Check In

Arrived at check in to find a long queue.  There were 4 receptionists manning the desk but they weren't able to cope with the numbers.  The HHonors area wasn't in operation.  The system was completely chaotic, made more so when one of the receptionists left because their shift was over.  I saw one couple directed to two different queues, neither of which got them closer to the front - they were then taken out of the queue by someone who promised to help them, only to direct them back to the queue because he realised that he couldn't.  I was waiting for about 20 minutes in total and was really irritated by the end.

When I did get to be seen my diamond status was recognised and I was told that I would be upgraded from the double Hilton guestroom that I'd booked.  The receptionist told me that there was a choice of two rooms - an executive room in the refurbished wing or a family room in the main building.  He asked me which I'd like and because I hadn't done my research (which I acknowledge is on me) I asked which he'd recommend as the better room.  He told me that the family room was better as it was closer to the lounge and had more space. I took that recommendation, which proved to be the wrong decision.

The receptionist explained that I was entitled to use the lounge but that I'd arrived after the food offering had stopped.  He told me about the restaurants available in the hotel before giving me my room key.

Room

I was upgraded from a double HIlton guestroom to the Delux Hilton Family Room.  This is a large room with one king-sized bed and two single beds but that's about the only positive thing I can say about it.  The room itself was in poor condition - there were stains on the carpet and the wall paper, the furniture was old and in poor condition and the room layout was strange with the television on a wall that meant you had to sit in an uncomfortable chair to see it.  The room I had was also an interior room so you had to have the curtains closed to make sure that you didn't flash the people in reception.

The bathroom was small with a shower over the bath.  The bathroom furniture was old and needed a refurb but was otherwise clean.

The bed had dents in the mattress and needed to be flipped or replaced but the worst thing about the room was the sound proofing.  After I went to bed a couple came into the room next door and I could hear everything they said.  It was too late for me to ask to change rooms so I ended up using some ear plugs I keep with me for emergencies but I still didn't get a good night's sleep.  

Dining

I ate at the hotel's Garden Restaurant, which operates a buffet for a flat fee of £26 plus drinks.  I thought that the quality of the buffet was very good with a wide choice of food that was cooked well.  Service was also good and although it's on the pricey side, it was actually pretty good value for money if you were intent on having a three course meal.

I went up to the lounge for drinks and snacks afterwards.  There wasn't a self-service on drinks (the fridges were all locked) but you could ask a member of staff for service and they were happy to oblige.  The lounge itself was a good sized space with plenty of seating and it was nice to be able to sit and relax for a bit.

I had breakfast in the lounge the next morning.  There wasn't a huge amount of choice, but the quality was okay and I ate enough to fill me up - mainly croissants, cold ham and cheese.

Location

The location is the main reason to stay here.  It's right outside the South Terminal, which means you've got a 5 minute walk to the airport for your flight.

Overall

It had been about 8 years since my last stay at this Hilton - usually I stay at the Sofitel or the Bloc.  I was really disappointed with my stay and ended up letting them know when they sent me a post-stay survey.  To be fair to the hotel, I got a very apologetic email back explaining that the hotel was due for some investment to refurbish it and giving me 15000 HHonors points as compensation. 

I have to say I wouldn't stay in this hotel again until after I knew the refurbishment works had been completed and would prefer to stay at the Sofitel if I have to get a flight into or out of LGW.

As the recent reviews of Hilton London Gatwick Airport have been mixed, I’ll chime in with a review of my stay at the hotel last week.

Check In

When I arrived at the hotel, there was a long queue at the front desk. As suggested by Foltan, I went directly to the Executive Lounge on the 4th floor (no key card is required to use the lift) which is clearly signposted from the lobby. The receptionist in the Executive Lounge was friendly and the check-in process was quick.

As a Diamond member, I received an upgrade from a standard room to an Executive room.

Room

The Executive room which I was allocated was situated in the new wing, which is connected to the main building by a glass covered footbridge on some floors (the Executive Lounge is situated in the main building rather than the new wing, but the room was just a short walk away).

The room was clean and in a very good condition. Although it overlooked a busy access road, the soundproofing was great and it was not noisy at all.

There were two complimentary bottles of mineral water, but no welcome gift/letter (unlike the Executive room featured in the virtual tour on the hotel website which shows a bottle of red wine, chocolates and welcome letter!).

Bathroom:

One shortcoming was the room service tray which was left uncollected in the corridor outside the room opposite for the entirety of my stay (15 hours).

Executive Lounge

As mentioned by Lifetimeblue, the Executive Lounge is open between 6am to 11pm. Key card access is not required to access the Lounge; however, the member of staff may ask for your room number to check your eligibility.

A virtual tour of the Lounge is available on the hotel’s website at http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-london-gatwick-airport-GATHITW/photo-tours/index.html

Photo of the food/drink self-serve area in the Executive Lounge (afternoon tea selection featured below):

The serving times of breakfast, afternoon tea and evening drinks as stated in Lifetimeblue's comprehensive post remain unchanged.

Breakfast is available from 6 to 10:30am, but a much wider selection of food is available in the Garden Restaurant (see below).

Afternoon tea is available from 2 to 5:30pm. There was a selection of refreshments (including scones with clotted cream, pastries, crisps, cookies peanuts). Unfortunately, the quality was quite disappointing (especially the chocolate chip cookies – I don’t think I’ve ever had such crunchy cookies!).

The Executive Lounge was quite busy when I visited for evening drinks (available from 6:30 to 8:30pm). A variety of alcoholic drinks (prosecco, wine, beer and spirits), soft drinks, tea and coffee were available. The food selection consisted of soup, bread roll, salad, crudités, pasta salad, lentils salad, cold cuts, a cheese platter, pudding and fresh fruit. As noted by basset44, there is no longer any hot dish on offer. Nonetheless, it was adequate as a substitute for a light dinner.

I could only find 2 power sockets in the Lounge (and they were located next to the sofas). I could not find any near the tables, so this may be an issue if you plan to work in the Lounge. There are 2 PCs and a printer which you can use.

Breakfast in the Garden Restaurant

As a Diamond member, I was able to have the full breakfast buffet free of charge in the Garden Restaurant (available from 5:30 to 10:30am daily). There was a great range of cooked English and continental breakfast items.

Location

From the South Terminal/railway station, follow the signs (‘Hotel’ with the blue Hilton logo) to the hotel. The route is covered and step-free. You should allow at least 10 minutes as you need to walk from the terminal building, take a lift and then walk through the car park complex.

Overall

I was satisfied with my stay at Hilton London Gatwick Airport. Although the food selection in the Executive Lounge could be improved, it was adequate. The breakfast buffet in the Garden Restaurant was good. The Executive room in the new wing was quiet, clean and comfortable.