Leave at 4:00am or stay at airport hotel

[worm77daisy]

Going on holiday in a couple of weeks 2 adults a five and three year old, we have an 8 hour flight, we have to be at Gatwick for 07:00am, a three hour drive away - so leaving at 4, getting up at the latest 3:30! We will be arriving at our destination early afternoon local time.

Would you stay at the Gatwick Hilton for ££, or just suck up the early start.

TIA

we normally drive down the day before and stay over at an airport hotel (we normally fly from Manchester airport and drive down from Scotland).

Are there no cheaper alternatives? We've always managed to stay in a Travelodge or similar. When it's just me quick trip short-haul, I tend to drive but with the family and bigger trips I'd stay the night.

Myself and used to do this up at 3:30 kids stay in pjs they sleep in car have a bag for change of clothes then take turns for sleep while on plane

We are staying at a premier inn the night before our 9 hour flight, we would have to egg to the airport at the same sort of time

The car will be driven to the carpark and we get a shuttle bus to the airport

There are 3 Premier Inn's near Gatwick. Have you tried them? Or how about a hotel/parking package? They sometimes work out cheaper. Try lookig at APH or Holiday Extras.

I'd stay at the hotel the night before. You'll feel more rested and relaxed ready to start your holiday.

p.s. the service at the Manchester Hilton was crap. 20 minutes to get served at the quiet bar and at least 30 minutes for someone to come and take our food order in the restaurant (and that's only because we called someone over) - it wasnt even busy there either. Have had better service at some of the cheaper ones in the past.

Have you organised parking while you're away. Quite often the cost of that is included in with a stay the night before you go.

For our honeymoon we found the price of hotel plus car parking (they moved the car to somewhere off sore then brought it back) was barely more expensive than normal parking for a two week trip- and we could literally walk to the terminal from the hotel in about 30 seconds (Sofitel heatheow, highly recommended if anyone is looking, but book as far in advance as you can for a good price!)

I'd stay at an airport hotel, but it doesn't need to be the Hilton if you don't want to spend the cash, surely? (Although I forked out for a nice hotel at Manchester airport one year when I was flying right before Christmas and it was lovely, the whole place was all decorated and looked amazing and I felt like I was on a really fancy holiday) Most of the Travelodge/Premier inn style places will have airport shuttles to get you to your flight and will be cheap.

If you can afford it, I'd do the hotel.

I would stay over. I always worry that if there is a delay on the motorway we will miss our flight. Also, I hate travelling at 3 or 4 in the morning, it makes my stomach all crampy!

I wouldn't choose the Gatwick Hilton though, although it is very convenient, it is very expensive. We've stayed at the Gatwick ramada which was excellent and paid about £60 for a family room, although that was a few years ago. We've also stayed at the travelodge which was much more basic but very cheap, and for one night was ok.

And, we've just used the premier inn at manchester airport which was much much better than the travelodge!

I've only stayed in an airport hotel once and it was awful, an extention of the airport really, terrible food, nowhere to sit in the evening and even the TV was some weird sponsored channel showing promotional videos for various holiday destinations. We much preferred staying at hotels a little further away with an airport shuttle service and parking included.

I'd sleep in your own beds. Easier to settle children, it often takes hours for them to settle in hotels (it's too exciting). And you'll still have to get up at 6am even if you're close to the hotel.

Much better to o to bed early and drive early in the AM.

Oh and have a lovely holiday.

Do the early start in preference to the Hilton, but stay in a cheaper and better alternative as primary choice overall.

We stay the night before, wouldn't bother paying loads though, we went from north terminal and stayed at the premier inn, just had to walk out the door and across the road to the airport, so convenient and a fraction of the price, after all it's just a bed.

never stay over - you don't sleep well

We always stay at a hotel. Cuts out worry about an accident on motorway closing it scenario.

I sleep better because I am not worrying about getting up and getting to the airport IYKWIM.

Thank you for all your opinions. We had thought Hilton as would mean not having the hassle of getting a transfer in the morning.

We have decided to leave early and try and go to bed earlier. Which means the children will go to bed late, DH early and me probably not at all as I shall be faffing too much!

we always go the night before as you can check your bags in the night before and drop them off and it saves you time in the morning. They do it at Manchester and looks like they do it at Gatwick too.

Stay at the Yotel at gatwick.

It's in the terminal so no transfer. It's also really cheap.