Hilton Gatwick

I live a couple of hours away from Gatwick and wonder whether it would be worth staying the night before my flight in the Hilton Gatwick?
Presumably if I went through Shops Away I would earn air miles, as well as Hilton HHonors points and I could opt to use their airport car parking too.
Would you recommend doing this or would it be better to get up early, drive to a different airport car parking site and then go to the terminal?
We're travelling UC for the first time ever and want to make full use of the clubhouse and not be waiting around for shuttle buses etc. Just not sure whether that would be the best thing to do.

I live about an hour from Gatwick with no traffic however now always stay at either the Hilton or the BLOC the night before a flight as it saves the hassle of the M3, M25 and M23 on a Monday morning. It also means that you do not have to get up so early and can stroll over into the Clubhouse for breakfast

Makes sense MoJoJo. Our flight is at 11.15am so we'd have to get up early and potentially get delayed in the Monday morning traffic.
A relaxing drive on Sunday with no panic regarding a time schedule sounds much more civilized!
Thanks for your help.

At an 11:15am flight, you'd board nearly an hour before, add getting through security and you'd barely see the clubhouse if you got in about 9ish. Add in you'd be travelling during the rush hour, its a dangerous time to do it.

Hilton is easy and Gatwick is sometimes cheap (certainly compared to other hiltons). Don't know about the parking, I tend to come in by train (coming in via St Pancras direct under london to LGW).

We always stay at LGW the night before, it's part of the holiday for us now and a relaxing way to start.

I'd definitely recommend it, then you've only got a short stroll over to the S Terminal.

We always stay at the Hilton, purely because we live too far away (Cornwall) and because I have HH status.

I like the clubrooms and if you travel with teens, it's perfect as they can sit in the lounge and eat the sandwiches and pastries in the afternoon and then tuck into the snacks later while you consume the alcohol. Think of it as a prelude to the clubhouse in the morning!

Thanks Smid and Luke, you've persuaded me! (Not that I took a lot of persuading tbh). The thought of not making the most of my very first visit to the clubhouse had me panicking a bit!

Marshy, I'm enrolled in HH too and we also love the executive lounge. I have a 14 year old son and a 11 year old daughter (teenager in training) who can eat their own body weight in food and still remain like a couple of beanpoles, so that would go down very well with them.

If you want a great view of the runway check out the VIP rooms at bloc hotel above the South terminal. Very slick, iPad controls and Armani bathrooms. Not your traditional hotel but I love the concept, and couldn't be closer to check in!

I booked the Hilton for my next LGW flight in April. Executive room for £18 using my hotels.com free reward night. Seemed a waste to book the lower value BLOC :-)

We always stay overnight at the Hilton when flying from LGW. Theoretically we are "two hours" away from LGW but that's "two M25 hours".

IIRC it can be good value whether using cash or HHonors points, particularly if you have Diamond status and are guaranteed Exec Lounge access.

@MoJoJo - hell, that is good value....

HI ChelseaGirl,

Just booked our first UC from Gatwick(have done UC from LHR) in March and have booked the Hilton. Did it through Topcashback and got £22 back so instead of miles, for room , parking for 12 days and three course meal each for £200. We do not have any children left at home but remember it well when they were teenagers. Just had our eldest home for 10 days at Xmas and he cleaned us out of food, drink and anything else he could lay his hands on. He is 36 so it doesn't get any better, he is 6ft 4in and still like a beanpole.

Enjoy the experience it will all go very quickly. Linda

I booked the Hilton for my next LGW flight in April. Executive room for £18 using my hotels.com free reward night. Seemed a waste to book the lower value BLOC :-)

Crikey, they aren't going to make any money out of you are they!

Valet parking in the red car park
Overnight at hilton
Dinner at giraffe
Breakfast in the CH

It's the only civilised way to go :-)

Although for £75 for a family room with breakfast, I thought the hilton hampton in the north terminal was worth a try for our next trip in April. Going with BA anyway so much more convenient, even if it means a much poorer lounge experience.

Valet parking in the red car park
Overnight at hilton
Dinner at giraffe
Breakfast in the CH

It's the only civilised way to go :-)

Agree with most, but I prefer a VIP runway view at bloc. It's vibe is just so like Virgin itself

http://www.blochotels.com/default.asp?force=1

Scroll down for the view... Awesome

Another vote for Hilton and Executive.
We live about an hour away on a clear run but it takes very little to upset the traffic flow.
Our holiday starts at the Hilton when I pop down the corridor with the ice bucket and fill it up then return to the room and crack open a bottle of fizz.

