BLOC Hotel at Gatwick Airport - Review

Before an early flight from Gatwick Airport last year I stayed in the Yotel at Gatwick South Terminal, where I spent the night in a very clever little cabin which nevertheless left me slightly claustrophobic. This time I tried the BLOC Hotel which has a range of room and cabin types, some with windows and slightly larger, and some designed for families. I booked a standard double room without a window for £72, which was about £10 more expensive than a Yotel cabin for the same night.

The BLOC Hotel is located within Gatwick's South Terminal, the terminal which is used by British Airways and the site of the Gatwick railway station. Access from the railway station is easy - head into the concourse, straight ahead following signs to BLOC Hotel and Departures, then take a lift up to the 3rd floor reception. Reception is literally right next to the entrance to security for departures. Staff were friendly and efficient, and equipped with a card key I headed back to the lift and up to the 8th floor. I was very fortunate and had been upgraded to a room with a window.

Smaller than a normal hotel room but a good size for a cabin, the room had a big window in the wall above the long double bed. With a wide view of green woods and hills, and closer at hand the airport buildings (I couldn't see the runway), I could watch the transit rail shuttle heading off to the North Terminal, and I enjoyed a very fine sunset.

The room's minimal fittings included a cube stool under a bedside table which doubled as a small desk, hooks and a couple of clothes hangers. There was a big mirror, a TV screen over the foot of the bed and a touchscreen to control lights, air conditioning and shutters. There were several electricity sockets, though no USB charging points. Two free bottles of water were provided, and a booklet of discounts for food and drink outlets on either side of security, including 10% off in the M&S food shop.

The bathroom was decent - or so I thought, till I discovered that the toilet seat had not been thoroughly cleaned (hopefully a one-off error, as everywhere else the cleaning seemed good). Soap and shower gel were provided, and a hair drier. To make full use of the limited space, there was a huge overhead shower turning the bathroom into a wetroom, with the option of a smaller handheld shower head. Of course, this design had the consequence of leaving everything in the bathroom wet, with pools of water over the floor, which is inconvenient if you or a companion want to re-enter the bathroom. There were tinted glass panels between the bedroom and bathroom and although they'd added a kind of modesty band, it wouldn't guarantee complete privacy.

The bed was very comfortable and my room remarkably quiet, apart from a faint constant hum from extractors or machinery outside. I used earplugs, though I don't think most people would bother, and I slept very well.

I thought the BLOC Hotel was an excellent solution to an early departure or late arrival. Its position within the terminal removes any extra hassle when you're tired. If I were travelling hand-luggage-only or had checked in the night before, I could have stepped directly from the hotel entrance into the departures security lane. My upgraded room was more comfortable than the Yotel cabin I'd previously stayed in - but more expensive too. I'd have appreciated the default provision of USB chargers, a shower cap (given the ceiling-mounted shower) and an alarm feature via the touchscreen. But overall the facilities were practical and suited to purpose. Providing free water was a nice touch and the staff were friendly.

Although staying in a hotel before or after a flight does add to the cost of a journey, it saves stress and sleeplessness, can help you get the most from your time away, and may be an economic option depending on flight times and prices, and the cost of hotels in your destination. On this occasion I was up shortly after 5am, showered, checked in, headed through security, had breakfast in the lounge, took off at 7.30am and was in Venice with plenty of energy to enjoy most of a lovely sunny Sunday. I'd book either the Yotel or the BLOC Hotel again, choosing between them based on availability and budget. The range of room types at the BLOC Hotel can suit either no-nonsense budget travellers, or those looking for something closer to a traditional hotel room - many will think it's worth paying a bit more to have a window and a little more space. I quite enjoyed my short stay.

> Gatwick BLOC Hotel
> BA flights to Italy 2017

British Airways flights to Italy 2017

The season for summer flights has started, and some very appealing Italian destinations are now only a short journey away. I usually travel by British Airways and it's frustratingly hard to find a comprehensive list of their flights to Italian destinations along with dates and frequency. If you know where you want to travel, you can carry out a search to find the best flights for your dates. To find the cheapest destinations, BA's Low Price Finder is a useful tool, though you can't limit your search to Italian airports only. For an overview, I've compiled this listing of British Airways flights to Italy in 2017.

Venice - photo taken during the approach to landing

Please note that I may have made errors,  BA may change their schedule, and prices will inevitably rise. However, I hope this is largely accurate and will help travellers come up with ideas for travelling to Italy - and getting off the beaten track.

All these flights are from London, as unfortunately BA operates very few direct Italy flights from non-London airports. (Bristol and Birmingham to Florence are exceptions). BA's flights to 'leisure' destinations usually operate from Gatwick, with business-oriented routes (e.g. Milan, Rome) tending to depart from Heathrow. Flight times to Italy range from under two hours to just over 3 hours.

The cheapest prices are hand-baggage only. The cost of flights can vary dramatically; some airports which are popular either for holidays or business conferences will have some extremely high prices, while other airports with frequent flights and steadier demand (including Venice) tend to have affordable flights throughout the year. If you are flexible with your dates and times, and book ahead, it is possible to find cheap flights, with returns for £100 or less. Don't forget that BA no longer provide any sustenance to standard-class passengers (Euro Traveller), so you'll need to budget for food and drink onboard, or bring your own.

British Airways destinations in Italy 2017

From London Gatwick (LGW) unless otherwise specified

Year-round

Bologna

Bologna (from Heathrow) - daily - all year round - from £42.

Florence - daily - all year round - from £47. (Flights from Gatwick and London City airport,  operated by Vueling and BA CityFlyer)

Genoa - varies, up to daily - all year round - from £39.

Milan Linate (from Heathrow and occasionally London City and Stansted) - daily - all year round - from £38.

Milan Malpensa (from Heathrow) - daily - all year round - from £38.

Naples - almost daily - all year round - from £41.

Pisa - daily - all year round - from £52.

Rome Fiumicino (from Heathrow) - daily - all year round - from £40.

Turin - daily - all year round - from £38.

Venice (from Gatwick, Heathrow and occasionally London City Airport) - daily - all year round - from £38.

Verona - almost daily - all year round - from £30.




Seasonal

Bari - 4 times a week - 27 March-22 October - from £52.

Palermo

Brindisi - twice a week - 27 May-23 Sep - from £41.

Cagliari, Sardinia - between 4 and 6 times a week - 27 April-23 October - from £52.

Catania, Sicily - daily  26 March-23 October - from £58 each way. (This flight earns double BAEC tier points)

Olbia, Sardinia - from 4 times a week - 9 April-27 September - from £50.

Palermo, Sicily (from Heathrow) - 3 times a week - 26 March-22 October - from £46.

Other routes

BA lounge at Gatwick

This year BA also operate seasonal flights:
From Birmingham to Florence on Saturdays
From Bristol to Florence on Saturdays.

I'm not aware of any other regional destinations in the UK with direct BA flights to Italy. Other airlines, of course - most notably Easyjet and Ryanair - operate many useful routes from various UK and Irish destinations to Italian airports, including some off-the-beaten track airports not reached by BA.


> Italian airports - a brief guide with suggestions for tourist destinations covered by each airport
> British Airways