Stansted Airport - hotels and car parking - top tips please!

[DottyDot]

Does anyone have any experience of travelling from Stansted Airport? We're due to fly from there mid-morning in a few weeks time. We're in Manchester so I'm thinking we should drive down the day before the flight and stay in a Stansted Airport-type hotel.

We haven't been abroad since having ds's, so this all feels a bit new - years ago we'd just stick some clothes in a rucksack and get the tube to the airport (sigh). So my dilemma is what to do with the car...

Do we pay to stay the night before in an airport hotel which lets us leave the car there for a week, or I've googled and discovered something called valet parking, where we'd stay somewhere, drive to the airport and give our keys (seriously? gulp) to someone who would then bring the car back a week later...

So, any recommendations of OK hotels/car park ideas? Budget is as usual the-cheaper-the-better...

Thank you

I live 5 minutes from the airport. There's a brand new hotel that's just been built at the M11 services. It looks pretty nice.

Did a search and found this for you.

We've stayed at the Radisson there - they have rooms with an interconnecting door, which is brilliant if you don't want to experience the hell that is a Family Room. And some sort of car parking deal. Pricey, though - but lovely.

And we've used the valet parking a lot. It's fine. When you return the car is waiting for you in the short stay car park - never had any problems at all. Is so much easier than the long term car park where you have the whole stressy wait for the heaving bus to the airport.

I booked a room/parking for an employee recently at the Holiday Inn Express. Price was reasonable as i booked it on APH.

Try late rooms.com if you are not fussy. It's a lot cheaper and you can add parking.

Thanks all - I've just booked the Hilton Express for a bargainous £89 for a room the night before + 9 day's parking. Hurrah!

I have a latest news about Stansted airport parking,Save money every time by pr-booking and comparing Stansted airport parking prices here.www.ukairportcarparks.co.uk/stansted-airport-uk.htm
Chris Fryer

When flying from Stansted airport, bringing your car may be a necessary evil as the Airport now offers a large range of flights, and you need to make sure you have made arrangements to park your car for the duration of your time away. Luckily there are a number of hotels, which are close to Stansted Airport and offer car parking services, you can easily arrange to leave your car here, and rest assured that it will be security patrolled and your car will be as you left it on your return. This could be of immense benefit to you as the car parks at the airport are massive, crowded and generally hard work. However, if you are a guest of a hotel, or even if you are not, the strain can be taken away and your car can be left in complete safety. Stansted airport is a large airport and by staying at the airport hotels you can alleviate those last minute panics about getting to the terminal on time.

Stanstead airport car parking offers a number of hotels that have the distinct advantage of being closer to the airport terminal building than the airport's own mid and long stay car parks, and the shuttle service offered is often more frequent so there really is no downside to using the facilities on offer. This really is a generous offer too, as large airport parking is premium and many of the hotels will not even ask you to stay with them to get this service. OK they charge, but unless you have friends or family in the Stansted area you are never going to be able to park for free. The hotels have a quick turnaround. Whether you are leaving the hotel to get to the airport or whether you are arriving at the airport and need to get back to the hotel they have a designated telephone number that you can call, and their airport shuttle will be with you within the 7 minute time period.

Stansted airport hotel parking is a great alternative to traveling in by the Stansted Express train service, or tackling the M11, which gets incredibly busy during peak times as this motorway is used by many commuting into London. By staying the night before your flight you can take away all of the stresses and strains of travelling into this very busy airport and even view this extra night as an extension to your holiday or business trip. Many of the hotels offer superb facilities and with the Hotel Airport Parking facility offered at the majority of them. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of this?