Dick D

Oh, you lot are a bad (good!) influence!
Two executive rooms booked at the Hilton so that my piggy little darlings have enough to eat and drink in the executive lounge.So we'll abandon the car to be parked, check in and then nip to the lounge for afternoon tea, probably will go to giraffe for dinner (son loves their racks of ribs),a relaxing sleep, then nip to the clubhouse for breakfast and champagne!

Well don Chelseagirl, you won't regret it.

By the way, CH isn't 'breakfast and champagne', it's 'champagne and champagne with breakfast'!

Haha marshy! Yes, my mistake. I may manage to squeeze in a few bites of breakfast between glasses of champagne.

Oh, you lot are a bad (good!) influence!
Two executive rooms booked at the Hilton so that my piggy little darlings have enough to eat and drink in the executive lounge.So we'll abandon the car to be parked, check in and then nip to the lounge for afternoon tea, probably will go to giraffe for dinner (son loves their racks of ribs),a relaxing sleep, then nip to the clubhouse for breakfast and champagne!

Yes, ribs are a favourite with one of my girls. They did also do quite a nice kimchi topped burger a couple of years back but haven't seen it recently.

I suspect we visit too often, the last time, our waitress recognised us from a few months earlier!

Not sure about the hilton lounge though, I find it surprisingly small for such a big hotel, and not overly impressed with the food/drink offering, and it can be a bit of a scrum when the alcohol first comes out. Must be getting picky in my old age... But then I've just come from the BA lounge at Belfast, which always has a great selection of good reds, and some of the nicest staff around. I'm just spoilt :-)

Hi ratechaser. Thank you for your comments.
I've experienced the executive lounge at the Hilton Wembley and it had both an indoor and outdoor area and was well furnished and comfortable. It had a great view of the stadium and kept my sanity while I was waiting to take my daughter to see One Direction! Yes, I know...
Hopefully the Gatwick lounge will be sufficient for the purpose of enabling my children to have a few snacks and drinks. I shall partake too, but not too much. After all I won't want to spoil the champagne and food in the clubhouse now will I?

Hi ratechaser. Thank you for your comments.
I've experienced the executive lounge at the Hilton Wembley and it had both an indoor and outdoor area and was well furnished and comfortable. It had a great view of the stadium and kept my sanity while I was waiting to take my daughter to see One Direction! Yes, I know...
Hopefully the Gatwick lounge will be sufficient for the purpose of enabling my children to have a few snacks and drinks. I shall partake too, but not too much. After all I won't want to spoil the champagne and food in the clubhouse now will I?

The LGW Hilton Executive lounge is fine, just don't expect a stellar spread of snacks. My personal favourite Exec lounge is the one in the Hilton Tower Bridge, where the food is excellent. I also used to love the lounge in the Hilton Deansgate in Manchester, until they turned it into an ante room of Cloud 23.

@Ratechaser - the scrum at LGW when the drink comes out is but nothing to the scenes of chaos that ensue when the vodka comes out at the Hilton Deansgate on a Friday or Saturday evening.

It does get busy, but hardened lounge users should take their place early.....my 15 year olds found enough to wade-through during the afternoon tea (just us in the lounge) and later with the samosa, chicken wings etc. not enough to feed then instead of a meal of course, but the graze between meals we too often encounter. There was always a table or two free during the 6-9pm stint and plenty to drink and nibble on, both before and after supper.

Hi ratechaser. Thank you for your comments.
I've experienced the executive lounge at the Hilton Wembley and it had both an indoor and outdoor area and was well furnished and comfortable. It had a great view of the stadium and kept my sanity while I was waiting to take my daughter to see One Direction! Yes, I know...
Hopefully the Gatwick lounge will be sufficient for the purpose of enabling my children to have a few snacks and drinks. I shall partake too, but not too much. After all I won't want to spoil the champagne and food in the clubhouse now will I?

My dear lady, you are talking of two separate days.

Hi ratechaser. Thank you for your comments.
I've experienced the executive lounge at the Hilton Wembley and it had both an indoor and outdoor area and was well furnished and comfortable. It had a great view of the stadium and kept my sanity while I was waiting to take my daughter to see One Direction! Yes, I know...
Hopefully the Gatwick lounge will be sufficient for the purpose of enabling my children to have a few snacks and drinks. I shall partake too, but not too much. After all I won't want to spoil the champagne and food in the clubhouse now will I?

My dear lady, you are talking of two separate days.

Hmm, that's true. May have a rethink...