Air Services: Overnight Accommodation
Recommendations for pre-flight accommodation at London Gatwick and Piarco, Trinidad
London Gatwick
Most UK flights to Tobago depart from London Gatwick airport. All these flights involve early morning check-in times, ranging from 7am for the XL flights, to 9:15am for Virgin Atlantic. Worrying about catching your flight when caught in early morning M25 rush hour is not the best way to start your holiday.
Although Jill and I only live a two-hour 100-mile drive from Gatwick, it is our practise to drive down the evening before our flight and stay at a local hotel. This really takes the hassle out of the early-morning check-in. Over recent years have used the 4* Copthorne Hotel, located just half-a-mile east (left when travelling from the M25) of Junction 10 of the M23. This is one junction south of Gatwick Airport and a 5-minute drive from the terminals. It's a large (227 room) hotel built around a very pleasant 16th-century farmhouse. They have two restaurants and a pub, catering for most tastes.
The Copthorne is not the cheapest accommodation around, but it has one major advantage; you can park your car there safely for the duration of your holiday. Rooms can be booked far more cheaply on the Internet, but be warned that these cheaper packages seldom include the free parking, which can nearly double the apparent cost - so check carefully.
The hotel offers a shuttle service (£1 per person each way, I think) from the hotel to the terminals.
Piarco Airport, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Around half the flights from North America arrive in Trinidad mid-evening - too late to catch the last air-bridge flight to Tobago.
Many visitors will therefore face an overnight stay in Trinidad. One option is to travel into Port of Spain, where the best choice is probably the Trinidad Hilton.
Those just wanting to get to Tobago and start enjoying their holiday will probably want to stay nearer the airport. Sadly, there is little choice in the immediate area. The Bel Air International Hotel is a total dive (it was bad enough when I last stayed there 40 years ago and it apparently hasn't been touched since long before that) and the Piarco International Hotel, which was just about tolerable for one night, is no longer open as a public hotel.
All is not lost, however. Readers regularly commend Leo's Place Bed & Breakfast. Located just five minutes from the airport, Leo will collect you and take you back to the airport (even for very early morning outbound flights) for US$25 and charges $US55 (cash only) for an air-conditioned double room (singles/triples available). All reports have been excellent, although do not expect over-quick email response (a common problem with a lot of property in T&T).
- Further Information: Telephone (868) 640-0117 or email now
- Reservations for accommodation at Leo's Place can also be placed through Yes Tourism, where you will also be able to book airport transfers in both Trinidad and Tobago.
