leisure facilities.
| Single room | £149 |
| Double / twin | £191.50 |
| Executive double | £221.50 |
Deluxe Twins with 2 queen beds and 4 people sharing the room £281.50. Some rooms can accommodate a sofa bed for under 16s for an additional £30 per night.
Travelodge, Teddington
A simpler hotel offering good value. The prices quoted are for room only. There is a café bar but unlikely that breakfast would be available before the race start on the Saturday. There are several cafes and restaurants in the nearby Teddington High Street. The Travelodge has very limited parking which can’t be booked in advance. You will have to leave your car in nearby car parks if you can’t get into the hotel spaces. This costs £5 per 24 hours.
| Friday room rates | |
| Standard room | £110 |
| Family room | £140 |
| Saturday room rates | |
| Standard room | £135 |
| Family room | £170 |
Richmond Shandon Hotel
Just a few hundred metres from Richmond Station and the town centre, the Shandon House Hotel offers free parking and clean, modern and stylish rooms at great-value prices. The Shandon House Hotel has a good, central location, close to all of Richmond’s bars, restaurants and leisure facilities.
Rooms available from £139 a night.
The Richmond Hill Hotel
The Georgian hotel, the luxury Richmond Hill, dates from 1726 and overlooks the Thames and the 2,500-acre Richmond Park.
There is an award-winning restaurant and outdoor terrace as well as a 24-hour gym. Parking is available and dogs are welcome at £35.
| Friday room rates | |
| Double room | £169 |
| Twin & King rooms | £204 |
| Saturday room rates | |
| Double room | £189 |
| Twin & King rooms | £224 |
Alexander Pope Hotel
An iconic family friendly hotel boasting 32 boutique bedrooms, set on the banks of the River Thames in Strawberry Hill and within walking distance of Twickenham/Teddington.
Ideally located next to Strawberry Hill Train Station, you be in Central London or Heathrow Airport within 30 minutes.
| Friday room rates | |
| Single or double | £159 |
| Superior room | £174 |
| Saturday room rates | |
| Single or double | £169 |
| Superior room | £184 |
Transfer bus to race start
There will be Transfer buses on the morning of the race picking up from:
- Thames Young Mariners Campsite
- Lensbury Hotel
- Travelodge, Teddington
- Alexander Pope Hotel, Twickenham
- Shandon Hotel, Richmond
- The Richmond Hill Hotel
The departure time will be posted at your accommodation on the Friday evening. Please be there in good time.
Tickets cost £19 each and must be booked in advance by emailing bruce@crusadertravel.co.uk quoting ‘GRR Transfer’.
Supporters boat
Travel the GRR course in the Cockney Sparrow, a traditional river Thames passenger boat built in 1976. The vessel has been regularly updated to meet modern safety and comfort standards but retains its original style.
There is also a large open top deck, excellent for viewing, and the saloon has a fully licensed bar serving simple snacks. There are toilet facilities on board.
Please note that there is a 10 minute walk to the embarkation point at Masthouse Terrace Pier, near the Start of the race and because of Environment Agency work on local locks, this year passengers will disembark at Richmond Landing Stage, a 20 minute walk along the river to the race Finish.
Tickets must be booked in advance by emailing bruce@crusadertravel.co.uk quoting ‘GRR Supporters Boat’
Single Ticket for the 22 mile trip £42