Great prices at the Gatwick Sofitel!

[islandmum]

Hi, Just booked ours for next year this is a great deal, we check in on the 27.5.09 for 1 night with 15 days parking including total cost £126.26, Parking alone from BAA on gatwick for 15 days is £100.80... Cheers for this now we can all get a good nights sleep before we go to DW ......

not only a goodnights sleep - a good nights sleep at the best Gatwick hotel IMO and at the price of the more basic surrounding hotels. ask for a room on the high floors overlooking the runway - we even sleep with the curtains open and drift off to sleep watching the planes coming in!

and their beds are ...... FABULOUS!

 

[cliveywolves]

not only a goodnights sleep - a good nights sleep at the best Gatwick hotel IMO and at the price of the more basic surrounding hotels. ask for a room on the high floors overlooking the runway - we even sleep with the curtains open and drift off to sleep watching the planes coming in!

and their beds are ...... FABULOUS!

Cheers...

ill drop them a email now about a high room etc

Are there any special things they can do for you seeing they are part of the airport? ie baggage, parking etc.....

 

[kristieuk]

Cheers...

ill drop them a email now about a high room etc

Are there any special things they can do for you seeing they are part of the airport? ie baggage, parking etc.....

I don't think so - parking is actually in the airport long stay car park ie onsite, but about 5 minutes drive from the Sofitel. However, the hotel does have a couple of spaces where you can unload and check in, and then just one of you can go to park the car.

It's literally a walk up a ramp into the airport with your cases, and there are plenty of trolleys near to the Sofitel reception. I have never seen any of the bell boys taking luggage up into the airport.

If you're not already a member, Sofitel do have a free membership programme, now called A[Club. You can earn points for stays, but more importantly, they give you free drinks vouchers and sometimes an upgrade / late checkout etc. You can join on the Sofitel website.

 

[islandmum]

I don't think so - parking is actually in the airport long stay car park ie onsite, but about 5 minutes drive from the Sofitel. However, the hotel does have a couple of spaces where you can unload and check in, and then just one of you can go to park the car.

It's literally a walk up a ramp into the airport with your cases, and there are plenty of trolleys near to the Sofitel reception. I have never seen any of the bell boys taking luggage up into the airport.

If you're not already a member, Sofitel do have a free membership programme, now called A[Club. You can earn points for stays, but more importantly, they give you free drinks vouchers and sometimes an upgrade / late checkout etc. You can join on the Sofitel website.

the whole parking thing is a pain around Gatwick. We parked right infront the doors to unload the luggage, left the car there for an hour as there was space for it (only space for about 8 cars right outside the door, otherwise theres a Sofitel short stay car park just around the corner from the entrance doors - next to the smoking area).

There were no luggage trolleys at the Sofitel entrance but there were in the carpark so we used them, took them through the Sofitel lobby and went to do twilight check-in.

when we got back to the hotel the dh went to take the hire car back to its drop off and with my Accor card we had a nice free drinkie in the bar (which is the only time I ever use that bar, check-in was very quick, you need your room key to activate the elevator to the floor you are on so if and you dh split, and he takes the car off to park it somewhere, he either needs to meet you in the lobby or he needs a room card to get up to the room.

Use the express check-out its so much easier than waiting in line and dont buy a movie in the room .... Happy Feet cost us more than 10 quid!!

we tend to eat dinner at the hotel with room service, we just want the kids to get settled and I cant be doing with the hassle in the terminal if I can help it. For breakfast we always use the terminal, the Virgin Lounge mostly but occassionally somewhere in the Village if we're meeting up with people.

 

[dooledoo]

Hello everyone, I have just come back from a 3 night stay at the Sofitel whilst doing some xmas shopping and sightseeing in London.

The Hotel is very nice, REALLY comfy beds and clean, spacious rooms with nice extra touches (lovely Hermes eau d'orange verte shower gel and shampoo, really good).

The breakfast at £16.95 is very, very nice and has everything you could want. However the other food is very pricey and nothing very special. We had an evening meal and found it quite bland and dull but the pudding medley of sticky toffee pudding, bread and butter pudding and I think, chocolate pudding was very nice.

Whilst I was there I asked about the confusion on the website and the price quoted. I also explained that it stated day rate but when you went to the following page it quoted an overnight period. She explained that it was for the day and not overnight and was a programme error and if booked you would have to pay for the night which would be more than quoted.

I hope this helps anyone who has booked. It obviously could be argued either way but they were quite determined it was only for the day.

 

[oceanscape]

Whilst I was there I asked about the confusion on the website and the price quoted. I also explained that it stated day rate but when you went to the following page it quoted an overnight period. She explained that it was for the day and not overnight and was a programme error and if booked you would have to pay for the night which would be more than quoted.

Yep, that's exactly what I was told on the phone. The operator told me that the difference between the rate paid and the rack rate would be payable on check-in if anyone booked one of these rates and expected to use the room overnight.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Yep, that's exactly what I was told on the phone. The operator told me that the difference between the rate paid and the rack rate would be payable on check-in if anyone booked one of these rates and expected to use the room overnight.

Then why does it say night price and why is it still available?

 

[kristieuk]

If you go onto the Sofitel site, the only room available for next year without the car parking is the so called 'Day Room'. If you look at the booking conditions for this, it clearly says the rate is for '1 night' check in (in our case) 21 Oct / check out 22nd Oct. If this is not right, then Sofitel should do something about it - they have been queired enough about in the last couple of weeks!

