Hilton Gatwick with parking

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Have just altered booking to get parking as we are now going in a car (which of course would help if you needed the parking!!!)
Anyways, could someone talk me through the docking procedures with the Hilton. I understand the parking is actually not on site and we have to park, throw everyone and their luggage out, rush into the reception without a care for life or limb, book into hotel, rush back before the nice lady waiting in the parking bay tuts at us, and the go off somewhere for our parking space and then wait (patiently or otherwise) for a bus to return us to ? presumably the hotel. And then on the return leg of the journey come out of airport to ? and get the shuttle to the car park, jump in car, push to get started and then come home to the washing!!
So, can someone tell me how easy it is to get to the carpark; how frequent the shuttles really are to and fro and from what times to when in the evening/night; and is the parking area safe?? Many thanks for reading.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

In January, we unloaded at the entrance, then I took the car into the car park next door and they took the car away for me.

this time, we have gone for the valet parking with Maple manor, I call them 10 mins before I get to the Hilton and they take the car away from the entrance and then bring it back when we come home.

both of the above were/are with Holiday extras and Hiton

 

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Thanks for response Obi. They are using something called the Summer Parking (? may have got that wrong) and the hotel said you have to take your car and its about 5 mins from hotel?? Beginning to wish I hadnt done this and just gone by train after all!! Mind you, I was lucky in the fact that this is the second time they have changed my special deal price (which in the small print says it cannot be changed owing to it being written in blood on a stone - er, I kinda exaggerated this in case anyone sues me!!) and they didnt charge me any extra so I feel a sort of loyalty to see it through to the bitter end now.

 

[Mpet]

We did this last December. Summer parking is on the North Terminal. We were also using the Virgin Twilight checking,so we parked in the short term car park and first checked in ith Virgin and got rid of our luggage.We then walked through to the Hilton and checked in. left DS & DD in room and took the car to the car park and got bus back. It sounds a lot of bother but it wasn't really as we got a very good price for the parking and room.

On our return, rather than all of us going to pick up car, DH, DS & DD took luggage to the Hilton Foyer and I went and collected car and picked them up -no problem.

There is a drop off point outside the Hilton, But as we were using Virgin Twilight, I didn't know how long we would be so didn't fancy coming backto find the car towed!! If you are only checking in to Hilton, there is no problem in jsut leaving the car there then moving it to long term when you have checked in.


Mpet

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

We did this last December. Summer parking is on the North Terminal. We were also using the Virgin Twilight checking,so we parked in the short term car park and first checked in ith Virgin and got rid of our luggage.We then walked through to the Hilton and checked in. left DS & DD in room and took the car to the car park and got bus back. It sounds a lot of bother but it wasn't really as we got a very good price for the parking and room.

On our return, rather than all of us going to pick up car, DH, DS & DD took luggage to the Hilton Foyer and I went and collected car and picked them up -no problem.

There is a drop off point outside the Hilton, But as we were using Virgin Twilight, I didn't know how long we would be so didn't fancy coming backto find the car towed!! If you are only checking in to Hilton, there is no problem in jsut leaving the car there then moving it to long term when you have checked in.


Mpet

Ah, yes, we had Summer Parking one year. The parking is nearer the other terminal, again, you drive in, hand over your keys and the car is taken away to a compound. As you say, you then have to get the bus back to the Terminal and walk through to the Hilton. Don't worry about being rushed to empty the car or take it to the Summer parking (which is well signposted by the way)

 

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Thank you for fast responses - feeling better about spending the extra cash now! Oh, and just checked confirmation and weve got an executive room too (didnt realise that when I booked) so at least we wont have scratchy loo roll!!!

