Gatwick Airport hotels: where to stay overnight, where to park and train / bus links

Published by

Stephen Emerson

Information on hotels to stay at Gatwick Airport, the public transport links and where to park

We look at the best options for hotel accommodation in and around Gatwick Airport, where you can park your car and list the bus and train options for public transport.

Used by over 38million passengers every year, serving 46 of the top EU business destinations, Gatwick Airport is one of the premier UK international airports. It is also one of the most accessible, with easy train and road connections.

About 90 airlines use Gatwick, flying to around 200 destinations worldwide. EasyJet takes passengers to many cities including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Luxembourg, Geneva and Reykjavik, as does British Airways and Wizz Åir. Norwegian Air provides rapid shuttle services to Bergen, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Stavanger, Stockholm, Tromso and Trondheim. Vueling serves Barcelona, Paris Orly, Florence and Rome, while TUI Airways serves Marrakesh, Tenerife, Rhodes, Liberia and Gran Canaria. In addition such regular flights are countless seasonal holiday destinations.

With two terminals – Gatwick South and Gatwick North, the airport is well placed to increase its capacity and passenger numbers. Staying overnight to catch early flights is an option, with the presence of excellent three and four-star hotels close by.

Hampton by Hilton

Hampton by Hilton is attached to the North Terminal by a covered walkway, enabling passengers to access check in desks within just five minutes. Travellers can enjoy a range of facilities including a free hot breakfast, business centre, meeting rooms and fitness centre within the hotel together with a free shuttle service over to the South Terminal. With 194 guest rooms, it is well placed to cater for travellers, while groups of 10 can book a block of rooms instantly online.

Both Sofitel and Premier Inn are located close to the North terminal, while Bloc Hotel is situated in the heart of the South Terminal. Bloc is only a few minutes walk from the check in areas at the South Terminal. It offers contactless Smart Room Control allowing guests to tailor a room to suit requirements in terms of air conditioning, TV, checkout. It also offers monsoon showers and high speed wi-fi as well as Valet Parking packages. Joining the free VIP Guest List offers numerous special facilities including automatic room upgrades and a dedicated security lane through the airport.

Sofitel

The Sofitel is a popular venue for business travellers as it provides 14 meeting rooms capable of catering for up to 300 guests at events as well as on site parking. Stylish, sophisticated and contemporary in design, this recently refurbished hotel has an on site gym facility available for hotel guests to use free of charge. Diners at the Sofitel restaurants can enjoy a range of international cuisine. The North Terminal is two minutes walk from the hotel.

Premier Inn

Premier Inn operates two hotels at Gatwick, with its North Terminal hotel being the nearest. Premier Inn North is five minutes walk from the terminal, with a free 24/7 shuttle to the South Terminal, which is one mile away. There is no on site parking parking available at Premier Inn North. Amazon lockers are available for use by guests. Premier Inn’s London Gatwick Airport South hotel is just ten minutes drive from the South Terminal and does provide free onsite parking.

Hilton Hotel

Just five minutes walk via a covered walkway from the South Terminal or a free monorail link from the North terminal is the Hilton Hotel, complete with meeting rooms, business centre and fitness centre. The Hilton at Gatwick South is the largest hotel around Gatwick, with over 800 rooms. The hotel frequently hosts large conferences and has 21 meeting rooms suitable for business use. There is an executive lounge, while the restaurant focuses on the use of local and seasonal ingredients.

Marriot Courtyard

Marriott’s Courtyard hotel is slightly further out, roughly a mile to the east of the airport but offers valet parking and a free shuttle to the South Terminal. There is onsite parking available together with a range of meeting rooms and event spaces with business facilities available. The hotel’s fitness centre is available to guests all day until late in the evening providing access to a range of equipment including treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machines, free weights and strength equipment.

Ramada Crawley

Ramada Crawley is three miles away, and is within walking distance of the Crawley train station with quick access to London. The proximity of the Tilgate Nature Centre and Tilgate Park provides opportunities for added relaxation. The hotel is located in a historic former coaching inn which dates back to 1615, and is full of character. It is only a few minutes from the Crawley high street, and is approximately 10 minutes drive from Gatwick. Free parking is provided for guests and there are 84 guest bedrooms. Laundry services are available. The hotel’s location near Gatwick has made it a popular site for conferences and business meetings.

Airport lounges

Within the airport, there are Clubroom, No1 and Premium Plaza lounges available at prices starting from £28. These are available to travellers flying with any airline, and provide complimentary drinks, snacks and newspapers.

Gatwick Airport parking

When dropping off passengers at either the North or South Terminals, use the dedicated drop off zone located in the forecourts. These zones are operated by National Car Parks, and there is a minimum charge of £5 for 10 minutes, rising by £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes. The maximum length of time you can stay parked in a drop off zone is 30 minutes. Camera technology reading number plates is in operation at both terminals within the drop off zones, and all charges have to be paid online by midnight of the day following a visit. Unpaid charges immediately result in an additional £100 parking charge, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. People wanting to use the airport regularly for dropping off and collecting passengers are recommended to use the short stay car parks, or to take advantage of the two hour free of charge space in a long term car park.

Travellers using the car parks are recommended to pre-book in advance in order to secure a space in a preferred car park. While space may be available on the day of travel, if a car park is full then travellers will be directed to other car parks. Payment can be made online, but do vary by car park and the date of travel. Alternatively, it is possible to pay on the day since payment machines accept both card and cash.

All the car parks are open 24/7, 365 days a year. There are sites available at both Terminals. The North Terminal has a short stay car park within five minutes walk, while the long stay car park involves a 7-12 minute shuttle service. Premium parking is available within two minutes of the terminal, and valet parking can also be arranged enabling travellers to drop off their car directly at the terminal. Similar facilities are available at the South Terminal, although Valet parking involves a five-minute walk.

Gatwick Airport train and bus services

Alternatively, travellers can use public transport, which is fast and convenient. There are direct train and bus links available. There is a non-stop Gatwick Express rail service between Gatwick and London Victoria operating every half hour. The journey takes around 30 minutes. Thameslink provides direct and stopping trains from Gatwick to London Bridge and St Pancras international, with journeys taking between 28 and 48 minutes.

The rail station is located at the South Terminal, close to departures and arrivals. A free shuttle is available from the North Terminal. Train tickets can be purchased at the station, online or from ticket machines located at the entrance gates using a contactless payment card.

National Express provides direct coach links between Gatwick and London Victoria Coach station (just a few minutes walk from London Victoria railway station). There are also coaches that stop en route to London, which take slightly longer. The direct service takes approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. Travellers using the coach service can take a maximum of two 20 kg suitcases plus one piece of hand luggage.

Tickets can be purchased on arrival from ticket offices located in the arrivals hall, or booked online in advance. Coaches leave from the North Terminal outside the International Arrivals. There is also a pick up point from the lower forecourt of the South Terminal.

Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset. Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users. He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.