Top 3 Walking Distance Hotels Near Gatwick Airport (And What I Wish I Knew Before Staying)
- Maria DiCicco
- 52 minutes ago
- 9 min read
London’s Gatwick Airport is one of the busiest hubs in the world, and I find myself traveling through there about 4 or 5 times a year. It almost always requires an overnight stay.
Because I’m typically cutting my travel days into two, I travel from Spain and stop for the night to regroup before continuing on to my Florida home on the direct flights offered by Norse Air and other affordable carriers.
I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever paid for these hotel stays, because they all belong to the big chains - Hilton and Marriott. Using my well-earned points, I find free stays with easy access to the airport for the next morning. But there’s always hiccups, even though I’ve done this half a dozen times in recent history.
If you plan to stay at the London Gatwick Airport - whether just passing through on the way to somewhere else, or finishing your adventures on your way home, you'll want to keep things easy.
Below I share what I wish I knew before staying at the London Gatwick airport hotels, including:
My top 3 picks for Gatwick hotel stays
Insider advice for smoother overnight travel
Where to eat near Gatwick airport (and some of the challenges you'll encounter)
Advice for accessing the hotels
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Where to Stay: Walking Distance Hotels Near Gatwick Airport South Terminal
For a full and more comprehensive list of where to stay (closest to Gatwick), click here for reviews, price comparisons, and more.
The largest and most grandiose of the best Gatwick hotels listed, you’ll find this to be full of flight crews (typically Emirates or Korean) and lots of business travelers.
That aside, it is definitely family friendly and they love kids - my daughter even got the cutest little welcome kit when we checked in.
Meal Options
The concierge lounge is a great touch for Hilton Honors members and the breakfast was great. The Hilton has two options - a concierge lounge for members, and a full breakfast buffet on the main floor for everyone.
Don’t miss the buffet in favor of the concierge lounge! The buffet has a great spread with full English yumminess.
If you find yourself there at dinner time, the Hilton has a lovely Japanese Steakhouse and atrium lobby bar and restaurant called Amy's.
Can I Walk to Hilton from Gatwick South Terminal?
Yes.
Finding this hotel takes a bit of extra attention - but following the signs from the South Terminal shuttle/exit is the easiest way. More on this below.
Best for: All the amenities you need, within walking distance
Quiet and cozy, this Hilton chain hotel is easy in and out, and it is located in the terminal. The downside, as you’ll discover below, is leaving the airport for dinner can be really costly.
The upside - the Hampton Inn has a nice lounge for snacks and drinks, but you’ll feel like you’re at a sterile, carpeted Hampton Inn lounge (versus a potentially super cute English pub), so take that with a grain of salt.
Here is a copy of the bar menu and the room setup (from December 2023). As you can see, fish and chips, burgers, and even classic English curry is on the menu. Not bad for a taste of England without leaving the hotel.
Note that if you DO choose to leave the hotel for dinner, taxi fare will be high. More on that below.
Breakfast is complimentary, but underwhelming.
Best for: Easy in/out access to the South Terminal (perfect for a place to sleep and wake up early)
Skip on to the walkability section below, because this one was a challenge to find. In fact, I felt so challenged by this I was discouraged to recommend it at all, but that would be a mistake.
Apparently this hotel won best hotel award (for something or other) and it shows why. They are built with travelers in mind with a swanky and modern bar as well as a restaurant.
In the bar they had games and activities for kids, and my daughter loved being greeted by the giant bears at check-in.
They offer a paid shuttle for non-distance walkers, and cute little things like vending machines for essentials and a paid luggage scale by the elevators.
For about 31K points a night, we used a free night reward from Marriott Bonvoy, making this one of the most affordable (still free) options.
Walking to the Courtyard
We did struggle to find it the night we checked in, but on the return walk to the airport it was much easier to navigate the route.
We had missed the signs!
Be sure to look for signs pointing to the Marriott and you’ll find it much easier.
If you feel you’ve walked too far, just…keep going!
Google told me it would take 51 minutes to walk to the Courtyard, which is literally just across the parking garage. So DON’T listen to Google. Use your instincts and find the signs.
Note that we followed Hilton signs to get to the Marriott, walking through the Hilton lobby. This is one way to do it, but it was completely asinine. Just look for the proper signs for Courtyard or Marriott.
You'll walk about a total of 10 minutes if you do it right.
Dining Near the Courtyard
The perk once you arrive is you can have a nice meal off-property that night. More on this below!
The breakfast buffet is included for Platinum Elite members, and is worth it even if you do not have Marriott status.
There are also options for breakfast in the terminal (more below).
Best for: A well-rounded stay that includes a bit of getting away from the airport
Can You Walk From Gatwick Airport to These Hotels?
This is really a matter of your ability to function after jet lag or extreme hunger, and of course your actual ability to maneuver more than 10 feet.
North or South Terminal Arrival?
Most hotels are located at the South Terminal, so when you arrive at Gatwick, you’ll need to first determine where you’ve arrived - North Terminal or South Terminal.
If it’s the North, look for signs for the South Terminal, along with signs for hotels. The Hilton, Hampton and Marriott are all contenders for such signs. Be on the lookout for them.
Take the South Terminal Shuttle Train
Meanwhile, you’ll need to hop the South Terminal shuttle. The train is a one stop train, so board and debark within about a five to ten minute journey.
Here’s where it’s tricky - the signage is there but you have to look - when you arrive at the South Terminal, more than likely you are going to need to go DOWN.
Head Downstairs and Follow the Signs to Your Hotel
That’s right, find an elevator and go down. We’ve done this the hard way taking the elevator in the parking garage (following Hilton signs), but there are also large signs and even larger lifts (elevators) that bring everyone down to ground level. Do that.
