News

The International Arrivals Lounge, Gatwick Airport

14 Jun 2007 by business traveller

Where is it?
Within the Sofitel hotel at Gatwick's North Terminal, attached to the terminal building by a covered walkway. Passengers should follow the signs for the hotel on arrival, and once inside the lobby, walk across to the far side, and take the glass lift down one floor to the lounge. It is slightly strange having to pass through a hotel to get to an airport arrivals lounge, but regular passengers will be used to this as the new lounge replaces the previous arrival facilities within the hotel, which were located on the 1st floor for Delta passengers, and the 7th floor for BA customers.

Who can use it?
BA and Emirates business and first class passengers, and Delta Business Elite customers. There is a possibility that other airlines may be added to the list in the future, including Continental, which has recently moved all its Gatwick departures to the North terminal, although at present its arrivals continue to come into the South terminal (where Continental has its own lounge).

Opening Hours
Daily 5am – 1pm

First Impressions
Exiting the lift passengers arrive at the reception area to their left, and then pass through into the bright, airy lounge. The window area and glass lift into the lounge are actually an extension onto the original Sofitel building, replacing an outdoor water feature, and the main relaxation area (complete with imitation open fire) is located on what was once the hotel's swimming pool. The decor is smart and simple, with black, grey and beige being the predominant colour scheme, along with burgundy leather sofas. When I used the lounge at around 10am it was almost empty - the busiest hours are from 6am – 10am, coinciding with most of the arrivals for the three airlines.

Lounge facilities
There are four main areas to the lounge – a sofa relaxation area with the open fire, a breakfast bar, a seating area in the window space, and a separate business room. The breakfast bar offers a wide range of continental fare, although there is no cooked breakfast option which is a shame, and there is a coffee machine and fridge with juices, soft drinks, etc. There are various complimentary magazines laid out on tables in the window seating area, including business titles such as The Economist and Business Traveller, and a flatscreen TV on the wall. The computer room has a handful of wired internet connections (complimentary – wifi is available in the lounge through Intertouch although this is chargeable), a bank of computers connect to the internet and a printer, and several telephones offering free local calls.

Washroom facilities
There are 19 individual washrooms or "cabanas" located behind the reception area. The rooms are very generous in size and compare favourably with facilities I have used before such as the Virgin Revivals lounge at Heathrow. They are spotlessly clean, and equipped with a power shower, toilet, basin area with Keijl amenities, luggage stand, and a double sided service hatch on the door into which visitors can place shirts or suits for them to be pressed while they freshen up.

Other services
Visitors have access to the hotel's gym through a separate entrance accessed by a keycard from reception. Those arriving on an early morning flight and staying that night at the Sofitel can also take advantage of "Sunrise check-in", allowing visitors to effectively check-in whilst in the lounge, and leave their luggage there while they go to a meeting or appointment. Once their room is available luggage will be transferred, meaning guests simply need to collect their room key when they return later in the day. In addition visitors are entitled to a voucher offering 10 per cent off accommodation rates, which can either be used for that stay, or at any point over the next 12 months.

Verdict
An arrivals lounge can often be more use to business passengers than a departure lounge, as it gives those on their way to meetings directly from the airport the chance to change, shower, have breakfast and general recover from their flight. Given this the new Gatwick lounge is welcome addition, particularly considering the limited arrivals facilities previously available at the hotel. The cabanas provide plenty of space to get changed and sort out luggage on arrival, and the lounge area is bright enough to wake anyone up after a long flight.

Contact
International Arrivals Lounge, Sofitel London Gatwick Airport; tel +44 (0)1293 555 128; email [email protected]

Mark Caswell

Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls