hello all, can anyone recommend a decent hotel, easy access to Gatwick , but more importantly (?) with , or near, a good restaurant for a nice meal on the night before our flight.

thanks,

Stay near Victoria, get the Gatwick Express! Plenty of choice in SW1

thanks captn'.. but we're flying in from Geneva the night before, and need to be at the airport by 6am.

we really want somewhere close by to get a decent meal and then lay our heads down.

grynch, my suggestion was based partially on where I live when in London. I'm near to Victoria and often have to get an early flight from Gatwick. As such, 0600 at the airport isn't at all bad for me!

If you're after being near the airport, though, there's really not a great deal I can think of. To be honest, if it's a meal and a lie down you're after, just settle for the best deal you can get at an airport hotel.

'fair enuf… thanks.

mrs and I have stayed at a few hotels near Gatwick before and no real surprise we've always been let down by the restaurants. Starting a holiday we always hope to go off on the right foot and have a nice meal but again we've been let down so I just keep hoping and trying for that good recommendation.

Tony Tobin's got a restaurant in Reigate, about 10 mins from Gatwick up the A217. Called The Dining Rooms

http://www.tonytobinrestaurants.com/

There's also a decent Spanish place (The Parador) and a well recommended french place (La Barbe) but I've never eaten here myself personally

http://www.paradorrestaurant.co.uk/

http://www.labarbe.co.uk

thansk for the tips…. but I could do without the French place. *L*

Lots of good country pubs nearby. Details available via google I'm sure

The Bell at Outwood

The Plough at St Johns in Redhill (fab pies)

The Plough near Dorking (Blackbrook lane)

Otherwise – The Parador (as above) is really good for Tapas.

Oh and Ruchita in Earslwood is our fave curry house

HTH

TM

theres a cracking chinese at the sofitel which is within the terminal, not too expensive either…

thanks twig.. but are these pubs you know and can recommend or just random finds off of google?

and thanks speedfreak

I've eaten as most of twig'ers recommendations, in the past, they're all good. The Bell at Outwood was excellent when I last ate there last, some years ago to be honest. The Dining Rooms in Reigate is fine dining, it will have to be booked I'm sure, also it will cost. The trouble is none of the recommendations are that close to Gatwick, a cab ride 5-7 miles each way average. I would just put up with the hotel restuarant, it's only one night.

The Plough at Rusper may be worth a google, phone call, or the Star in same said village 3 miles Gatwick.

woodsman, 5-7 miles I can cope with if it meaning avoiding yet another food service meal thrown in the microwave by some "chef" at Ramada, Aurora, et al.

and thanks for the tip about the Plough… we'll look into them all tonight:

by the way…. we used to eat at a nice little pub.. Ring of Bells?.. Six Bells…. something like that… the chef there was the guy that got convicted a couple of years ago for killing then raping ( sicko ) some girl…anyone know what I'm talking about.. anyone know if that pub is still there?
I'd need to ask the mrs. the name but it was an old place 15th c.? , tucked in at the back of a housing estate not far from North terminal

Grynch

"thanks twig.. but are these pubs you know and can recommend or just random finds off of google? "

Recommendations. Haven't been to the Bell for a while but it should still be ok.T he Six Bells is still there. No experience of eating there (I think its part of a chain – oh yes, have a look here its a Vintage Inn http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/yeoldesixbellshorley/)

Oh and the Surrey Oaks at Parkgate is fabulous if you like proper beer. They do food too

TM

The Arora is decent and the bars/restaurant do some good food.

yoGrant, last trip thru then must have been the chefs off night…

I had one of the worst meals ever there.

and Twig.. thanks once again…I'll check out the Surrey also.

Sofitel is the best bet, in the Airport, no hassle and the restaurant isn't bad.

Grynch

had 2 weeks at the holiday inn not long ago due to work ;-(

try the 6 bells, good honest food and reasonably priced too

otherwise its a bit of a desert

The Six Bells in Horley, Church Lane(I presume) is very much still there, a listed building with a Horsham Stone roof (geek content there, sorry). I used to go in there at school lunch time (well once I did). I think it may well have been taken over by a chain, can't comment on the food, but the beer was dreadful the last time I went. Great building, and full of character still, and only a mile or less from the ghastly hotels at Longbridge Roundabout, you could walk there.

If you don't mind the trip to Reigate, I would say book a table at The Dining Rooms if you're after fine dining or, a table at the Parador if you like authentic tapas. I would go for the latter. There are the standard Italian-esque eateries in abundance too, better than the cr@p you describe eating at the hotel.

thanks woodsman, yes that was it.. Six Bells.. I remember the food as being pretty good there but again that was a few years ago and of course they have had to change chefs since then. 😯

"the dining room" is looking pretty good ( or maybe the tapas place) — but can you recommend a hotel that side of Gatwick?, I know it's only a question of a couple of miles but most of the hotels seem to be , I guess it would be south, of the terminals.

How about the Langshot Manor, Horley, as I see you appreciate a bit of culture. Situated, similarly to The Six Bells, close to Gatwick, tucked away but again, near the housing (privately owned) areas, but full of character again. Historic listed manor house, with the generic Horsham stone roof I've already mentioned, ahem, yes I am an old buldings geek! They may have a restaurant, but you could walk to the six bells (mile and a bit), have a beer in The Farmhouse (very close) on the way. Or cab it to Reigate (5 miles max).

There is a hotel on the North side of Reigate which we used for work a few times but it's not much cop tbh. Most of the airport hotels are between the airport and Reigate, no great shakes and you can drive between the two in 10 mins. Given you get in the night before and then have to be at LGW at 6am the next day, I'd be favouring price as much as luxury, and use the saved money to go to The Dining Rooms.

But if you want something a bit above the airprt hotels, what about the Hartsfield Manor, about 3 miles west of Reigate.

http://www.deverevenues.co.uk/find-venue/hartsfield-manor.html

we actually looked at the Langshott Manor last night, but

one – it was booked solid on the night we need.

and

two – for one night it really was too pricey. I like a bit of culture yes, but underneath I am still a cheap so and so.

and jonv… given our schedule yes I agree I favour price over luxury for a one night stay ( again I'm a cheap *** ) but mrs. G is "holiday inn phobic"

amen to that (as he prepares for this week's trip away to yet another nondescript chain hotel)