Hilton London Gatwick Airport {GBR}
Jun 14, 2018, 10:36 am
#301
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: CAMRA GGL (Gold Card Holder/Lifetime membership)
Posts: 727
Yes, you can cancel online check-in during the check in process...once you see what room you are able to pick, if it is not an upgrade, simply quit the app or cancel that stage and it will ask you to confirm quitting online check-in, do this and exit. No issues whatsoever in doing this and then checking in at the hotel.
Agree that this hotel tends to upgrade diamonds to the new wing (only stayed a few times but every time this was the case) and yes, you'll get exec lounge access as diamond in any case, regardless of the room you go in.
Enjoy, hope you get to see whether Hilton will be better for your travel patterns and frequency than what you have used in the past. There are a lot of hotels, the benefits of diamond are the guaranteed lounge access and free breakfast, room upgrades are hit and miss.
Safe travels.
Agree that this hotel tends to upgrade diamonds to the new wing (only stayed a few times but every time this was the case) and yes, you'll get exec lounge access as diamond in any case, regardless of the room you go in.
Enjoy, hope you get to see whether Hilton will be better for your travel patterns and frequency than what you have used in the past. There are a lot of hotels, the benefits of diamond are the guaranteed lounge access and free breakfast, room upgrades are hit and miss.
Safe travels.
Jun 14, 2018, 12:08 pm
#302
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,680
thanks so much. So to get this right in my head if I start the process on the app and it doesn’t show an upgraded room then I can still cancel the check in process and do it at the hotel?
Diamond status is nice but I won’t be able to maintain it and only have this stay at a Hilton property planned for the foreseeable. . So have to make the most of it
Aug 24, 2018, 10:25 am
#303
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Midwest U.S.A
Programs: Too many to list. Since the early 90's.
Posts: 1,407
I'm sure you posted with good intentions, but apart from this first statement, the rest of the post is inaccurate or just incorrect.
The ticket machines sell most common tickets, but they may not always sell the best value ticket, and often they invite you to purchase a more expensive ticket when a cheaper one, which is hard or impossible to find, is also valid.
In many cases, an Oyster or contactless bank card will be the best value. For these, off-peak and peak times are simply based on the time you touch in at the ticket barriers of the origin station. If you touch in between 0634-0928 and 1604-1858 on working days, you will be charged the peak fare.
There are no off-peak paper one-way tickets. There is no afternoon peak period for paper tickets on this route.
Off-peak paper return tickets are valid for any train that arrives at a London Terminals station after 0950. Off-peak paper travelcards are generally valid from the 0933 departure to London Bridge. These tickets can be used to enter stations until 0430 the next morning. There may be some obscure tickets with different restrictions.
Your prices are out of date by several years.
A one-day travelcard does not allow unlimited travel between Gatwick and London. It allows one return trip from the origin to the destination and unlimited travel within London zones 1-6.
A typical weekday's daytime schedule includes are 4 Gatwick Express-branded trains and 5 Southern-branded trains every hour to Victoria. There are also 4 Thameslink-branded trains per hour to London Bridge, and 2 to 4 Thameslink-branded trains per hour to Blackfriars/Farringdon/St Pancras and onwards.
The ticket machines sell most common tickets, but they may not always sell the best value ticket, and often they invite you to purchase a more expensive ticket when a cheaper one, which is hard or impossible to find, is also valid.
In many cases, an Oyster or contactless bank card will be the best value. For these, off-peak and peak times are simply based on the time you touch in at the ticket barriers of the origin station. If you touch in between 0634-0928 and 1604-1858 on working days, you will be charged the peak fare.
There are no off-peak paper one-way tickets. There is no afternoon peak period for paper tickets on this route.
Off-peak paper return tickets are valid for any train that arrives at a London Terminals station after 0950. Off-peak paper travelcards are generally valid from the 0933 departure to London Bridge. These tickets can be used to enter stations until 0430 the next morning. There may be some obscure tickets with different restrictions.
Your prices are out of date by several years.
A one-day travelcard does not allow unlimited travel between Gatwick and London. It allows one return trip from the origin to the destination and unlimited travel within London zones 1-6.
A typical weekday's daytime schedule includes are 4 Gatwick Express-branded trains and 5 Southern-branded trains every hour to Victoria. There are also 4 Thameslink-branded trains per hour to London Bridge, and 2 to 4 Thameslink-branded trains per hour to Blackfriars/Farringdon/St Pancras and onwards.
So are you saying the timetable that I can currently download from the Gatwick Express website is also out of date, since some of the previous poster's comment lines up with their timetable. For instance, is it not true that the Gatwick Express leaves London Victoria Station to Gatwick (South Terminal) every 30 minutes? Yes, pricing changes, but I don't care about that as much as time.
