Radisson RED London Gatwick Airport Review

Ahead of an early flight to Menorca, I chose to stay at the Radisson RED London Gatwick Airport, attracted by its reputation for blending modern style with a playful twist on the typical airport hotel. Its location is undeniably convenient, just a short 10-minute drive from both Gatwick’s North and South Terminals, with easy access via local buses, taxis or even on foot from the nearby Lowfield Heath bus stop. As an airport base, it immediately ticks that box.

It opened in late 2021, and I have to say the general quality and upkeep of the hotel makes it look even younger than that. Everything felt very shiny and new, I was really quite impressed with this. So lets crack on with this review of the Radisson RED at Gatwick!

The Radisson Red Gatwick Lobby, photo courtesy of Radisson.

Location & Transport

Radisson RED London Gatwick is located on the south side of the airport. It's easy to get to by car, and has a good sized car park. It is also easy to get to and from both the airport terminals via the HB1 Bus. This is run by United Minibuses and is a hotel shuttle bus that runs purely for the Gatwick Manor Hotel, Ibis Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotel and lastly the Radisson RED hotel. It cost me £5 for a single from the hotel to the North Terminal on the Sunday morning and took 16 minutes door to door.

Located on the south side of the airport

Arrival & Check-In

Check-in begins at 3pm, and despite the hotel offering self-service kiosks, I wasn’t able to use them due to booking via Avios Hotels. Thankfully, the front desk staff were attentive, professional and efficient, I was checked in and holding my room keycard within three minutes. The lobby made a strong first impression, with bold graphics, vibrant pops of red and a lively, social atmosphere that felt much more contemporary than the typical airport hotel. Slightly swanky and stylish.

The only drawback at this stage was the journey to the room. Of the two lifts available, one was out of order, and the other was exceptionally small, only large enough for two people and small luggage. With a short queue forming and a fully packed suitcase in hand, I ended up carrying my luggage up the stairs. Fortunately, my room was on the first floor, but for a hotel catering to travellers with luggage, this felt like a noticeable oversight.

The Room

I stayed in a standard 20 m² king room, which was clean and stylish, continuing the quirky, urban décor seen in the lobby. The artwork above the bed certainly made a statement, especially as a horse rider, I couldn’t help but over analyse the equine-themed piece and the questionable safety of the attire depicted!

The room was spacious and the bed was honestly dreamy!

The highlight of the room was undoubtedly the bed. The mattress was incredibly comfortable, the duvet was gorgeously soft and the pillows offered excellent support. Blackout curtains ensured a peaceful night’s sleep, and the 49-inch Smart TV with Chromecast was easy to use and great for streaming. I had a lovely hour in bed before sleep watching Gilmore Girls (yes I am that person) and drinking a glass of Malbec (yes, I am also that person too). There were plenty of plug points, a minibar, tea and coffee facilities, an in-room safe, hairdryer and ironing board.

The TV was a great size, and the inclusion of a Chromecast was most appreciated.

The air-conditioning was actually really good, although it did switch itself off during the night. The fridge was also quite noisy at times during the night, but small problems. The bathroom was modern and featured complimentary toiletries, but only offered a shower rather than a bath. I know, I know, this is standard, but I love a bath!

Sleek shower but drainage was poor, and the shaved hairs on the tiles was pretty gross

Unfortunately, the drainage in the shower was slow to the point where I had to pause every once in a while to let it all drain away. I also noticed hair shavings on the wall, far from ideal and detracting from the otherwise polished look. And before you ask, no I did not take a photo as I was fairly grossed out by it!

The rest of the bathroom was clean and well presented

Before my stay, I had emailed to request a runway view and lactose-free milk for the in-room drinks. Sadly, neither request was honoured. Instead of runway views, my room overlooked the car park and an overflowing skip, and no alternative milk was provided. I can forgive the runway view, especially if they were fully booked, however it was not at capacity and to be honest the whole place felt quite quiet.

Food & Drink

The Radisson RED offers a couple of dining options including the RED Kitchen & Bar, a breakfast buffet with both hot and cold items, takeaway breakfast boxes for early departures, and a 24/7 Grab & Go kiosk in the lobby.

The bar was vibrant and well stocked with a really good drinks menu

Room service is available 24 hours a day and uses the exact same menu as the restaurant. Just want to do a quick apology at this point. The photo below of my dinner is not my best, whilst the lighting was amazing in person, wonderfully ambient, the photos haven't come out quite as good as I'd hoped!

The lighting in person was really nice, as was my vegan burger and incredibly large glass of wine!

When I asked for an allergen menu, there wasn’t one available, but the staff were proactive and checked each item with the chef. To be safe, I ordered the vegan burger, which they still double-checked for dairy. I was asked to sign an allergy disclaimer form, which felt overly formal but showed the hotel takes intolerances seriously. My food arrived after about 20 minutes, the fries were excellent, and when I asked for the vegan mayo it was brought over almost immediately. I also treated myself to a large glass of Malbec, because Holiday Mode was now activated.

Breakfast

Breakfast was perfectly acceptable, nothing extraordinary, but certainly not disappointing. there were plenty of dairy free options for me to partake in, the tater tots were particularly welcome as no meal is complete without some form of potato. But that is just the hobbit in me!

The cold buffet breakfast items were delicious

THere was also the option to order, and pay, for Starbucks coffee

The hot breakfast options

There was also a Pancake Machine

There was a reasonable variety of hot and cold choices, and the option to take a boxed breakfast for early flights is a thoughtful touch which I wish more hotels did.

This was the Grab and Go area in the lobby.

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Facilities & Services

The hotel offers a fitness centre, luggage storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services, and express check-out. There is also a safety deposit box and multilingual staff. Accessibility features are clearly advertised on the website, including accessible rooms, public areas and a screen-reader guide. I didn’t personally test these, but the signage and availability suggest that accessibility has been factored into the design.

The bar and lounge area was bright and vibrant

One particular moment that reflected well on the level of service provided was when I witnessed a guest asking to extend her stay at the last minute. The staff handled it quickly and efficiently, even allowing her to keep the same room. For an airport hotel, where plans frequently change, this kind of flexibility is invaluable.

So, What Did I Pay?

I booked this room on Avios Hotels for the grand sum of £128.26 and I earned 1,275 Avios on this. I gained a further 192 Virgin Points by using the Virgin Atlantic Rewards+ Credit Card. These may seem like small numbers but every little helps, and gets you closer to that goal destination of yours.

Radisson RED London Gatwick Airport Review: Overall Impression

The Radisson RED London Gatwick Airport offers a stylish and comfortable stay with the added bonus of being just minutes from the terminals. The bus ride to the North Terminal took about 15 minutes when factoring in the stop at the South Terminal first, and only cost £5.

Within the hotel the staff were consistently friendly and helpful, the décor was vibrant and memorable, and the room, especially the bed, delivered a great night’s sleep. Food options were convenient and the team showed genuine care when handling dietary requirements.

However, a few issues held the experience back from being exceptional. Pre-arrival requests were overlooked, one lift was out of order and the other was impractically small, the shower drainage was poor and minor cleanliness issues were hard to ignore. Small but important details like noisy appliances and air-con switching off also detracted from the overall comfort, but even I know these are first world problems!

That said, if you’re looking for a modern, full-service airport hotel with personality, convenience and comfortable rooms, Radisson RED Gatwick is a strong choice. With a little more attention to detail, it could easily become one of the best options near the airport.

Helena

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