Hotel at Gatwick & parking?

[Jules224]

I am looking for suggestions for a hotel to stay the night before we fly with 15 days parking, also we are flying with virgin so want to do the twilight check in, what is the best way to do this? Should we get the hotel shuttle to airport to do check in or should we drive and park in a short stay while we check in?
I've noticed some hotels charge £2.50 - £3.00 per person for the shuttles and with nine of us could work out quite expensive to check in, any suggestions would be great.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

I am looking for suggestions for a hotel to stay the night before we fly with 15 days parking, also we are flying with virgin so want to do the twilight check in, what is the best way to do this? Should we get the hotel shuttle to airport to do check in or should we drive and park in a short stay while we check in?
I've noticed some hotels charge £2.50 - £3.00 per person for the shuttles and with nine of us could work out quite expensive to check in, any suggestions would be great.

Assume that you have already looked at www.holidayextras.com ...

Have you considered either the Hilton or the Sofitel? Both are connected to the terminal. The Hilton is at the South Terminal, the Sofitel at the North Terminal. Virgin fly from the South Terminal, but the North Terminal is connected to the South Terminal by quick, very frequent, free mono-rail trains (so going from one terminal to another isn't much hassle...).

At the Hilton and Sofitel, the parking isn't at the hotel - it is at the "on airport" long stay car park. You drive up to the hotel, park, check-in (and can take your bags to your room), then go and move your car to the long-stay car park. After you have parked it there, you get a car park shuttle bus (free) back to the Terminal and your hotel. When you return from your holiday, you just take the free shuttle bus to the long stay car park to collect your car. Very simple. We do this. Ok it is a little hassle to go and park your car after you arrive at the hotel, BUT after you have done that everything is easy and convenient.

For the ultimate in convenience, the Hilton and Sofitel also offer a "Meet and Greet" parking option: they take the car from you (at the hotel) after you check in and then return it to you at the hotel/terminal when you arrive back from your trip. This costs a bit more, but would probably be worth it to some.

Staying at the Sofitel or Hilton also gives you easy access to a number of different dining options in the terminals (for dinner/breakfast).

I have never actually used twilight check-in though - I like to have the cases with me in the morning, so that I can put PJs and things in them (ESPECIALLY with the current restrictions on liquids in hand baggage - would need to put all of my toiletries in the checked baggage anyway...).

Boo

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Have used Hilton when we fly from LGW - we normally arrive & check into hotel - then husband takes car to long stay and when he returns we go & check in with virgin. After all that we have tea at the airport (usually Frankie & Bennys). The virgin check in is great & we've never found it that busy.

 

[Boss Hogg]

I am looking for suggestions for a hotel to stay the night before we fly with 15 days parking, also we are flying with virgin so want to do the twilight check in, what is the best way to do this? Should we get the hotel shuttle to airport to do check in or should we drive and park in a short stay while we check in?
I've noticed some hotels charge £2.50 - £3.00 per person for the shuttles and with nine of us could work out quite expensive to check in, any suggestions would be great.

You could try using online check-in and then you don't need to get to the Airport the night before. We used it for the first time in April and thought it worked very well, so much so that we are using again in 3 weeks time instead of twilight check-in. That way you don't need to worry about an overnight bag.

As far as accomodation, we are staying at the Sofitel, which is on the North Terminal, but the monorail between terminals is very regular so not a problem, and I think it is a nicer Hotel than the Hilton. We book using some airmiles so the cost is not an issue for us.

 

[bom_noite]

The Holiday Inn Gatwick is offering a special package: You stay a night at a special rate and you get free parking. They are also doing it at Manchester, Birmingham and other airports. You even get 2000 extra priorityclub points!

I have stayed there a few times - it is a decent airport!

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/c/2/content/dec/teaser/pc/0/en/lp/emea/parkfly.html

 

[Jules224]

The online check in sounds like it could be good as i have thought about the overnight bag now with the new rules for hand luggage.
How does this work and what times do you have to get to the airport if you checked in online?

 

[Jules224]

Ignore last one, i have just had a look on virgin's website and you can't check in online if you have an infant, and we have a little one in our party, never mind back to finding a hotel.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Ignore last one, i have just had a look on virgin's website and you can't check in online if you have an infant, and we have a little one in our party, never mind back to finding a hotel.

