Hotels by budget

Best Gatwick airport hotels for an early flight

Six Gatwick hotels joined to, or inside, the North and South terminals, so an early departure means a short walk rather than a taxi.

Updated 27 October 2026 · Researched from official and published sources

Gatwick is simpler than Heathrow. There are two terminals, North and South, joined by a free shuttle that takes about two minutes. Several hotels sit right on top of a terminal, which makes the night before an early flight far less stressful.

These picks are grouped by terminal, with how each one links to check-in. Prices are what Kayak showed for specific nights in late October and early November 2026, so check live rates for your date.

At a glance

#	Pick	Price guide
1	Best overall Sofitel London Gatwick	£89–£181 a night for a Saturday in late October (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026
2	Best for the South Terminal Hilton London Gatwick Airport	From £95 a night, most standard rooms £112 and up, for a Monday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026
3	Best for the North Terminal on a budget Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport	From £97 a night for a Sunday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026
4	Best value Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal)	From £36 a night, most rooms £60 and up, for a Saturday in late October (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026
5	Closest to South Terminal departures Bloc Hotel London Gatwick	£69–£103 a night for a Sunday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026
6	Best for a short stay YOTELAIR London Gatwick Airport	£75–£79 a night for a Monday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026

1 · Best overall

Sofitel London Gatwick

North Terminal, linked by covered walkway

A 518-room hotel linked to the North Terminal by a covered walkway, with a walk of about two to three minutes to check-in. The same walkway leads to the free shuttle to the South Terminal. Two restaurants, two bars and a 24-hour gym make it a comfortable base if you arrive the evening before.

Covered walk to North Terminal check-in
Easy shuttle link to the South Terminal
More restaurant choice than most Gatwick hotels

Watch out: Rates rise sharply on busy nights, so book early for peak dates.

£89–£181 a night for a Saturday in late October (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

2 · Best for the South Terminal

Hilton London Gatwick Airport

South Terminal, linked by covered walkway

A large full-service hotel joined to the South Terminal by a covered walkway of about five minutes. The walkway also reaches Gatwick Airport railway station and the free shuttle to the North Terminal. It has a gym, several places to eat and 24-hour room service.

Covered walk to the South Terminal and station
24-hour room service
Plenty of meeting space for a pre-flight meeting

Watch out: It is a very big hotel, so expect a walk from reception to some rooms.

From £95 a night, most standard rooms £112 and up, for a Monday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

3 · Best for the North Terminal on a budget

Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport

Longbridge House, North Terminal, linked by covered walkway

Hilton says the hotel is connected to the North Terminal by a covered walkway, and listings put the walk at about two minutes. Wi-Fi is free and there is a 24-hour gym and reception. It is a steady, predictable choice for a night before a North Terminal flight.

About two minutes on foot to the North Terminal
Free Wi-Fi
24-hour reception and gym

Watch out: Hilton lists parking at £60 a night, and reviewers often criticise the breakfast and dinner menu.

From £97 a night for a Sunday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

4 · Best value

Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal)

North Terminal, short walk

Premier Inn says the hotel is less than five minutes' walk from the North Terminal and runs a free 24-hour shuttle to the South Terminal. It is the lowest-cost option on this list that still lets you walk to check-in.

Under five minutes on foot to the North Terminal
Free 24-hour shuttle to the South Terminal
Discounted parking in the airport car park opposite

Watch out: There is no on-site parking; Premier Inn lists a discounted £25 for 24 hours in the airport short stay car park.

From £36 a night, most rooms £60 and up, for a Saturday in late October (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

5 · Closest to South Terminal departures

Bloc Hotel London Gatwick

South Terminal, level 3, landside

Bloc's reception is on level 3 of the South Terminal, directly before security, so you are steps from departures. Rooms are small but well designed, with free Wi-Fi, and the Aspire rooms add a desk. It suits a solo traveller who just wants to sleep and walk to security.

Inside the South Terminal, before security
A couple of minutes from the railway station
Aspire rooms have a desk and windows

Watch out: There is no restaurant or bar, and the cheapest Sleep rooms have no window and no desk.

£69–£103 a night for a Sunday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

6 · Best for a short stay

YOTELAIR London Gatwick Airport

South Terminal, landside next to international arrivals

YOTELAIR's cabins are in the landside part of the South Terminal, under a minute from international arrivals. You can book by the hour (four hours minimum) or overnight, and every cabin has a workstation and free Wi-Fi. A continental breakfast at £7.95 can be prepared for collection at check-out.

Inside the South Terminal
Hourly bookings to fit flight times
Workstation and laptop-size safe in most cabins

Watch out: Standard cabins are only 7 square metres with limited storage, so they suit one person with hand luggage.

