Advantages: Car Parking, no noise, close to airport, just what was needed
Disadvantages: Bit small

...Well I have already done an opinion on Crete in general, the hotel I stayed in on the island, and now to continue the series another hotel opinion. This time the Thistle Hotel at Gatwick airport was the first place of stop for the holiday. General ******* Well it may not be the most stylish place to begin a great holiday, but it was sort of essential. We had a flight from London Gatwick airport to Crete’s capital Heraklion for 7:35 in the morning. Coming from the Westcounty it would be a long 3-hour drive to Gatwick to make that sort of time in the morning flight, and not liking early mornings anyway a hotel for the previous night looked a good option. Gatwick airport has several hotels from large chains, so there was plenty of choice. For no particular reason we chose the Thistle Hotel. Ok, so we went of a good reputation... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Easily accessible by road or rail
Disadvantages: does not offer night flights

...I live not far from Gatwick and use it not just as hub to get a plane for A to B but for many other reasons too. I'm originally from Liverpool so I'm not biased. I'm recommending Gatiwick because I feel it puts the other UK airports to shame. Ok it only has one runway. But it has two terminals. Full to the brim of Shops!!!! Which reminds mme to mention that Gatwick is one of the few airports who have bought into the baa worldpoints shceme which allows you to pick up points when spending money in any of the shops, tax-free and before the point of no return. You and then exchange the points for rewards such as upgrade to first class on the gatwick express or as I have exchange them for air miles. Check out www.baa.com for more details. Gatwick like most airports now also allows you to collect your purchased goods... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fast, Clean, buy tickets on the train, with cash, credit card, switch, delta, amex not solo or visa electron. 24hrs, free porters,
Disadvantages: Lack of luggage space (which is being modified for the future)

...At the beginning of the year Gatwick Express recieved the majority of there new Juniper (Electric Trains) 8 in total, at any one time they run 7 trains between the airport and victoria. After many comments from Tourist's and regular commuters on the lack of Luggage space they have recently taken several of the trains out of service to be modified to a higher standard. they also noted that then new trains were a bit bumpy on certain parts of the track to and from the airport making the journey a particulary bumpy one however some of there trains have now been modified to correct this. I also agree with the lady's comment before mine on the lack of refreshments on the new trains which I am told willbe ironed out shortly, at the present time if any customer travels on train numbers 4 or 5 they will now notice that a buffet trolly... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good motorway access, reasonable parking and other facilities
Disadvantages: They just cannot cope with above-average numbers of departing passengers

...Gatwick Airport for me is a must to avoid. I last went through there a year ago and it was a disaster. I note that most of the Ciao reviews were written before the current security measures came into place, when they would have been justifyably more favourable. I hope, but doubt, that it has changed much in the last year, I don't know, because I have taken to using alternative more local airports like Southampton and Bristol, where the staff are more local and people-friendly. No doubt I could go through Gatwick tomorrow, and if I was lucky to get the time of day right, I could sail through and wonder what all the fuss was about. My last experience put me in such a bad frame of mind from the outset of my holiday, that I won't take the risk if I can possibly avoid it. However, that said,later in 2008 I am taking a flight from... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Close to both terminals, clean, friendly staff, value for money
Disadvantages: Food in restaurant average quality for above average price, no machines selling toiletries.

...On our recent trip to Las Vegas, we had to fly from London Gatwick. Living in Wales, driving up on the morning of the flight would have been fraught and not very pleasant, so we decided to do the decent thing and splash out and treat ourselves (!) to a night in a Premier Travel Inn. Our reason for choosing this hotel was simple, we had stayed here last year and we knew the location of the hotel and we had had a good stay in t