Aug 24, 2018, 10:33 am
#304
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Midwest U.S.A
Programs: Too many to list. Since the early 90's.
Posts: 1,407
Is Hampton Gatwick now the better points option even for those of us who need to leave from the South Terminal to Europe destinations? I understand Hampton has a free shuttle to the south terminal anyhow, so until the Hilton is finished with their update/construction/refirb in 2020/2021, maybe I should stay at the Hampton even though I come from London on the Gatwick Express and that comes into the south terminal, therefore I'd have to wait 15 minutes until the Hampton shuttle arrives to pick me up which is fine to me under the circumstances. I mostly care about a good night's sleep in a firm/newer mattress and it sounds like the Hilton hasn't updated their bedding in many years (lumping worn out/ kill your lower back bed). Is this a fair assessment? I'll be their in the summer of 2019 and don't want to be around construction noise or dust. We're Gold/Diamond HH.
Aug 27, 2018, 2:04 pm
#305
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 284
You'd be better off getting the Gatwick inter-terminal rail - point to point every 3mins than any hotel shuttle. I departed North but stayed at South Hilton this weekend.
Just to update - as a Diamond I got a room in the new wing and visited the exec lounge. They've 'enhanced' away afternoon tea for a flapjack and biscuits. During happy hour the sparkling wine has gone, with spring rolls or wings being your hot food options. Very happy for 79GBP though for the night.
Just to update - as a Diamond I got a room in the new wing and visited the exec lounge. They've 'enhanced' away afternoon tea for a flapjack and biscuits. During happy hour the sparkling wine has gone, with spring rolls or wings being your hot food options. Very happy for 79GBP though for the night.
Aug 27, 2018, 4:29 pm
#306
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Priority Club Plat, Accor Gold, Flying Blue, Exec Club.
Posts: 963
Have quite regularly received junior suites or deluxe family rooms here (deluxe family are very large one room with extra beds). If the rate is right, it is good for on airport at Gatwick. I also feel that even if the lounge has been reduced, it is still quite a bit more than what you receive at the Hampton..... although the Hampton location can be very convenient if in a rush. Personally, I don't like to rush that much!
Aug 28, 2018, 12:46 pm
#307
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
So are you saying the timetable that I can currently download from the Gatwick Express website is also out of date, since some of the previous poster's comment lines up with their timetable. For instance, is it not true that the Gatwick Express leaves London Victoria Station to Gatwick (South Terminal) every 30 minutes? Yes, pricing changes, but I don't care about that as much as time.
Since then, trains on this route operated with severe delays and cancellation of sometimes more than half of planned trains. Emergency timetables had to be issued with reduced services. The service pattern and the times of trains that actually run may now be quite different from what is advertised or planned.
I believe that they tried to minimise disruption to Gatwick Express-branded services.
Aug 29, 2018, 7:49 am
#308
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,586
Without a doubt, Hilton LGW has the worst lounge I've ever visited in Europe. The worst beds in recent memory, the slightest movement woke me up because it creaked so much. Carpets filthy.
It's just a craphole.
Hope the DT will be an improvement.
It's just a craphole.
Hope the DT will be an improvement.
Aug 29, 2018, 10:34 am
#309
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
Just to update - as a Diamond I got a room in the new wing and visited the exec lounge. They've 'enhanced' away afternoon tea for a flapjack and biscuits. During happy hour the sparkling wine has gone, with spring rolls or wings being your hot food options. Very happy for 79GBP though for the night.
Aug 29, 2018, 4:51 pm
#310
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards Blue :-(, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, GHA Platinum
Posts: 2,531
They used to offer drink coupons to the bar even for golds .The last time i stayed there in late 2016 this was 'enhanced'down to a bottle of water. The brand name was HILDON..^_^
I suspect it might have been enhanced further.
I have another stay in 2 weeks and will report here..
I suspect it might have been enhanced further.
I have another stay in 2 weeks and will report here..
Aug 30, 2018, 8:57 am
#311
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
Is Hampton Gatwick now the better points option even for those of us who need to leave from the South Terminal to Europe destinations? ... I mostly care about a good night's sleep in a firm/newer mattress and it sounds like the Hilton hasn't updated their bedding in many years (lumping worn out/ kill your lower back bed).
I agree this is the worst lounge in Europe but I recently stayed at Manchester Deansgate and was very disappointed in the lounge - the only reason it beats LGW for me is the view.
One good thing about the Hilton vs the Hampton is the breakfast. It's quite substantial and even if you need to pay they were charging £10 on the door, that's less than the normal rate at every other UK Hilton I've noticed and often the Hampton is over £10 more than the Hilton... But I guess if you can't guarantee a new wing room, the Hampton may be more desirable.