£75–£79 a night for a Monday in early November (Kayak listing), checked 27 Oct 2026Visit official site

Where to stay by terminal

Check which terminal the airline uses before you book. Gatwick's two terminals are close, but a hotel joined to the right one saves time at 5am.

North Terminal: Sofitel London Gatwick and Hampton by Hilton by covered walkway, or Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) on foot.
South Terminal: Hilton London Gatwick Airport by covered walkway, or Bloc and YOTELAIR inside the terminal.
Hotels further out on the A23 or in Crawley and Horley often use a shuttle bus. Check the first departure time before you book.

Getting to the terminal at 5am

From the walkway hotels, allow about five minutes on foot. The free shuttle between North and South terminals takes about two minutes and runs frequently, so a hotel at the other terminal is still workable if the price is right.

Gatwick Airport railway station is next to the South Terminal, with direct trains to central London. If the traveller is coming from London in the morning instead, check the first trains of the day before deciding against a hotel.

Booking tips for PAs

A few choices at booking make expenses easier later.

Pick a flexible rate if the flight could change. Airport hotel saver rates are often non-refundable.
Ask about corporate or negotiated rates if your company flies from Gatwick often. Hilton, Accor and Premier Inn all run business booking programmes.
Ask for a VAT invoice in the company name. UK hotel rooms carry 20% VAT, and finance needs a full VAT invoice to reclaim it.
Check breakfast times against the flight. Ask for a breakfast bag or pre-ordered continental option if the flight is before 7am.
If the traveller is driving, compare hotel parking packages with Gatwick's own car parks.
There is no HMRC nightly cap on UK hotel rooms; the limit is your company's travel policy.

Walk times from each hotel to check-in

Gatwick publishes a walk time for each on-airport hotel. Use it to set the alarm and to judge whether a cheaper room further away is worth it.

Bloc, South Terminal: 1 minute covered walk to security.
Hampton by Hilton, North Terminal: 2 minute covered walk to check-in; about 5 minutes to the South Terminal on the free shuttle.
Sofitel, North Terminal: 5 minute covered walk to check-in.
Premier Inn, opposite the North Terminal main entrance: 5 minute covered walk to check-in.
YOTEL, South Terminal: 5 minute covered walk to check-in. Cabins are booked for a minimum of four hours.
Hilton, South Terminal: 10 minute covered walk to check-in. It is the largest, with 826 rooms.
Courtyard by Marriott, near the South Terminal: 15 minute walk. The route runs beside the car park and busy roads, and the signs are easy to miss.

Hotel and parking packages

If the traveller drives, Gatwick says some hotels can be booked as a package with Official London Gatwick Parking, and Bloc, Hampton by Hilton, Hilton and Sofitel list Long Stay and Valet parking options. Compare the package with booking the room and parking separately, and ask for one VAT invoice covering both so the claim is simple.

For group bookings, Gatwick directs callers to its call centre on +44 134 2859442.

Questions people ask

Which hotels are connected to Gatwick North Terminal?

Sofitel London Gatwick and Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport are joined to the North Terminal by covered walkways. Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) is a walk of under five minutes.

Which hotels are inside Gatwick South Terminal?

Bloc Hotel London Gatwick and YOTELAIR London Gatwick Airport are both inside the South Terminal, landside before security. Hilton London Gatwick Airport is joined to the South Terminal by a covered walkway.

How do you get between Gatwick North and South terminals?

A free shuttle links the two terminals and takes about two minutes. Allow a few extra minutes at busy times.

Can you book a Gatwick airport hotel by the hour?

Yes. YOTELAIR at the South Terminal takes hourly bookings with a four-hour minimum, as well as overnight stays.

Which hotels can you walk to Gatwick airport from?

All of Gatwick's on-airport hotels are walkable: Bloc, YOTEL and Hilton at the South Terminal, and Sofitel, Hampton by Hilton and Premier Inn at the North Terminal, by covered walkway. Courtyard by Marriott is about a 15 minute walk from the South Terminal.

Which hotels are connected to Gatwick airport?

Gatwick lists Bloc, Hilton and YOTEL at the South Terminal and Sofitel, Hampton by Hilton and Premier Inn at the North Terminal, each linked by a covered walkway. Bloc is the closest, at a 1 minute walk to security.

Can I book a Gatwick hotel with parking?

Yes. Gatwick says some hotels can be booked as a package with Official London Gatwick Parking. Compare the price with booking the room and parking separately.

Business trip cost calculatorHotel, flights, meals and transfers for the 30 most common work destinations, checked against HMRC's day rates.HMRC day-rate (per diem) checkerThe tax-free meal and room allowance for UK and overseas trips, converted to pounds.