Booked the Hilton before our flight.......

[KayleeUK]

......does anyone else do this I like to add another day on the holiday LOL.

We are flying out of Gatwick and I think if we were driving up from here the day of the flight I would be in an absolute panic about ANY traffic jam we came across LOL

Perhaps I should amend my countdown for that 1 day

 

[marlouwrig]

Kaylee

We too have booked the Hilton for the first time for next year. For the past year we have stayed at Le Meridien for the night before.

Anyone know how they compare?

I agree with you about adding an extra day to the holiday. Also it means you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get to the airport and worry about traffic conditions making you late for your flight!

 

[FloridaSam]

Hi Kaylee,

We've booked the Hilton for our trip in March. We've used the Ramada before and that was excellent.

We'll be checking in the night before and is starts the build up by popping over to the terminal to check in your luggage etc. The holiday certainly starts at the airport!

Enjoy yourself and let us know all about the Hilton.

Sam x

 

[Camac]

We did this last Christmas and it was excellent. Twilight check-in, dinner in the airport, a swim in the hotel and a relaxing stroll to the boarding gate in the morning - great!

Will your car be parked at the hotel the whole time or (like ours) at a long term car park? Because although going is easy coming back was very difficult and next time I would do things differently.

Going out we booked an extra night car parking at the Hilton so we could dump our overnight things in the car before DH took it to long term parking, this worked out well. Coming home, after a long flight, into the cold morning at Gatwick was made much worse by the almighty scramble to get on the bus to take everyone to long term parking - the buses were infrequent and small kids were getting trampled in the rush.

So my plan for our next trip is for DH only to go and get the car - much easier for one with no cases to jump on the bus - and DD, DS and me to stroll with our trolley cases back through to the Hilton and have a cup of tea there whilst we wait for DH to bring the car round. I think this will be much easier on all of us.

Camac

 

[marlouwrig]

We booked the Hilton through HolidayXtras. Their confirmation states that the Hilton pool is no longer available.

Not a problem for us but I know many people do like to use it

 

[BiGGy]

We have stopped at the hilton the last 3 visits and will be there this wednesday gets you in the holiday spirit earlier and is also great when you are parking at gatwick as the parking comes free with the room



BiGGy

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Yep, we've used the Hilton our last three trips now - and another one to St Lucia and even when we went to Edinburgh for the weekend with friends

I was sorry to hear about the pool, perhaps it's just been refurbished - it could do with it.

When we go next August, we will stay the Sunday night and I definitely want to use twilight check-in as soon as it opens to try and make sure we get reasonable seats . . together

Staying overnight has lots of benefits. My DH suffers from nerve-related IBS - in a BIG way - and since he's not the world's best, most calmest flyer, staying overnight means he doesn't have to be up at around 3am the morning of the flight for a 10.30 flight to Miami. Especially since we've then got a three hour drive to our apartment at the other end. We all enjoy that "extra day holiday" feeling, chilling out and people watching

 

[squitty]

We stayed at the Hilton last Dec before the night before our trip to WDW. It was like you say a extra day to the holiday

We didn't want to drive down to Gatwick on the day of the flight for the same reason as you have said Kaylee

 

[Goofyish]

We've used the Hilton for two trips now. It really takes the hassle out of getting to the aiport on time, especially if you use the Virgin twilight check in. It extends our holiday by an extra night as well

We have booked a family room already for our trip next December, together with 15 days parking. I think it was just under £150

 

[Miffy2003]

We will be at the Hilton in, ooooh, about 16 days' time

We like to stay the night before for all the reasons already stated; nice relaxing start to the holiday (and an extra day!), no panic about traffic jams and a nice tea at Frankie & Benny's to get us in the holiday mood

Kaylee, definitely amend your countdown Mine goes from when we leave our house for the airport, LOL

 

[Madjock]

We're only about 2 hours from Gatwick but with traffic etc that 2 hours can be stretched to 4 plus lots of stress so we always go the night before. Previously we have always stayed at the Gatwick Holiday Inn but in Oct as it was just the girls and I we stayed at the Hilton. To be honest I prefer the Holiday Inn, the queue for check in at the Hilton took three times longer than Twilight check in and the room we had was very noisy, you could hear everything from the toilet next door, not very pleasant! Having said all that however I would still prefer this to driving to Gatwick on the day of the flight.

Annmarie

oh, p.s. it's about £6 for a glass of wine in the bar at the Hilton

 

[mushumadness]

hiya

we are booked into the hilton at manchester on thursday

its good because you can go check in then return to your room if you want to

 

[natalielongstaff]

kaylee
see my 1st day trip report on that wine at the hilton lol

 

[MsPennieLane]

Congrats Kaylee for adding on another day to your holiday

Anz

 

[AndRu]

When flying from Manchester, we always stay in the Radisson SAS hotel the night before. It's built right next to the departure terminal and is connected by an enclosed walkway with moving floors What we do is ...

Travel up the day before by taxi (can't stand driving after flight back)
Stay at the Radisson overnight and order breakfast for 8:30am
Get up at 7am and go down to the Virgin check-in and get get rid of cases as well as picking up boarding passes etc.
Back to the room for breakfast to be delivered.
Chill in the room until the last hour before the flight and then take a casual stroll into the airport.

Having three kids (9, 7 & 6) it takes soooooooo much stress out of the day.