From there, do your best to follow the signs.
You May Need to Go On a Walkabout
There is a WALKING ROUTE to the Hilton and Courtyard Marriott, which is a sidewalk path that ventures along the parking garage and highly trafficked roads. Be careful and make the walk, it’s very easy once you know what you are doing.
Are There Shuttles to these Hotels?
There is a pay shuttle as needed but it is not necessary.
Do not take a taxi. That would be outrageously stupid. Google couldn't tell me where I was, but I could see the hotel was just across the parking lot from me on the map. Stop, read the signs, and ask if need be. All of these hotels are easy to walk to.
So in sum - yes, you can easily walk to all three of my recommended hotels, but you need to heed my advice above!
Meanwhile, the next real big kicker is this - TAXI FARES
Are Taxi Fares Pricey From the Gatwick Airport?
Staying at the airport one would expect to be able to get a taxi or Uber to a nice meal nearby easily. This is true.
What I didn’t know, there are hefty drop off fees and general airport markups, so to leave for a lovely pub meal at the Six Bells Pub, for instance, cost us more than 30 GBP EACH WAY.
That’s right, it cost us 60 pounds to go about 1.5 miles each way to a restaurant and back.
You may want to consider eating at your hotel.
Note that if you are headed into the center of London, King’s Cross for instance, you’ll spend about 100 GBP on taxi fare. It’s not cheap but it’s direct. Trains will be your best option.
Does Uber Operate at Gatwick Airport?
Yes. But...
If you think Uber is going to be a better deal you will be disappointed.
We got out of the taxi line favoring Uber, and found ourselves in a maze on the 6th floor of the parking garage trying to connect with our driver, who zoomed right past us.
The cost was the same and the experience was much more distressing.
Can I Walk to Dinner from Gatwick Airport?
I’ve done this, too. From the Courtyard there is an easy sidewalked path to the Jai Ho at Coppingham Arms Indian restaurant, but it was a bit dicey. With airport buses crossing the one part of our journey that was unwelcoming to pedestrians, it was a bit of dodger and frogger with our five year old.
It involved a walk under a dark bridge with cell phone flash lights in hand, and lots of cars and traffic. You’ve been warned, but the meal on the other end was worth it (and we saved on the 60 pound taxi fare). We are getting smarter!
You can also walk along the Gatwick walking route, as they call it, to a KFC, McDonald’s and a convenience store. These are more of the same dodging traffic and only somewhat safe pedestrian scenarios from the Hilton and Courtyard, but available nonetheless.
Where Can I Get Breakfast At Gatwick Airport?
If you can get the buffet at your hotel, go for it. Otherwise, here's some other handy ideas.
In the airport at the South Terminal you can find the back stairwell leading to departure gates and navigate your way to Wetherspoons, which offers order-at-the-counter service for typical English breakfast fare.
There are also a couple of coffee shops including M+S for a grab and go coffee on the move.
Inside the terminal, Nando’s offers an excellent breakfast (another full English for me!).
If you have Priority Pass lounge access (and if you don't, click here), then the lounges also offer free coffee and morning nourishment all free of charge with your Priority Pass.
Where to Eat Near Gatwick Airport?
I've got two recommendations for you, depending on how you are traveling:
Ye Olde Six Bells Pub (Taxi or Uber)
Exactly what you want from one night in London area, the tudor house is full of timbered ceilings, grand goblets of Gin and Tonic, and unique modern food (I recommend any duck dishes on offer).
Book online easily for Sunday Roasts, holidays, and weekend nights.
Enjoy fireside dining and rustic interiors at this super charming pub (and try to look past the expensive taxi fare).
Jai Ho at Coppingham Arms (Walk from Courtyard)
Another charming English pub from the outside, walk into a modern interior with lighting from the red light district (well, the lights are red - it’s a choice), and with a varied and reasonably priced list of Indian offerings.
Starters and mains like samosa chat and curries didn’t run more than 10-13 GBP per dish, and we found the spices to be extremely mild.
Even folks who don’t typically like Indian cuisine can find fusion offerings that skew more Chinese, like egg fried rice.
Wine runs about 25 GBP a bottle. Ask for the pacing to go slow and relax!
Pro tip: don't get the Tikka Masala. My standby - theirs bore little to no flavor. Too bad, because everything else on the menu was tremendous!
Tips for Dinner Reservations
Do yourself a favor and make a dinner reservation in advance leaving more time than you think between your flight arrival time and your dinner reservation time. If dinner is after 8pm, you may want to stay at your hotel. Otherwise, have a nice walk in the fresh air and enjoy something outside the terminal.
Going Into London from Gatwick Airport Hotels
Lastly, I know you want to see London, and not just the airport, but for that I recommend my extended layover guide to staying in London 2 or 3 nights.
You can indeed take the train into London proper, but Gatwick is situated about one hour out once you’ve gotten your train tickets (which are not cheap).
If you do choose to do this and return in one night, I recommend having at least 4-6 hours at your disposal before bed time. You’ll spend about 2 hours in transit (which, who wants to do that after a day of flying?) and you’ll be met with a full on scenario of navigating a new city in a flurry.
My advice - save London proper for another time.
If You Go
Staying at the hotels near Gatwick airport either in the terminal or adjacent to it is a really good way to make your way in and out of the airport when you’ve got late or early flights.
If you have a car, go ahead and disregard most of this, as you’ll be able to move about easily enough. But, as a family in transit sans car, these are some of the best tips I can share based on my previous several experiences.
Safe travels and enjoy your stay!
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