emckeeve

Does anyone have a review of the yotels at Gatwick. Are they big enough for two people and luggage to fit? Are they a good alternative for a quick night's sleep during a layover? Thanks for any opinions you may have.

janisj

They charge by the hour - it is really geared to travelers on a layover who just want to rest for a few hours. For a full overnight it would be more expensive than a hotel w/ a real room/bath/window.

If you want a full night's sleep, it would be cheaper to bid priceline.

AAFrequentFlyer

The "Deluxe" cabin is big enough for 2. It has a queen size bed, TV, Radio, toilet and a shower.

It goes for 25BP for a 4 hour period or ~$45BP for an 8 hour period.

www.yotel.com

emckeeve

The main reason for considering the yotel is for a quick in and out. Arriving Gatwick 8 AM and leaving Gatwick the next day at 9 AM. Want to go to London for the day but not drag luggage around. Any other suggestions?

AAFrequentFlyer

Here is what I would do.

1.Try Priceline for 4* Gatwick hotels. You should be able to get a room ~$90 or less. If you're lucky, you might end up at the Sofitel Gatwick in the North terminal or Hilton in the South terminal. Both are connected by a tunnel to the terminals.

After arriving and clearing immigratioon and collecting your luggage take the www.nationalexpress.co.uk bus to Gatwick.

Immigration and bus ride will probably take about 2-3 hours.

Arriving at Gatwick ~noon, check in. They should have some rooms ready at that point.

Relax at the hotel, shower and then catch Southern train to Victoria station in central London. Gatwick Express is more expensive and it only saves you about 3-4 minutes of travel time.

Have fun in London.

Take an evening train back to Gatwick (the trains runn every 1/2 hour or so.

Get a good night sleep and knowing that you don't need to do a shuttle or taxi in the morning, sleep little later.

Have a great trip.

janisj

something like AA's plan would be MUCH better than the Yotel IMHO. You'd get a better room for less money -- since you'd have to pay for 18-19 hours at Yotel and it would be very expensive for what you'd get.

emckeeve

Many thanks, AA. Sounds like good advice.

KayF

I just posted a report on our overnight stay at Yotel. If you click on my name (above) you should find it. I believe there is an upper limit on how much you can pay but not sure. Would be worth checking as it's so convenient being right in the terminal.
Kay

Raydotman

Thanks, Kay, for the thorough report. I just checked out the Yotel website and plugged in a fictitious date to get a quote on an overnight stay in a premium cabin. It came back as 80 pounds. We will arrive in the North terminal and the Yotel is in the south. We will have our luggage so what is the best way to get to the south terminal? My husband has a lot of trouble walking so facility is important. Our other alternative is to drag our luggage to Heathrow for an earlier flight to our destination in Spain.

AAFrequentFlyer

Forget Yotel for overnight stay. Do a Priceline for Gatwick 4* for ~$100 for the night. The Sofitel and Hilton are both connected to the terminals. It's just as long of a walk to either hotel then it is to Yotel and much cheaper with nice, full sized rooms. btw, the terminals are connected by a train, so no problem getting from one to the other.

The Yotel makes sense for 4 hour nap, not an overnight stay with Priceline giving out the 2 fine hotels for a lot less.

Just my opinion.

KayF

To Raydotman -
The train arrives at the South Terminal and we have only ever flown out of the South Terminal so sorry cannot help with travel from the North Terminal. As the poster below says, there is a train connecting the two. The Gatwick Airport website will give you more information.

It's true you could probably get a better hotel room for less money if you tried hard enough, but we liked the convenience of being right inside the terminal and not having to worry about shuttle buses and do they run all night etc etc.
Kay

janisj

I'd never consider the yotel for more than 4 or 5 hours. The Sofitel and Hilton and are just as convenient as the yotel

Sue_xx_yy

Thanks KayF for the update on this thread.

Re emckeeve: "The main reason for considering the yotel is for a quick in and out."

"A Clockwork Orange" has a lot to answer for, including ensuring that I at first read this innocent statement for something a lot more than it was.....