Legally, they don't have a leg to stand on. Nowhere on the website can I even find any description for a day room, nor the check in or check out times, and there is absolutely no suggestion at all in the booking confirmation that the room cannot be used overnight - it states the contrary - the room is for one night, from one day to the following day.

If Sofitel get in touch with me to explain a mistake has been made, fair enough, but as things stand, they can't expect to take the attitude 'if someone turns up, they will be charged the overnight rack rate' when bookings have already been made upon those terms.

 

[Claire L]

If you go onto the Sofitel site, the only room available for next year without the car parking is the so called 'Day Room'. If you look at the booking conditions for this, it clearly says the rate is for '1 night' check in (in our case) 21 Oct / check out 22nd Oct. If this is not right, then Sofitel should do something about it - they have been queired enough about in the last couple of weeks!

Legally, they don't have a leg to stand on. Nowhere on the website can I even find any description for a day room, nor the check in or check out times, and there is absolutely no suggestion at all in the booking confirmation that the room cannot be used overnight - it states the contrary - the room is for one night, from one day to the following day.

If Sofitel get in touch with me to explain a mistake has been made, fair enough, but as things stand, they can't expect to take the attitude 'if someone turns up, they will be charged the overnight rack rate' when bookings have already been made upon those terms.

There is a little box to click saying 'sales conditions of rate' when you get all the different rates up and in the box for the day use rate it says 'Package Inclusions : Not for overnight stays', whereas the box on the parking inclusive rates says ' Package Inclusions : Advance purchase includes 15 days of parking'. I would not be enitrely sure they would honour the price as it clearly says day use in a couple of locations.

Claire

 

[oceanscape]

There is a little box to click saying 'sales conditions of rate' when you get all the different rates up and in the box for the day use rate it says 'Package Inclusions : Not for overnight stays', whereas the box on the parking inclusive rates says ' Package Inclusions : Advance purchase includes 15 days of parking'. I would not be enitrely sure they would honour the price as it clearly says day use in a couple of locations.

Claire

Ditto.

They've covered their backs legally.

 

[kristieuk]

This must have changed - this information was not included when I booked. Not sure what Island Mum would say about it, but I was careful to check every room restriction I could find, and this wasn't displayed anywhere.

As I've said previously, I have booked a room which I can cancel up to the day before. I haven't paid for it, and I may well lose my nerve - but I still think what I have booked and the booking confirmation I have received clealry stipulate it's for a 1 night stay! (incidentally, surely it can't be the case that the only room you can't book is one for just an overnight stay??!!)

 

[islandmum]

By having both items stated on their website adn booking confirmation (night rate, complete with dates, and stating day rate use only) they have failed to cover their backs at all in any way as they have both things quoted and cannot prove which is correct.

If they contact me before the date saying there is a mistake and change it then fair dues - if I turn up at the hotel and an confronted with being charged more I will simply ask for the Manager, quote trading standards and see what happens.

Should they demand extra payment (which I happen to think they will not do, we work in the business and if you know how to get your point across they will accept it - plus the room cannot be double booked so you wont be kicked out for that ) when it comes to payment the next morning I will call my CC company in their presence and tell them to release the original price funds - coz thats the only money they'll be getting from me.

The fact they also know about the problem and have failed to address it adds to the cause - its called baiting, and its probably working to their advantage, getting customers in thinking they're on one price and bumping them up once they're there claiming its a mistake.

I'll be going, having a nice nights stay, and I wont be paying an increased fee at the desk!

Plus I should add that I sent my booking confirmation they sent to me giving them a chance to spot the mistake, I said I was staying overnight - they did not correct it, thats their mistake not mine. Legally they cannot backtrack on that.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I agree this thread was started 2 weeks ago. The price on room only is the same, are they saying they only sell rooms overnight with parking because I have staid there in 2006, 2007 and 2008 with room only as I don't want to drive to the airport.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have just checked again, it is now 18 days and still the same offer. If this is a mistake it can not be legal do have such a mistake for so many days and still expect customers to pay extra when they get there. I have contacted sofitel twice via their contact us section and of course got no reply.

 

[whitfields]

well its about choice and technicalities regarding these room rates.We have decided not to book and take the chance having spoken with hotel..they are aware of the website rate!!!. The 2009 rates are not yet loaded which doesnt help.

we are going to stay in the Gatwick hilton in an executive room with dinner and breakfast for just £40 of Tesco vouchers so why pay £80 just for a room which may cost you more!! in the long run

after all a bed is just that...unless you wanna spend 14 nights there rarther than Orlando

whitfields

 

[joeatdisney2008]

it was a fantastic deal..but now the prices are changed and the 2009 prices will be loaded soon.

 

[cliveywolves]

I booked this deal a couple of weeks ago now, booked an over night stay and 15 days car parking total cost about £126.00.. So i called Sofitel Gatwick yesterday to confirm all was ok and sure was no problems at all, they even confirmed all my special requests that i emailed over to them.....

Also parking is going to be easier from 2009 she said that you park on there small car park and unload your car when you arrive, They then park your car for you on long stay parking onsite and bring it back to the hotel car park when you get back from your holiday too.....

 

[PaulaSB12]

I finally got an email and was told it was a mistake. Will cancel after christmas, I am trying the Yotel at Heathrow on 30th December if its ok I will book a 10 hour stay at the one at Gatwick and stuff the sofitel.

 

[kristieuk]

Oh. Still waiting for my email. I don't blame you for your attitude - it was their mistake after all.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Spent a good night at the yotel at heathrow so will be going to the one at Gatwick instead and the Sofitel can go