Even so, since you live in Devon.... not sure driving to Gatwick the same day as your flight is a good idea anyway: it is a LONG day (of travelling) anyway - Devon to Gatwick must be about 3.5/4 hours drive or so. A park and stay package is still a good idea.

Boo

 

[Jules224]

If we used online check in i was planning on staying at my parents house the night before they are only1 1/2 - 2 hours away but i think i'd rather be there the night before anyway, it's a nice start to the holiday and i won't have to worry if we got stuck in any traffic.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

but i think i'd rather be there the night before anyway, it's a nice start to the holiday and i won't have to worry if we got stuck in any traffic.

Yes, that is the way I always feel too

Boo

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

This year we stayed at "Trumbles": http://www.trumbles.co.uk/ .
It's a small family run hotel about 10 minutes from the airport. It is extremely nice, the owners are excellent, breakfasts very filling, and there are some really good village pubs nearby for that all important evening before meal.

The owners take you to the airport, and pick you up again when you come home. We will be using them again.

 

[Jules224]

This year we stayed at "Trumbles": http://www.trumbles.co.uk/ .
It's a small family run hotel about 10 minutes from the airport. It is extremely nice, the owners are excellent, breakfasts very filling, and there are some really good village pubs nearby for that all important evening before meal.

The owners take you to the airport, and pick you up again when you come home. We will be using them again.

Thanks for this recommendation, i have just phoned them and they seem lovely, i think we are going to go with this as the other family who are travelling with us have 3 children and the other hotels the minute you say family of 5 can't accomodate you or the price is very expensive and David at Trumbles said he would put a cot in the room and no extra charge.
And the breakfast is another added bonus, great thanks.

 

[Disney_1984]

This year we stayed at "Trumbles"

This is nice, but works out to be more expensive than staying in an onsite hotel? 90 for the room and 3 a day parking.. looks nice though, may try it!

edit: obviously not as expensive for the person above. lol ill just shutup now.

 

[Jules224]

For us at the Trumbles it's £80 for a family room and they put a cot in free, then £45 for parking, total £125, including breakfast, with holiday extra's there are only 2 hotels that are suitable for family of 5 and one is £211.67, the other is £230.00 so alot cheaper for us and the other prices don't include breakfast. Most of the onsite hotels the breakfast is extra, so even if booked a cheaper hotel and squeezed in a smaller room would end up costing more by the time we 'd paid for breakfast.

 

[gbrchill]

If you do the twilight check in you can with VS you can go back the following day and and drop off a little bit more luggage (at the fast bag drop). That's what we did last time.

The bonus of doing that is that you've already all pitched up to do the security screening and question stuff so just one person can go and drop of the bag with the over night stuff in.

Chris.

 

[Jules224]

If you do the twilight check in you can with VS you can go back the following day and and drop off a little bit more luggage (at the fast bag drop). That's what we did last time.

The bonus of doing that is that you've already all pitched up to do the security screening and question stuff so just one person can go and drop of the bag with the over night stuff in.

Chris.

Thanks didn't know you could this!
I've learnt so much from these boards.

 

[gills]

Hi Jules
We are staying at Gatwick Travel Lodge in January 07 £26 per room and parking the car at the Airport at Purple Parking free with Tesco Club Card vouchers hope you find somewere

brenda

 

[Camac]

Last time we stayed at the HIlton and booked one night parking in their private carpark which enabled us to leave in the car all our overnight bags before DH took it over to long stay parking. This worked very well.

However, one thing I would have done differently on our return is instead of us all squashing onto the bus which takes you to long stay parking to collect the car, struggling with lots of cases etc, I would send DH to collect the car whilst the rest of us take the luggage back through to the Hilton where we can sit and have a cup of tea whilst we wait for him to pick us up.

Camac

 

[martinrmn]

This is one for Gills. We are staying on Nov 30th for one night and are looking at parking for 15 nights. What is Purple parking and where is the site?

 

[gills]

Hi Martinrmn
Purple Parking is merely a national Airport carparking company which you can find at www.purpleparking.com.
We used our Tesco club card points to get Gatwick Airport free.
It works like this if you have more than £2.50 in club card vouchers you can times it by 4,
eg £10 ccv = £40 at purple parking you can use it for full or part payment please see purple parking or tesco for more info hope this helps

brenda