V Room Gatwick

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by Gavin
So is this the end of the £35 enterence to the Clubhouse through Virgin holidays?

I don't see why - the V-Room has a different demographic to the Clubhouse and VH have only ever sold the CH to over 12's.

The Virgin Holidays website is still advertising entrance for £35.

Nick

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by Gavin
So is this the end of the £35 enterence to the Clubhouse through Virgin holidays?

Mmm, armour on. I do hope so. [:)]

I hope not, as I like the lounge and am willng to pay £35. However I can totally see why as an UC passenger you would want it reserved for you.

The last time I was in there, there seemed to me to be a lot of people with red boarding cards, I doubt the were all gold members so the lounge would be pritty empty without the paid members - not a bad thing for UC passengers though!

[Darren Wheeler]

My understanding was that unless travelling on D, G, J or Z fares, FC Gold or a guest of these, the CH will be unavailable. All other pax will go to V Room but only if travelling with VH.

[Neil]

That's interesting, where did you hear that Darren? I thought, like Nick, that the option to purchase entry in to the CH would still be valid and that the V Room would be just another option, especially for those with kids.

From the pics Pete took, I must say that it looks pretty impressive for £15, seems Virgin have found a previously untouched market and taken full advantage. Reading such sites like the Dibb, it seems to be very appealing too.

[mitchja]

Sorry, but I really dont like the idea of sitting in a lounge where there's going to be children and teenagers running around full of suger for 3 hours before a flight.

I might be wrong here but it strikes me this lounge is designed for families only so I think it's a mistake if VH no longer allow Clubhouse access for £35.

Saying that I think FVC members should get free access (not just a discount) to the V-Room, even though I would probably not use it.



Regards

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
My understanding was that unless travelling on D, G, J or Z fares, FC Gold or a guest of these, the CH will be unavailable. All other pax will go to V Room but only if travelling with VH.

Very interesting. I have booked in to the CH with VH for July and the VH lady said the current £35 would run as the VRoom was to appeal to a different demographic. Having said that my experiences with VH and their call centres have not always been the greatest (Twilight Check in anyone[;)]).

LROM may hope its the end of us lowlife [;)] going into the CH but its worth remembering that by allowing limited access it is a) a great marketing tool (heck I know I will be sold to J and that is without even stepping foot into the cabin) and appeals to those of us who will one day be J pax and b) it is a nice little cash earner.

Hello!

This should help straighten out what the V Room is all about

What is the V ROOM and who is it for?


Virgin Holidays V ROOM- opened 01 June'08

What is the V ROOM?
¥ The V ROOM is Virgin Holidays new airside lounge space in Gatwick's south terminal.
¥ It is a dedicated space for Virgin Holidays guests to use as they wait for their flight to be called and will offer relaxation, comfort and entertainment as well as a complimentary continental breakfast.
¥ Virgin Holidays will only offer their new V ROOM passes to customers who have booked a Virgin Holiday departing from Gatwick airport.
¥ It is the first of its kind - no one else has a leisure lounge.
¥ We welcome all children as well as adults and groups.
¥ It was developed with responsible tourism in mind-eg we have used wood from sustainable sources.
¥ Cost: Adults = £15 Child = £10
¥ Those buying a Platinum collection holiday will be invited in for FREE.
¥ Virgin Holidays Frequent Virgin Club members can look at their own website for special offers and FOC V ROOM tickets.

Food and Beverage Offering:
There is no charge for the food offered within the lounge. The area is self service and cafe style. We offer an exciting continental breakfast choice with a wide selection of freshly prepared pastries, breads, cereals, natural yogurt and fruit. Tea, fresh ground coffee, fruit juices, Innocent smoothies and soft drinks. PLUS The Virgin Holidays Ultimate Bacon Sandwich THE GLOBE TROTTER, sausage subs and a vegetarian equivalent-mushroom, tomato and melted cheese stack (all hot).

FAMILIES
Dedicated seating area with child friendly seats, children's AV with the latest films provided by our sponsors Orlando Flexticket , retro style games machines and fab views across the airport and the runway- enhanced by our family friendly telescopes.

COUPLES
Comfortable adult- only seating area- tables and chairs and luxurious sofa style area. Adjacent to the (cash) bar. FREE computer use with internet access. Great place to relax in peace and quiet before flight is called. Enjoy a well deserved drink from the pay bar- celebrate your holiday start in style. Complimentary newspapers will be available.
This area is sponsored by our friends at Resort Marketing International.

YOUNG CHILDREN
Enclosed children's play area with a TV corner, creative play and activities section. (No Vhols supervision, parents must look after their own children). Sponsored by NCL, there is a nautical theme and feel to this area.


TECH ZONE
Get away from the families and couples! FREE computer use with internet access, Sony Playstation 3 Consoles with access to music, film clips and photographs as well as the latest games. LCD TV for music videos etc. Table Football- it goes on and on!!

Fast Track: All our guests will be entitled to use fast track, when it is available and just need to show their lounge cards to clear through this security channel.

Where is it? The V ROOM is airside and occupies the area once used by Continental Airlines President's lounge-situated on the 5th floor It is well signed and has magnificent dual aspect runway views!!



¥ Naturally the lounge will have its own toilet area, baby changing room and a safe buggy store.
¥ We will have dedicated Vhols staff at the reception area to answer questions, assist with lost documentation, book theme park tickets and generally provide an excellent customer service area- Òjust come over for a chatÓ.
¥ We will make a call when the guest's flight is ready to board, so they can relax in the lounge knowing their holiday has already begun.
¥ Considering the basic cost of a breakfast at one of the airside restaurants is about £10, the V ROOM is great value for money as it offers so much more.
¥ You can browse the Tax Free shopping before heading up to a tranquil haven away from the rest of the airport and wait your flight call in style.

Some questions answeredÉ.

1. Can I still use the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse? Yes, If you book tickets in Upper Class you have automatic access to the Clubhouse and Virgin holidays will continue to sell the Clubhouse access for those who feel the environment is more appropriate to their travel arrangements.
2. Why are you charging for alcoholic drinks? We carried out market research and many of our passengers said that they felt it too early to enjoy an alcoholic drink-particularly if they were collecting a hire car the other end. With this in mind it seems unfair to make people pay up front for drinks they wouldn't consume, so we have a pay bar instead-where the prices are ridiculously low if you do want a tipple!
3. How do I book? Just ask the agent to add the V ROOM to your booking when you are making your holiday reservation. Alternatively click the V ROOM link on our website and send us an e mail with your request.

[Pete]

Thanks for that summary - direct from the horses mouth, so to speak

I might have to turn your text into a feature page!

Pete

Originally posted by VirginHolidays
This should help straighten out what the V Room is all about

[font=Arial]What is the V ROOM and who is it for?
]

We booked the V ROOM for our recent holiday and the family concensus was that it was well worth the money. Up until now I've favoured the breakfast at Est Est Est as a way of passing the time, but the V ROOM offered newspapers, a calm atmosphere, a serve yourself approach, an 'adults only' zone and free internet access that more than made up for the lack of a fried egg.

Paul

Will be there on Saturday 11th. Looking forward to trying V:Room. We tried for some CH tickets (last minute booking, so trying Y for the first time in years!), but VH had exhausted their allocation of tickets. £15 for breakfast and fast track seems a bargain.

[buns]

Currently showing on Sky Travel is a presentation entitled Cruise & Stay.

About 11 minutes into the broadcast is a feature on the V Room and will give those who have booked - or planning to book - an idea of what is there. The feedback in the presentation is very favourable.

Just thought this might be helpful

buns