Helipads, hotels and Others: Requests, Recommendations & Rip-offs
 

Just wondering what your experiences have been with some hotels charging for landing a helicopter?
Recently I had the need to land around the north london area. After telephoning at least seven hotels that were conveniently placed I was told the landing fees ranged from £75 up to £250! with one demanding club membership of £500. In each case I stated I wanted to have a restaurant meal etc. but it made little if any difference to the charges they wanted to make. On several phone calls I suggested that they would not charge for my imaginary Bentley or Rolls to be parked in the car park for 2 hours or so, but I had no joy. One even went into great depths that "the airspace was expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Only landed at one hotel in wiltshire, on 2 occasions.
The first time was staying the night, no fee.
The second time was just down for the day, £30 but all the tea / coffee that you wanted in the bar.
Fee is standard irrespective of size (JJB B222 often lands there).

Eie ba gum Lad,

Fly to the North of our fair country, no fees, free coffee and loads of interest , plus all the Girlies are friendly and all smile at you.

On a more serious note what are these overpriced eaterys offering for their fee, radio talk down, marshalls, fuels attendants, and umberella walla's to walk you through to the coffee lounge.

In the North your arrival would create more interest that the latest model from the planet Audi.

Peter R-B

I have landed at many hotels (albeit none within gtr London) and not been charged a penny. I have found the management happy to use the helipad and even happier to have clients in the restraunt. Dropped in on one near Keswick for Afternoon Tea, because I could:O

Boship Farm Hotel near Eastbourne were very obliging, and literally had the "Swedish Netball Team" in the pool; which sadly I was not prepared for.

Afternoon Tea by the pool methinks!

These have been personel not commercial flights, should it make a differance to attitudes received.

After a recent trip to Eastwell Manor near Ashford in Kent I'd recommend it to anyone.

A quick phone call, no landing fee and just book in at the desk, then you have the choice of two restaurants and a health spa called The Pavilion. There they have a very nice restaurant (reasonably priced) with a terrace overlooking rolling countryside. It is a regular haunt for many of my fellow self-fly-hirers.

The approach and departure is via the biggest field you'll ever see and a hop over a low fence to two marked helipads with a windsock. Just watch out for gliders as it is very close to Challock...

:ok:

Or Barnsdale Lodge on the North shore of Rutland Water. Cavendish Hotel at Baslow near Chatsworth. Both free and both excellent.

Well this is some time ago as in 7 years, where we wanted to land at the local Hilton intercontinental next to Heathrow, they wanted to charge us something like £250. It being right next to Heathrow one would save a lot of money since Heathrow back then charged us £500.
And of course they wanted to cahs in on their unique placement.

Sorry for nitpicking but the JJB Bell is a 430. I know this because it gets serviced here.

It is not exactly quiet though.

regards Brilliant Stuff

Anyone who wants to land at Artist Towers and have a freshly brewed cuppa and a comfort break is more than welcome - no landing fee, just PM me 24 hrs in advance, available 365/365, dawn to dusk.

We are 2 nm SW of Benson, so in their MATZ, but they are friendly enough.

Should have room for up to 10 helos at once if you are hunting in packs.

I reckon I can do it for about £10 - £20 a time...

I ve already got the lawn mower for trimming the grass,
I think there is a pot of white emulsion and some brushes in the shed to paint the H,
I ve got a couple of old but charged Halon extinguishers,
And I don't play ping pong anymore so I ve got the marshalling bats too.
Hey I ve even got a dog to guard your ship while you re away!

Any takers? ;)

PW

The hotel that I have landed at, and charge £30 offer no services, just the 'free coffee'. They even politley inform you that the a/c is left at the pilots discretion and that the hotel will not be liable for any damage.

I have landed at several hotels recently, one of which said they would charge a landing fee, but I could use that as credit against anything. In the end they didn't even mention it. (Priory Bay on IoW)

Another just the other side of the Severn Bridge (name escapes me for the second) didn't charge anthing and came and picked us up from the H in a minibus.

The third (Pale Hall, also in Wales) was very accomodating though we were there for 3 days (but in and out quite a lot) and obviously no landing charge (though the bar bill was quite a lot ;) )

The fourth (Whatley Manor) cut the grass and faxed me a map, no charge (but again was staying there)

Like TOT says, they don't charge for car-parking, its hard to justify a landing fee when they provide nothing. My policy is if they mention it, and it is > 0, then thank them politely, turn them down and find somewhere else. There are a lot of hotels out there!

Rip Off Hotels!!!!!!!!
 

Picked a mate up last week for lunch, he decided he would like to try some where close to his home in Macclesfield.
I suggested he called a few hotels in the area that are included in Pooleys!

What a shock!!!!! If you pitch up in a car there is no fee, pitch up in a 22 and hey full MALLETING............
Mottram Hall £95.00 landing fee :=
Moorcock at Disley £75.00 :=

Full marks to Shrigley Hall near Bollington, no landing fee, Great lunch.:ok:

Anybody else got a list of stay away hotels?

"What a shock!!!!! If you pitch up in a car there is no fee, pitch up in a 22 and hey full MALLETING............"

Its the UK, why should you be shocked. Anything to do with Aviation has a fee. At least if your going to pay a landing fee show up with a little class. Drop in with a 407

Try £ 250 at the Stoke Park Golf Club in Slough. Slough ferrrchrisakes!!!!!

See the thread on rip off airports from a few weeks ago. Lots of hotel gripes on there. I'd provide a link but I don't know how to:{

Rip Off Hotels!!!
 

Northern Ireland..... Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle Co.Down.
For years we used to fly in once maybe twice per month & they were
only too glad to have us (Attention Helis Cause etc).

Now they've slapped on a £100 Landing Fee, I know i'm not the only person
with this opinion... but I wont be Back!!!:(

not a rip off
 

Eastwell Manor if you are in the Garden of England and want a good lunch - ZERO landing fee plus easy approach.

My first ever posting here after spending the last three days on the Heli photo thread....Finally broke surface.
The Arches Hotel near Saltburn, North Yorks, doesn't do dinners but welcomes helicopters if for B&B:
There's a row of telephone lines across the western boundary of the landing area, but otherwise no issues.
I've just helped them with the website and I suggested putting a helicopter freindly page on.
Hope it helps.
Neill W

Got a lot of places here in PA, give them a call ask if it's ok the land. There's a great ice cream shop near me. Land there, have an icy, show people the chopper then off. Always pleased to see you. Also a friend has a great restaurant in Fritztown PA, encourages helicopters to drop in. Just a shame isn't the same in UK..:sad:

Sorry, as guest i shall pay for landing ? ........ :ugh: It's simple parking.
Never!

Good on you Pennine Boy!
 

Dear Pennine Boy,
I tried to negotiate a reduced rate for landing at the Palace Hotel in Torquay a few years ago as I work there regularly but the rather greedy manager thought £50 a time was a reasonable fee for me to glamourise his (much in need of it) Fawlty toweresque hotel.
When I asked he told me there was in fact no fire cover, no ATC and no security, so what exactly was I paying for?
I now go into a private site owned by some friends in the same area for a nominal fee.

Just say no!
If nobody agrees to pay then they will learn.
Greedy BAST*RDS!!

SB