Yotel London Gatwick Cabin Hotel

I am not a morning person.  At all.  Not even a little bit.  My husband can definitely vouch for this.  One of his least favorite things to do is to wake me up before I'm ready.  On our recent trip to Malta, in an effort to give me a few extra hours of morning shut eye and save him the drama, we tried something very different.  We stayed in a cabin at Yotel London Gatwick the night before an early flight.  Let's just say there were mixed reviews. 

I love London Gatwick.  It's such an easy airport to fly from.  Security is quick and it's not overwhelming huge.  I also really love the Gatwick Express out of Victoria Station.  Thirty minutes and you're there.  We were both off on Friday and wanted as much time on the ground as possible in Malta, so we booked a really early flight.  If you consider an hour of travel time and the desire to arrive at least 90 minutes early (I prefer 2 hours just to be safe), and about an hour to get ready (I'm a girl),  an early flight meant a 5am wake up call.  I don't think so. 

So to avoid that early torture wake up call, we decided to sleepover at the airport.  For £75 we booked a Premium Cabin that sleeps two.  The Yotel is located in the South Terminal and we leisurely made or way on a Thursday evening after dinner.  We checked in quickly at Mission Control and were offered a complimentary hot drink before tucking into our little cabin.  Service was quick and friendly.  The lighting is all pink and green and I have to admit I was pretty excited by it all.  Lot's of glass so you don't get too claustrophobic.  Don't worry there are curtains. 

The room was definitely tiny, nothing fancy obviously.   Bed, flat screen tv, free wi-fi and a bathroom.  I proceeded to start pushing buttons on the bed.  Couch.  Bed.  Couch. Bed.  Couch...  Okay, enough of that.  We popped over to the terminal pub next door for a night cap or two before turning in for the night.  We had to coordinate our movement.  He sat while I got out my pjs and set out what I would need in the morning.  Then it was my turn to sit, while he got settled.  We tucked the suitcases back under the bed and pushed the button one more time.  Bed.  

Here's where we come to the mixed reviews.  I slept like a baby.  A baby, I tell you.  All snuggled in the cocoon of white sheets, duvet, and extra pillows.  Matt on the other hand, not so much.  He totally blamed it on me for taking more than my share of covers and space, but he is 6'4" and a light sleeper.  And it was totally not my fault.  In the morning we again did the dance of a small space in coordinating our showers.  There is just a glass wall to separate the toilet area from the bed area, so not much privacy. 

So would we do it again before an early morning flight?  Probably not.  At least not as a couple.  The extra few hours of sleep is not really worth the price or a grumpy sleep deprived husband.  But if was was traveling solo and could afford the extra expense, I definitely would.  (I would do just about anything for more sleep.)  I think it would also be nice for a layover during long-haul travel.  It would be great to have a shower and a nap between long flights.  If you're just staying for a few hours, the price would be about £34 for a single cabin.  

What about you?  Would it be worth it for a few extra hours of sleep?

Have you ever stayed in an airport cabin hotel?

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