Plane Spotting Gatwick

The Bloc is a firm favorite with enthusiasts visiting Gatwick Airport. The hotel is located on the roof terrace of the old south terminal in a location next to the old spectators area.

The hotel is high tech and offer hotel guests the opportunity to use their smart phone to unlock the hotel door and work the room lighting, air con and TV ! For those without a smartphone, the rooms will also be equipped with Samsung tablets, embedded in the walls, that offer the same functionality.

Great views can be had from the hotel. Select end rooms will look out over the south terminal apron area and inter terminal taxiway, whilst rooms on one side will look out towards the runway. Most movements will be readable with binoculars, flight tracking will be useful at night (the hotel offers free wireless)

Report 1. Stayed at the bloc on the 29th October had room 846 fantastic view over apron. On our return stayed in room 844 with full view of the apron and the threshold of runway 26. 1 point take an extension lead with you if you wish your sbs be working while having visual of planes. Credit Richard Young.

Report 2 :BLOC HOTEL – I stayed here for the fifth time & was once again very happy with the room I chose, I chose an Aspire double room & paid £110 for the night.
Because of the location of these Aspire rooms you are guaranteed an airport ramp view as being on the corners of the building they are dual aspect, if you are lucky enough to be on the runway side of the building you will also be able to see landing traffic quite clearly. The Wi-Fi is fast & free which is an added bonus. The room has only one chair with a ‘cushioned bench’ below the window, so can seat two – altho if you are sitting you cannot see out of the windows as they then are above shoulder height. Discount vouchers are provided in the room for various establishments within the terminal should you need to venture out for coffee etc. The bed was very comfortable & I had a great nights sleep – even with all those a/c outside! Credit Beech Lad

Report 3 : Room 844 in the Bloc Hotel is the best. Fantastic views over almost all of the airport and another window which gives views of aircraft landing on 26L. If they are landing on 08R you can see them lining up for miles. Very nice rooms too. Credit Chris 789.

With an airport facing room you won’t have any problems reading off most of the movements.

Report 1: SOFITEL HOTEL – I stayed here for one night prior to flying out the next . The earliest time available for room check in was 1400 (I arrived at 1200 & had to wait) My room was on level 7 & had a good view over the ramp area of south terminal. All landing/departing traffic was visable, photography was possible but not ideal. The room was comfortable & well furnished, but for the price paid (£180) I think I’ll stick to the Bloc for my next LGW nightstop. I requested a late check out as I had an evening flight but declined to take it up as it would have cost an extra £50. Food in the hotel is expensive so I would recommend eating in the North terminal. Credit Beech Lad

If you are looking to make your own travel arrangements please click on Booking.com to be taken directly to the hotel information page which gives you the option to book your runway view room for peace of mind.

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On Northern Perimeter in walking distance of the terminal. The hotel advises that hotel car parking is not available and advises customers to park in the North Terminal Short Stay Car Park which is offered at a discounted rate of around £19.50 (Dec 2012 price) to hotel guests.

This hotel usually allows early check in (subject to availability) for a fee of 10 pounds. 

Higher rooms better. The top 3rd floor is definitely needed in the summer due to the trees in front of the room, in winter when the trees are bare you may get away with a lower floor. When on 26 lander’s can be seen and read off in daylight with a telescope, departures off 26 can be seen by walking down to the end window in the corridor. When landing on 08 arrivals can be read with a telescope in daylight. A flighttracker is required at night time. Reported rooms with views are :136 138 139 141 143 145 237 239 240 242 244 246 248 342 344 346 348 350 352 354 356

Room 860 also has confimed views as the video below demonstrates

Note that rooms on the top 10th floor facing the airport have just the one king sized bed. 

Views of landing and departing traffic possible from 5th or 6th floor rooms facing the airport (family rooms only on these floors-if booking a room, put down 3 adults and 1 child in the booking to get one of these rooms!!! Sometimes works,sometimes doesn’t!)

SBS advisable good bins/scope required to stand chance of reading off. Try and request room in advance with hotel directly. Lower floor rooms will have views obscured by trees. No views of Terminals or runway possible from any rooms

So for rooms you’ll need