Talk to me about Gatwick Airport

[moomoocow]

Hello fellow MSCites

 

I've flown out of Heathrow four times - used train, connecting flights and car as transport to get there and back from Lancashire with no issues.

 

But I've never had the pleasure of Gatwick and now we are flying from/to there twice in the next six months. Because there are no connecting flights from Manchester to Gatwick (cheers BA for pulling that route!) we will be motoring down the night before and sojourning in a hotel. Then departing from North terminal for flights to Genoa (June) and Barcelona (October) with BA. And I have questions :p

 

1) Anyone recommend a decent hotel? Not necessarily close to terminal if its great and has good transfers. A hotel with parking would be ideal. A bargain would be appreciated but not if I'm sharing my bed with cockroaches or a stiff breeze :eek:

 

2) Is there breakfast (hot) served on the BA flights? BA2688 to Genoa dep. 10.35 and BA2706 to Barcelona dep. 07.40. Information is conflicting on different sites and I'm confused. I need to know if I have to get husband a full English prior to boarding or if toast will do.

 

3) Are the Gatwick North lounges any cop? We enjoy a pre flight executive lounge and need to see if its worth it.

 

Appreciate there might be all sorts of reviews and info on Google but it's patchy and subjective and I'd prefer advice from my fellow cruisers. ;)

 

Many thanks in advance!

[AmoMondo]

I can only answer one of your questions - no breakfast on the BA Genoa flight.

[Skier52]

Done the Genoa flight 4 times and Barcelona once

 

 

We always use the Manor Royal Premier Inn.(we paid £53 for the room)

 

it has a decent restaurant for evening meals, breakfast available from 07:00, and good shuttle bus service.

 

As for parking I use the Gatwick valet parking,(~£72 for the week) not cheap but saves hours on the return journey waiting for shuttle buses . It once took 3 hours to get to the hotel where the car was parked. NEVER AGAIN

 

Food on the earlier of the two flights is just a small breakfast box:- eg muffin , yoghurt and a biscuit to go with your tea/coffee.

[bjs1234]

Well we always stay at either the Hilton which is at the South terminal or the Sofatel at the North both have direct access to their their terminals. For a flight leaving at 1030 we would not normally bother with a lounge as by the time we have had breakfast at the hotel and checked in the bags it's time to go. Sometimes we even drop the bags off the night before.

[Skier52]

If you have booked flights as part of an MSC fly cruise you won't be able to do an on line check in, as you'll be part of a group booking, and so won't be able to drop off your bags the nlght before..

 

Again if you are on MSC flights check in early if you want to sit together as they book a block of seats , usually at the rear of the aircraft for MSC cruise passengers.

 

Pete

[reilly1]

Also would recommend any of the Premier Inns at Gatwick, as there are now 3! They are clean, comfortable and do a meal deal of a 3 course evening meal plus a full cooked breakfast for £22.99 pp. We availed of this offer in April on the night before our Red Sea cruise, and also on the way back.

[Skipper Tim]

1) Anyone recommend a decent hotel? Not necessarily close to terminal if its great and has good transfers. A hotel with parking would be ideal. A bargain would be appreciated but not if I'm sharing my bed with cockroaches or a stiff breeze :eek:

 

I can recommend Travelodge Gatwick Airport. It cheap, perfectly OK and offers a good breakfast (book in advance to save a few pounds). It is almost walkable from the terminal but there is an a regular minibus service to the terminal.

 

3) Are the Gatwick North lounges any cop? We enjoy a pre flight executive lounge and need to see if its worth it.

 

Appreciate there might be all sorts of reviews and info on Google but it's patchy and subjective and I'd prefer advice from my fellow cruisers. ;)

 

Many thanks in advance!

I got my money's worth from the BA lounge at Gatwick on my way back from Venice. It is a similar offering to Heathrow but on a smaller scale. Again, no complaints.

 

Hope this helps.

[tactic]

We did the same flight for our lirica cruise at the beginning of the month. We stayed at the hilton and used valet parking at the south terminal. Only a short walk and a jump on the monorail to north terminal. As previously said cheese croissant yoghurt and drinks served for brekkie on flight. With ba if you are there the night before you can checkin luggage until 10pm the night before at the north terminal. We parked in short stay for the 10 minutes it took us to drop our luggage off.

 

We get free airport lounge access through airport angel and we used the lounge at the north terminal, no 1 it is just behind the boots shop at the far left of departures as you come through security. It was pleasant, lots of nice seating, runway views, ample drinks and you could have freshly cooked hot breakfast items to order , might be worth a google for more info. Not sure of cost as we used our card, free wifi etc....

 

 

Be careful if you use valet parking as our car was damaged on our return however they are repairing for us.

 

Having boarding passes on ba app on iPhone was really great no need to carry bits of paper....

 

Hope this helps

[moomoocow]

Thank you all so much for your advice!

 

The Premier Inn North looks like a plan along with the meal deal for the evening and breakfast as its a 10.30am flight so we will have time. Their sleep, park, fly looks a decent deal with valet parking included for £99

 

Pleased to hear we can bag drop the night before and have boarding passes on our phones. Both these conveniences are a godsend when negotiating an airport.

 

With the above on offer there will be no need for a lounge visit this trip but I'll spring for one in October as the flight is a lot earlier.

 

I'm starting to get excited now. I think I'll hit up Primani at the weekend to see what "holiday clothing essentials" are available. I already have 2 suitcases of holiday clothes to go at but one must be prepared.

