Tried & Tested

Lounge review: No1 Lounge Gatwick North

13 Jun 2017 by Tom Otley
Gatwick Bridge

Background

These are the former No 1 Traveller lounges which rebranded as No1 Lounges. The brand managers are insistent that it should be No1 rather than No. 1, which makes it sound like “No-one”; ironic given how busy they normally are. You can read a review from 2011 here

Lounge check: No1 Gatwick – North Terminal

Lounge check: No1 Gatwick – North Terminal

No1 Lounge Gatwick North Seating

Where is it?

The lounge is on level 3 which is the same level you walk into the lounges from at Concourse Level – which is quite confusing.

I got to the lounge late on a Tuesday evening – it was quiet in the terminal and quiet-ish in the lounge – it is open until 2200, but my flight to Rwanda was one of the last scheduled to leave Gatwick – with only an Easyjet flight and an Emirates one after my 2130 departure.

No1 Lounge Gatwick North

The lounge is a large one, and encouragingly after having your details checked for admittance (or having paid for entry), you then turn left (the glass doors through to the area ahead were shut for the evening), walk along a corridor and straight to the circular bar. It was particularly encouraging since it was empty, so without even putting down my bag or beginning the never-ending search for somewhere to plug in my phone, I could order a drink.

I should mention that on the way to the bar, if you can tear away your gaze, you will pass the Library to your right, and which is restricted to over 12s.

The bar is surrounded by leather chairs and beyond the bar, down some steps, there is a buffet food area. Beyond that, to the left is a restaurant area (quite large). To the right is the main sitting area and good views since the lounge is situated at the corner of the building and you can watch the aircraft taxi out to the runway.

I didn’t take many photos, so here is a video I once shot in the lounge. It was when we flew out from Gatwick with Easyjet to view the Northern Lights. It’s a story for another day….

Your experience of the lounge will obviously depend on the time of day you are there, who you are with, and whether you want to work or relax. But then, isn’t that true of life? I’ve been here many times over the past few years, and I’ve seen it very crowded or almost empty (and even had a lecture on the aurora borealis). On this occasion it was almost empty, which paradoxically made it quite difficult to take photos of since there were a few families in there. The Library is for over 12s, so assuming you are, and have no under 12s with you, it might be somewhere to hide out. I noticed there was a predominance of single men in there, so I assume that was the reason.

The link here has a slideshow of images.

Food:

There a food menu throughout the day, with a choice of… (get ready for the menu)…

Help Yourself or Made to Order.

Before 11 that’s Croissants & pain au chocolat (v); Greek yoghurt with toppings (v, g); Cereals (v) and Fruit salad (v). After 11 it’s a selection of bar snacks (vv), handmade cakes and tray bakes (v)(n)(including gluten-free brownies). Made to order is bacon roll (available all day, gluten-free and dairy-free on request); beans on toast (v)(vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free on request), crêpe Florentine (v), toast & preserves (v)(vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free on request), porridge (v). Made to order: Moroccan chicken (dairy-free on request), salmon, mango & lime salad (d), aubergine & fennel lasagne (v), fish finger sandwich (dairy-free on request), Greek salad flatbread (v)(dairy-free on request), Ploughman’s lunch (v)(gluten-free on request)

Drinks

Complimentary – Di Maria Prosecco. Whites: Luccello Pinot Grigio and Tariquet Classic White. Reds,

Real Rubio Rioja and La Serre du Haut Red. Rose: Rivertone Tannat/Cabernet Sauvignon Rose

Draught beer, Chapel Down Curious Brew; Estrella and Meantime London Pale Ale. There are lots of bottles of beer and also Stowford Press cider (draught).

Champagne is available by the glass for £6 with a bottle of Castlenau Brut Reserve for £30 and Veuve Cliquot or Moet et Chandon for £48.

There is free, unlimited wifi.

VERDICT

A good spot to wait for your flight – at the end of the day it looks a little tired but that might just have been my eyes, and the food selection wasn’t great, though I could have ordered something from the extensive menu.

PRICE

£30 for three hours when booked online (£16 for children). If you need to stay longer you have to pay by the hour. Note that access to Premium Security lane is being removed from September 1, 2017

OPENING HOURS

0400-2200 daily.

CONTACT

no1lounges.com/

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