by Shanna F. Jones
Staying near the airport is generally never an exciting affair. Jet-lagged and forced onto a little bus to stay in a freezing cold room that resembles something between a prison cell and a cardboard box is not exactly the stuff that inspires envy for the jetset lifestyle.
The BLOC Hotel at Gatwick’s South Terminal is like a little comfort bubble for weary travellers on early morning or late night flights. The hotel has been designed with the style and character of Japanese pod hotels, which make the most of small spaces. For a family this may not be ideal but for a couple or single person it’s a little cosy slice of heaven after an exhausting flight.
The hotel reception is directly in the terminal building and so you can step off your plane and flop directly into bed. The designers have worked closely with a Scandinavian sleep institute to ensure the rooms are at the optimum temperature and humidity to sleep in. And sleep you do well, as the rooms are totally sound-proofed. The lighting is soft and cosy, like an elegant bar late at night. The lighting, temperature, air conditioning and check out is all controlled by an iPad mounted into the wall above the bedside table.
They make no mistake when they say the rooms are small, three sides of the bed touch the walls and there is zero amount of storage space for suitcases and clothes except for in cupboards under the bed. There is also no window in most of the rooms. I hear what you’re thinking, this doesn’t sound great. But in true Japanese pod style it’s quality not quantity that rules, and BLOC certainly boasts quality in every detail.
Continuing with the small-but-great theme, the Italian tiled wet room has floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a powerful monsoon shower. Pack slippers if you come to BLOC as needing to use the toilet after having a shower can lead to wet feet and potential accidents.
The bed is without a doubt the best thing about staying at BLOC. The mattress is deliciously comfortable and the Egyptian cotton they clad you in feels like silk on your skin. The pillows are to die for, and sitting in bed in blissful comfort watching the flat screen TV at the foot of the bed is almost better than the holiday.
Visit the Bloc Hotel: https://www.blochotels.com
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