Hotels With Airport Shuttle at London Stansted
Many flights from London Stansted Airport leave very early, and the hotels on and around the airport rely on shuttle buses to get guests to the terminal on time. This selection groups four hotels that list an airport shuttle. Two are large airport hotels, Premier Inn London Stansted Airport hotel and Novotel London Stansted Airport, each with its own stop on the airport shuttle. The other two are small and characterful: The Gem Stansted, a boutique hotel with individually designed rooms, and the Kings Arms, a pub with rooms. Guest scores run from 8.2 to 8.6 out of 10, and the choice depends on whether you want scale or charm.
Stansted sits in the Essex countryside, close to the town of Bishop's Stortford and the village of Stansted Mountfitchet, about an hour from central London by train. Around the airport, large hotels and car parks meet fields, villages and old pubs. The rhythm is set by flights: the first departures leave before dawn, and shuttle buses run between the terminal and the hotels from very early in the morning.
Where to stay near the airport
Airport hotels or a boutique and a pub
A shuttle hotel takes the stress out of a dawn departure from Stansted. Instead of driving in from London before sunrise or paying for a long taxi ride, you sleep a short ride from the terminal and let the bus do the rest. For travellers arriving late, the same shuttle brings you to a bed quickly. The two airport hotels suit people who want predictable rooms, while the boutique hotel and the pub add breakfast and a more personal setting.
Premier Inn London Stansted Airport hotel is the classic choice for a short night before a flight. It has its own stop on the airport shuttle, en suite air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi, a bar and a restaurant, and it is rated 8.2 out of 10 from more than 5,000 reviews. It also offers park-and-fly parking deals, which suit travellers who drive to the airport and leave their car for the duration of the trip. Rooms are accessible and kid-friendly. If I wanted a simple, reliable room close to the terminal, I would book it first.
Novotel London Stansted Airport also has its own shuttle stop and adds more facilities for longer or busier stays. It offers a 24-hour gym, meeting space, room service, full-service laundry and an American-style diner, and it is rated 8.2 from more than 3,000 reviews. Breakfast and parking are available at extra cost. The 24-hour gym helps when an early flight or a late landing has upset your sleep, and the diner is convenient for a quick meal after arriving. For a business stay or a family that needs more space and services, it is the stronger of the two airport hotels.
The Gem Stansted offers a different experience. It is a boutique hotel with individually designed rooms, free Wi-Fi, a bar and upscale dining, and it is listed with its own airport shuttle stop. Breakfast is included and rooms are kid-friendly. With a score of 8.6 out of 10, it shares the best rating of this selection, although it has far fewer reviews than the airport hotels. I would choose it for a night before a holiday flight, when a more personal place to stay matters as much as the transfer, especially for couples who want a good dinner before leaving.
The Kings Arms is a traditional pub with rooms, real ales, a beer garden and dining, and it runs its own airport shuttle. Free breakfast, free parking and free Wi-Fi are included, and the pub is pet-friendly throughout, which is rare near an airport. It is also rated 8.6 out of 10, from a few hundred reviews. Rooms are described as unassuming, so expect comfort rather than luxury. For travellers with a dog, or anyone who prefers an English pub to an airport hotel, it is a pleasant option. As with every shuttle, confirm the departure times for your flight when you book.
A traveler's takeFor a night before an early flight from Stansted, I would book Premier Inn London Stansted Airport hotel, rated 8.2, for its own shuttle stop and its park-and-fly parking deals. If I were travelling with a dog or wanted a more personal stay, I would choose the Kings Arms, rated 8.6, with its own airport shuttle and free breakfast. Our advice: confirm the first shuttle departure before booking a dawn flight.
Airport shuttle8.6The Gem Stansted
Individually designed rooms with a shuttle and upscale dining
Why guests love itThe Gem Stansted is a 5-star boutique property rated 8.6 from 335 reviews, with individually designed rooms, free Wi-Fi and iPod docks. A hip bar and upscale dining are on site, and the hotel has its own airport shuttle stop. Free breakfast and kid-friendly rooms round out the stay. It is close enough to Stansted for a flight, so I would choose it for a stylish stopover when design matters more than a plain budget bed.
Airport shuttle8.6Kings Arms
Storied pub rooms with real ales and airport shuttle
Why guests love itKings Arms is a storied pub with unassuming rooms, a beer garden and real ales, and its own airport shuttle to Stansted. Breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi are all free, and the whole place is pet-friendly. It is rated 8.6 from 369 reviews, a strong score for a simple stay. Families get an easy evening downstairs and a shuttle link in the morning, though rooms are modest.
Airport shuttle8.2Premier Inn London Stansted Airport hotel
En suite rooms with a shuttle stop and park-and-fly
Why guests love itPremier Inn London Stansted Airport is built for a fast turnaround before or after a flight, which is exactly what a family with an early departure needs. It has its own airport shuttle stop, park-and-fly parking deals and a bar and restaurant on site, so dinner and breakfast need no planning. Rooms are en suite, air-conditioned, accessible and kid-friendly, and Wi-Fi is free. It holds an 8.2 rating from more than 5,000 reviews. Expect simple comfort, not leisure facilities.
Airport shuttle8.2Novotel London Stansted Airport
Bright rooms with a 24-hour gym and airport shuttle
Why guests love itNovotel London Stansted Airport is a 4-star with its own airport shuttle stop, accessible kid-friendly rooms and a bright American diner that most children will happily eat in. Room service helps when everyone is tired after a flight, and full-service laundry is useful at the end of a trip. Parents can use the 24-hour gym. Breakfast and parking are available, and rooms are air-conditioned. It holds an 8.2 rating from more than 3,200 reviews. No pool is listed.
Good to know
- 1Confirm the first shuttle departure of the day before booking a flight at dawn.
- 2Driving to the airport? Premier Inn London Stansted Airport hotel offers park-and-fly parking deals.
- 3For breakfast included, choose The Gem Stansted or the Kings Arms; at Novotel it costs extra.
- 4Travelling with a dog? The Kings Arms is pet-friendly throughout.
- 5Novotel's 24-hour gym helps after a late landing or before a very early flight.
- 6For a meeting near the airport, Novotel London Stansted Airport offers meeting space.