Airport Parking versus Airport Hotel Parking – A Personal View of the Benefits of Airport Hotels

Airport Parking the Old Way

I am sure we have all done it. We have stumbled out of bed at 4am as our alarm screams at us that it is time to get up. We have bundled our sleepy party into the car for maybe a 100 mile journey to the airport, leaving far more time than really necessary just in case we are held up by traffic problems. We have arrived at the airport with a long wait ahead of us, tired (but hopefully still excited) before our holiday has even really begun. And we still have to leave the family at the terminal with the luggage, drive to the long stay car park, then catch the bus back to the terminal before we check in.

Airport Hotel Parking - the Relaxed Option

I have been converted! With a family of five to organise, I am now a great believer in leaving the night before and relaxing in a hotel close to the airport. The holiday starts a day earlier, and the kids enjoy the excitement of an extra night in a hotel with the five of us cosily relaxed in a room really meant for four (you don’t have to be that cosy even if you have a family our size - The Moat House at Gatwick, for example, has family rooms that can sleep up to 7 people).

I can enjoy the drive to the airport, as there is no need for me to be stressed over possible traffic hold-ups as it really doesn’t matter - we have a confirmed hotel booking and can arrive at midnight if the worst happens.

No More Early Alarm Calls

We can also have a much more leisurely start on the morning of our flight. There is plenty of time for breakfast, the car is already parked, and we just hop on the bus for the transfer direct to the airport terminal. We don’t need to leave loads of time for ‘contingency’, as there is very little likelihood of us getting held up for long between the hotel and the airport terminal.

‘Meet and Greet’ Service

On arriving back in the UK you can also make your life easy by choosing a hotel offering a ‘meet and greet’ service, whereby they deliver your car to the terminal ready for your return (although you are unlikely to find this service offered by the very cheapest hotels).

Airport Hotel Parking - A Great Value Alternative to Simple Airport Parking

And the best part is, this is often much cheaper than you would think. There are numerous Airport Hotel Parking Packages for each airport, and when you take out the cost of the airport parking you would have to pay anyway then the extra cost is very small. For me and my family the decision is a simple one. We’ll choose the leisurely start to our holiday every time!

My Trip

Airport Parking versus Airport Hotel Parking – A Personal View of the Benefits of Airport Hotels