 

[marv]

Hi widget
Have you recently booked at the Hilton with parking? I ask as i have been trying to book with them and they wont take a booking as they havn,t got prices set up yet for parking package. I seem to have a hit a brick wall last time we went i booked up the hilton and parking a year before so i dont understand why they cant as it seems from posts on the boards other people have managed to get a room.
Thanks marv

 

[TraceyL]

Has anybody parked (and paid for ) their car overnight in the hotel car park before taking the car to the summer special car park the following morning? We've got 6 lots of overnight stuff that we need to return to the car before the flight and we've been told we won't be allowed access to our car once we've dropped it off at Summer Special.

Can't get the Hilton to answer my emails

btw - we've already bboked our rooms through Holiday Extras even though the Hilton website doesn't have any packages available yet. They've just gone up £10 per room so I'd book sooner ratehr than later too !

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think its somethinmg like £15 a night, you can park if they have space, or you have to go across the road to park.

 

[Mpet]

Tracey L

I don't know the make up of your party (no of adults & children)but with a bit of planning you may not need to go back to your car. We were a party of 4 adults - When we trvelled to the Hilton, we all put on clean jeans. In a carrier bag we had clean tops and underwear for the next day and night wear. In the run up to our trip I had been saving deodorant with a bit left and toothpaste that was nearly empty, old toothbrush (we always have new ones for hols) etc. That way we used what we needed and threw the rest away. All that we had to fold and put in out hand luggage was dirty t-shirt, nightwear and dirty undies. If you really forward plan, you can wear old undies (you know the stuff thats been washed with the red T-shirt and the socks that are wearing a bit thin)and throw them away at the hotel.

Not sure if this method would work with babies in tow though!

Mpet

 

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Marv - yes just booked package within last week

 

[TraceyL]

Thanks Mpet - I had thought of that but a 4 hour drive to Gatwick & two young kids = mess!
We'd need a change ofclothes for the evening plus clothes to travel in the next day. Handluggage is likely to need to contain yet another change of clothes as DD2 has started getting travel sick ... at least we don't need swimsuits for the Hilton any more :lol

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Why not do online checkin and then just take your cases to the bag drop off the next morning?

 

[FloridaSam]

Hi

We stayed at the Hilton with the Summer Special Parking.

We parked outside the Hilton and unloaded our luggage taking it to our room.

I then took the car to the summer special car park and bussed back to the terminal. We then all walked over to the terminal to twilight checkin.

On return, my husband took the kids and luggage back to the Hilton whilst I got the car.

It worked really well for us this year.

Sam x

 

[SEVANS2208]

Just to let you know (or anyone else who's interested), I've just managed to book the Hilton with 15 days parking for August next year. Booked it on their website. May be able to get it cheaper through someone else nearer the time but no-one seems to be offering it yet.

I suppose I can always cancel & re-book if there are better offers about later

 

[marv]

I have just booked a fam room for 5 of us with 15 days parking for April next year at £229 non refundable they offered a flexi package for £264 refundable.
Thanks Sevan, as i tried a couple of days ago and they told me to ring back in December, but i couldn,t book online it said sorry no availability so i phoned.

anyway its sorted now one less thing to worry about.

Marv

 

[Camac]

Yes TraceyL, we booked a one night car park at the Hilton before taking it to Summer Parking. It worked really well as we were able to dump our overnight stuff and just wonder through to departures with no bags to weigh us down.

We had a room with parking package, I just rang the Hilton and asked for the one nighter for the evening of arrival with the parking package commencing the following day - no probs!

Camac

 

[TraceyL]

Diolch yn fawr

I've emailed them 3 times but they haven't responded !

My parents want to get hold of their boarding cards as soon as possible as tehy think there's less chance of getting their requested seats changed if they've already got their boarding cards whicj is why we particularly wanted to do the twilight checkin

 

[TraceyL]

I've just had an email from the Hilton saying they do not have a car park - even though their website says they do.

Chargeable car parking adjacent to the hotel offers discounts to residents for short term parking

Can anybody confirm or deny this please??

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Well, In January they had a car park! Its not a big one (its to the right of the main entrance) but it does exist. However for long term parking they do not allow.