 

Thanks again guys! :D

[wayneandwaynetta]

Hello fellow MSCites

 

I've flown out of Heathrow four times - used train, connecting flights and car as transport to get there and back from Lancashire with no issues.

 

But I've never had the pleasure of Gatwick and now we are flying from/to there twice in the next six months. Because there are no connecting flights from Manchester to Gatwick (cheers BA for pulling that route!) we will be motoring down the night before and sojourning in a hotel. Then departing from North terminal for flights to Genoa (June) and Barcelona (October) with BA. And I have questions :p

 

:)

 

 

1) Anyone recommend a decent hotel? Not necessarily close to terminal if its great and has good transfers. A hotel with parking would be ideal. A bargain would be appreciated but not if I'm sharing my bed with cockroaches or a stiff breeze :eek:

 

2) Is there breakfast (hot) served on the BA flights? BA2688 to Genoa dep. 10.35 and BA2706 to Barcelona dep. 07.40. Information is conflicting on different sites and I'm confused. I need to know if I have to get husband a full English prior to boarding or if toast will do.

 

3) Are the Gatwick North lounges any cop? We enjoy a pre flight executive lounge and need to see if its worth it.

 

Appreciate there might be all sorts of reviews and info on Google but it's patchy and subjective and I'd prefer advice from my fellow cruisers. ;)

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

 

Can recommend Gatwick Belmont House ( they have a good web page for on line booking) You can leave car there and they pick you up/drop you off, they have a nice bar and restaurant there and cosier than a big hotel or if you want a really cheap option we have recently stayed at the Travel lodge gatwick central - clean and comfortable and really close to airport with shuttle service, their restaurant wasnt brilliant though - but think we only paid £19 for the two of us, regards Delice:)

[Skier52]

Thank you all so much for your advice!

 

The Premier Inn North looks like a plan along with the meal deal for the evening and breakfast as its a 10.30am flight so we will have time. Their sleep, park, fly looks a decent deal with valet parking included for £99

 

Pleased to hear we can bag drop the night before and have boarding passes on our phones. Both these conveniences are a godsend when negotiating an airport.

 

With the above on offer there will be no need for a lounge visit this trip but I'll spring for one in October as the flight is a lot earlier.

 

I'm starting to get excited now. I think I'll hit up Primani at the weekend to see what "holiday clothing essentials" are available. I already have 2 suitcases of holiday clothes to go at but one must be prepared.

 

Thanks again guys! :D

Before you go to the PREMIER INN NORTH check out the others

 

I just did the comparison for a booking in Oct for my cruise and priced up GATWICK MANOR ROYAL.It's £30 cheaper

 

I put the same date into both potential bookings, both with the sleep park fly option

 

 

 

GATWICK MANOR ROYAL

 

 

 

 

 

PREMIER INN NORTH

 

 

 

 

Pete

[Skier52]

I've worked out the price difference

 

MANOR ROYAL has long stay as the parking option

 

GATWICK NORTH has valet parking

 

 

Pete

[moomoocow]

Thanks Skier!

 

Like you say valet parking and the fact we can walk to the terminal from the hotel (can drop off bags the night before) gives us more time to relax, less time in airport lounge hell and the comfort of getting in the car and going in minutes once we return.:)

 

I'd call that £30 well spent. Last time we parked offsite (at Manchester) we waited an hour for a shuttle bus. I'm grumpy enough when my holiday has ended without an enforced wait to get home thrown in. :rolleyes:

[726rosie]

Hi moomoocow

 

We have just returned from an MSC Lirica cruise from Genoa using the BA flights you will be on.

 

We drove down to Gatwick the evening before and stayed at the Menzies Chequers hotel - B&B plus car parking for 15 days for £92 booked through APH. Hotel very comfortable with loads of parking. We got a taxi to and from North terminal, less than 10 min drive and £6 each way.

 

On both flights we were served tea/coffee and a BLT wrap which was very tasty.

 

The drive home was fine apart from tailbacks on the M6 due to lane closures at Thelwall.

 

Have a great cruise

 

Roisin

[Skipper Tim]

I have an early morning flight to Milan from Gatwick to meet the Orchestra in Genoa. I booked the Travelodge Gatwick Airport Central for £17 for the night. It is less than 1km from the North Terminal entrance doors and serviced by a regular airport hotel shuttle bus or public service bus (Fastway Route 100 bus Gatwick South - Povey Cross Road East £2.10 each way). However, given the proximity and, if you can dump your luggage with night-before check-in, then it is easily walkable.

 

There is also a Tesco very close should you need supplies.

 

This is the second Travelodge at Gatwick airport and should not be confused with the other, similarly named, "Gatwick Airport Travelodge". This was formerly a Rennaissance then Mercure four star hotel for many years and is still marked as such on some online maps. When they converted it to a Travelodge they closed the spa and lost a star! It underwent a total refurbishment in 2012.

 

More info here: http://www.milesfaster.co.uk/hotels/london/gatwick-airport/travelodge-gatwick-airport-central.htm

[moomoocow]

Tim that looks like a plan for October along with a lounge visit before an early flight.

 

Due to unfamiliarity, proximity and value I've booked Premier Inn North with valet. Will drop bags off night before, eat breakfast and stroll to the terminal on the Monday morning.

 

Thanks Reilly for the suggestion. It pleases the husband that he's going to get a substantial breakfast and he doesn't have to eat it in the airport. :-)