AQC Accommodation, Southampton

DoubleTree by Hilton, Southampton...

* The main entrance *

* The rear of the Hotel has a nice little garden *

After a two week break following Bournemouth it was time to move back to Southampton to commence the final three weeks of L3 CTS Airline Academy's Integrated ATPL training:- the Airline Qualification Course, or AQC for short. If you're interested in the AQC itself then it will be explained in subsequent posts. This specific post focusses on the accommodation we're provided for its duration.

Historically speaking, cadets on AQC courses were accommodated in the Dibden Manor although accommodation there closed during the earlier part of 2018 and L3 CTS now elects to accommodate us in the DoubleTree by Hilton near Southampton Airport. The basis by which this is done depends entirely on your training contract although every trainee receives a minimum of:

• Bed & Breakfast
• Free Parking
• Free WiFi
• Inclusive Gym (Cardiovascular & Dumbbells)
• 20% off Food & Drinks within the hotel
• 25% off Starbucks 
• Special L3 CTS £10 Set Menu (£8 after 20% discount)
• Reduced Dry Cleaning / Laundry charges, if required.
• Free cookies on check-in (A Hilton tradition, apparently)

In my case my specific training contract was full board meaning that in addition to the above, L3 provides an inclusive lunch at the Nursling training centre and then a rolling £15 allowance against my room for the duration of my stay. This allowance is to cover the cost of an evening meal and drink. Having lived in self-catered accommodation for all the training previous to this, it's quite nice to receive at least one meal catered at a minimum especially considering the increased amount of study involved in the AQC. The hotel is about a 20 minute drive from the Nursling training centre, traffic dependent.

My 19 night stay here will perhaps be the single longest time i'll have ever spent in a hotel, but thankfully our entire AQC course is accommodated here meaning we're able to all study together in the large communal seating areas. 

Here's a few photos: