Gatwick Airport lounge

[elizadoalittle]

AIBU to want to book an airport lounge before a holiday I've got coming up? I want to treat myself and OH but have no idea about airport lounges. There's one called Aspire and one called NO1, anybody used them, know the difference and can recommend?

Thanks!

They’re ok. Not huge luxury and sometimes a bit overcrowded but I find them nice enough to get some work done in comfort and away from the hurly burly of the main concourse. I have a card through my bank account which gives me access for free. I don’t know if I’d pay for a lounge though.

Overcrowded to the point where we couldn't even sit together.

We always use the airport lounge as it’s generally cheaper than feeding 3 kids at giraffe in the terminal and a far more restful experience

I like them!

Sorry can’t help with Gatwick, but there’s normally a posh one and a not so posh one

Well the actual posh ones tend to be the airline lounges for Business and First class passengers.

You get spoilt, sadly! (My work is not permitted to send me anyway but the cheapest …)

Unless it’s an airline business class lounge they’re a bit rubbish. Overcrowded, boring and food isn’t great. I wouldn’t waste money on it.

If you want a treat book business class flights and then you get a good lounge, or just pick a restaurant in the main airport and have a drink and some nice food before boarding.

Agree with the above. Only the airline ones are worth it. It’s much better to go for a meal and a drink than the pay as you go lounges

Not worth it at all. Cold crap food and limited drinks xx

Depends on whether you will get the benefit of the cost.

I fly out of Manchester a lot and their Aspire lounge is about £20 if you book ahead of time ... for me it's worth it as there is unlimited food and drink, comfy seats, free newspapers, TVs and (most importantly) places to plug in/charge electronics.

When I travel to the airport its about 2.5hrs on the train from home so by the time I get to the airport and get through check in and security I am usually hungry, thirsty and at less than 50% battery on my phone so £20 to while away a couple of hours, recharge my phone, have something to eat and drink is more than worth it considering I'd easily spend that on a meal in one of the terminal restaurants.

They're also good if you are doing layovers or have had a stressful trip to the airport and need to freshen up as lots have shower rooms too. I was once heading to the airport and the train got stuck on the line, overcrowded, in the height of summer and by the time I got to the airport I was a sweaty, overheated mess ... £20 later and I had had a cool shower, freshen up and was tucking into my 3 course lunch while my phone recharged on the table next to me.

I live for airport lounges - gets the trip off to a flying start! While the self service drinks and nibbles is no more thanks to covid - they all do table service which is slightly nicer! Not too sure when you are going but if the Clubrooms at Gatwick is open again, that was the nicest paid lounge. Same owners as Lounge No1. Lounge No1 used to be fantastic a couple of years ago, even gave access to FastTrack lane at Gatwick - then it started to get rammed as loads of companies started including it free as part of deals. It became packed, service nosedived and service was stripped to the bone. Used to do proper meals - now it's a sorry looking bacon sandwich. Clubrooms on the other hand feels more like a proper exclusive airport lounge. Not too sure if they are back open as I know people who had paid for Clubrooms were given a roped off area of Lounge No.1 instead.