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Airport Hotel With Runway Views and Good Wifi Wasn't Worth $272 a Night
source link: https://www.businessinsider.com/sofitel-airport-hotel-runway-views-good-wifi-business-travelers-review-2022-10
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Finding a suitable place to work while passing through an airport is essential for any business traveler. I had high hopes when I checked into the Sofitel, at London's Gatwick Airport. I planned to catch up on some work, before leaving early the next day.
The Sofitel, one of several owned by the hospitality group Accor, is attached to the airport's North Terminal and located within minutes of the check-in desks. It offers runway views and should be well suited for business travelers, with meeting rooms able to hold 300 people, according to its website.
Sofitel has different room options. As a solo traveler, staying for one night, I opted for a standard superior room with breakfast included, which cost £240 (around $272) based on the rates at the time.
I checked in at 2 pm. Sofitel usually asks guests to pay at the hotel, but I asked to pay in advance over the phone. As I'd booked online check-in was smooth and I had the key to my room within less than a minute of approaching the desk.
The hotel is a lot more expensive than I'd usually book during trips. The tall lobby, with its marble floors, plush seats, and inner-facing windows, certainly felt luxurious, even if the hotel was pretty quiet.
The hotel's cocktail bar, French brasserie, and conference space are all accessed through the central lobby. It looked quite impressive from the glass elevator.
My room — on the seventh floor of the 518-room hotel — was spacious, and the chaise lounge and soft armchair meant there was plenty of space to relax. The complimentary WiFi was fast and accessed without a code.
People looking for something different could pay extra (£20 based on rates at the time of writing) for a room with runway views, or upgrade to a luxury room, or suite. I didn't pay extra for the runway views, but my room did overlook the terminal and shuttle station.
There was plenty of storage for suits and bags as well as a safe for belongings.
Any guest in need could make use of the hotel's laundry service.
The bathroom, with its contrasting black and white granite, was massive.
It had a walk-in waterfall shower, and plenty of spare towels.
There was also good selection of complimentary soaps and shampoos.
Because I was intending to catch up on a couple of hours of work I was disappointed to find there was no desk in the room – just an armchair and small table. Initially, it was relatively comfortable, but after a few hours it felt cramped and my back started to ache. (As I would later find out, it didn't have to be this way).
Despite the small desk, the room was quiet and I was able to complete a few hours of undistracted work in the afternoon — the complimentary coffee was definitely welcome help, even if there weren't many instant sachets.
Luckily the ginormous queen-sized bed was plump and had plenty of extra pillows.
It was comfortable, and I slept well. Despite being right next to the busy terminal and above a car park, I didn't hear any noise.
Breakfast the next morning was served in the Brasserie downstairs. Continental service started at 5:30 a.m, with cooked food being served between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m.
There was a wide choice of pastries, fruit, and cooked options. The buffet was unlimited and the service was excellent.
After breakfast I checked out with minimal fuss, using the rapid checkout service, and set off for the departure check-in desk, within the North Terminal.
The hotel's location is super convenient and was easy to navigate the way to the terminal. Most of the roughly three-minute journey to the desk was through a covered walkway.
There were baggage trolleys just outside the entrance, which is helpful for those with heavy bags.
Anyone needing to transfer to the South Terminal could do so easily via the shuttle service, which was on the way to the North Terminal.
Overall the hotel was comfortable, had great WiFi, and had interesting airport views. It definitely felt luxurious and would have been perfect for anyone traveling for leisure or with family. However, the lack of a proper desk was disappointing.
Working from an armchair, felt a bit like I was working from a cafe, not a premium hotel room.
A Sofitel employee told me that housekeeping can put a desk in rooms "upon request" during the booking process. They added that the service is free but not guaranteed all the time, for example during busy periods. I'd used this box while booking, to ask for air con to be left on (which it was). Had it been clearer I would have asked for a desk as well.
If you're in need of a solid base to catch up on work I'd definitely recommend the hotel to any business travelers. Just make sure you remember to ask for a proper desk beforehand.
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