Tom Newcombe HAMPTON BY HILTON, GATWICK
THE HAMPTON BY HILTON IS LOCATED at Gatwick airport’s north terminal. It is five minutes – via the free shuttle train – from the south terminal and mainline railway station, which has services to central London taking around 30 minutes. The hotel offers parking for £20 per day. Direct coach services operate between Gatwick (north and south terminals) and Heathrow. Free wifi is available throughout the property.
ROOMS: The hotel’s 192 rooms are what you would expect from the brand: a basic minimal feel with everything finished to a high standard. The queen double rooms come with a king-size bed, 32-inch flat-screen TV, tea- and coffee-making facilities, safe and desk. The bathroom features a rainshower, bathrobe and slippers, and Hampton’s own Purity Basics range of toiletries. BARS AND RESTAURANTS: A complimentary breakfast is available and includes hot
bacon and egg breakfast rolls, large selection of fruit, pastries and soft drinks. The hotel also offers a breakfast bag – convenient if you have an early morning flight to catch. The bar in the lobby serves a wide selection of drinks and a limited bar menu is available until midnight. BUSINESS FACILITIES: The hotel’s only meeting room seats up to 16 people and can be hired by the hour, with rates including audio-visual equipment. It also has a business centre – a room with
Longbridge House North Terminal, London, RH6 0PJ • +44 1293 579999 •
hamptoninn3.hilton.com
two computers, printer, fax and photocopying service – and an express mail service. LEISURE/AMENITIES:
The hotel has a fitness centre with a selection of gym equipment including running machines, bikes and free weights, and is open 24 hours. There is a laundry service, safety deposit box and foreign exchange facility. The Hampton by Hilton at Gatwick is also excellent for guests with accessibility needs – offering accessible rooms and access to all public areas.
VERDICT: This no-frills hotel is a budget alternative to some of the other airport hotels at Gatwick and is perfect for travellers who are arriving late and leaving for an early morning flight. Despite lacking facilities you would find at its sister Hilton property located at the south terminal, the Hampton by Hilton Gatwick has still ensured all guest rooms and public areas are finished to a high standard. The service from the multi-lingual staff was excellent.
Tom Newcombe HOTEL FOOTBALL
99 Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester M16 0SZ • +44 161 751 0430 •
hotelfootball.com
HOTEL FOOTBALL IS THE BRAINCHILD of former Manchester United stars Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs. The 133-room property is situated opposite the football club’s stadium, Old Trafford. It’s a 15-minute drive to the city centre, or trams from the tram stop close by have a journey time of around 10 minutes.
ROOMS: The hotel has 133 rooms divided between standard and executive – both offer free car parking. The standard rooms are equipped with king-size bed, rainshower, bespoke ‘class of 92’ toiletries, 40-inch TV with full Sky package, and free wifi. Executive rooms have additional features such as a bath, bath robe and slippers together with a personal SMEG fridge filled with complimentary retro sweets and chocolate bars. RESTAURANTS AND BARS: Café Football is the hotel’s restaurant with a high-end twist on terrace-style cuisine offering quality burgers, a chargrilled chicken dish called ‘The Special One’, and a Welsh lamb dish named ‘The Wizard’ after Giggs, to name a few. The
122 BBT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
breakfast buffet includes all the usual cooked options as well as a cold meat selection. There is an outdoor seating area with views of the imposing stadium. The menu was created and overseen by chef Michael Wignall, who has two Michelin stars to his name, and group executive head chef Brendan Fyles. BUSINESS FACILITIES: The hotel has four different areas for meetings and events. The Old Trafford Supporters’ Club can be used for large functions with a maximum capacity of 600. The Stadium Suite seats 300 for dinner and the Players Lounge is a break-out space used for drinks receptions or networking events. There is also a rooftop five-a-side pitch called Heaven, which can be booked for incentive days.
LEISURE FACILITIES: As this is Hotel Football, expect Sky Sports on every available TV screen and pool tables in the Old Trafford Supporters’ club bar. VERDICT: Don’t be put off by the name and theme of the hotel; this is an excellent property with quality at every turn. As you would expect it’s football, football, football throughout – but don’t think it will just be groups of boisterous fans clogging up the hotel; there is a business-style feel about the place and the quality of companies signed up to hold events there suggests that I am not alone in that view. Throw in a good menu and friendly staff (majority of which are from local job centres and disadvantaged backgrounds), and you have a winning hotel.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
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