Britannia Europa

Europa Hotel Gatwick 29 Sept 2009-10-31

You get what you pay for.

We booked by phone with Thomas Cook as a Gatwick parking package.

We were going to Cuba and I hate worrying about Motorway problems, queues on the M25 ETC when trying to get Gatwick.

Hells bells the Europa is cheaper for 15 days car parking than many Gatwick Car Parks and you drive up the day before your flight. For £79 plus transfer coach £8 do you expect 5* luxury? There is a printed transfer coach time-table for those of us who care to read so we knew when pick up would be on return from Cuba. There is no need to phone.

We drove up from home Monday afternoon, the sat nav got us to Europa early evening. Finding a parking slot needed a bit of savvy but no problem. A coach of Japanese tourists had just arrived so check in was a tad slow.

We were given our room key and a swift route march found a standard “Travel lodge” room. Loo flushed, shower worked and was hot bed was more than adequate for weary travellers. I went out to put the Car Park form on Dashboard. We had a cup of tea, shower then went for a snack.

The Carvery did not appeal but the bar menu was adequate for a one night stop. Shame there are no steaks Mondays. The Tower of Babel Staff got us in holiday mood and we enjoyed conversation and a few drinks with an American Beef Farmer. Early to bed, early to rise and shuttle bus to Gatwick south no problem..

Frankly we got good value for what we paid and would stay again before a long haul flight. Do moaners really need a Car Park Monitor and extra charges?

We have used this hotel several times before over the years and this was by far the worst experience we have had. The room size / cleanliness are adequate for what you are paying but the beds were very uncomfortable, I could feel the springs (or what was left of them) digging into my ribs.

My wife picked up a stomach upset from the dodgy starter at the carvery upstairs, a great way to start our holiday and it lasted for 4 days. When we reported it to the reception staff they were not bothered - another thing you had to pay for the carvery before you had even seen it! ("thats what the company tell us to do" the waiter said).

Most of the staff just carried out their functions to the minimum - tables left with used crockery / long waits at the bar etc

The transfer timings are too far apart, like another reviewer we had to wait a full hour and half to get picked up following an 8 hour flight - other hotel busses came by us every 15 mins or so....

If price is your only concern then go for it but we will not be staying at this hotel ever again - it has really gone to the dogs over the years

We got a good deal (£35 /night) staying at this hotel. There was supposed to be a free shuttle bus, but it only left once an hour. As it was late and our connecting flight left early the next morning, we caught a taxi which cost £15.50. It is not that close to the airport. The bus also departed infrequently early in the morning, so we had to catch an expensive taxi back to the airport the next morning.

We were unimpressed. The reception staff were rather aloof and unfriendly. The room was quite noisy, as we could hear the floorboards squeak guests in the room above us preparing to leave early in the morning. We also heard doors banging during the night.