Courtyard by Marriott London Gatwick Airport: the complete traveller's guide
A comfortable, recently refurbished 4-star within walking distance of the South Terminal, with triple-glazed rooms and a quiet garden courtyard. An honest, detailed rundown — including the WiFi, breakfast, shuttle and parking charges that genuinely surprise guests.
Hotel overview
The Courtyard by Marriott London Gatwick Airport is a contemporary 4-star on Buckingham Gate, close enough to walk to the South Terminal in around five to seven minutes — or a two-minute drive. With 218 recently refurbished rooms, triple-glazed windows and a peaceful outdoor courtyard, it's one of the more comfortable and stylish options right by the airport.
Rooms are a generous 24 sq m (junior suites 30 sq m), with Egyptian cotton bedding, air conditioning, a fridge, a proper work desk and effective soundproofing — guests consistently praise how quiet and spacious they are. There's a restaurant and bar, a convenience store, a gym, four meeting rooms and a 24-hour business centre, and children stay free.
The honest counterweight is the pricing model: this hotel charges separately for several things rivals include — in-room WiFi, breakfast, the airport shuttle and parking — and those add up quickly. Reviewers are broadly positive about the rooms and staff but frequently flag the fees. Go in knowing the full cost and it's a strong choice; assume the headline rate is the whole price and you'll be caught out.
| Official website | marriott.com |
|---|---|
| Address | London Gatwick Airport, Buckingham Gate, Gatwick RH6 0NT |
| Star rating | 4-star |
| Rooms | 218 (recently refurbished), 24–30 sq m |
| Distance | ~5–7 min walk to South Terminal; ~5 min drive to North |
| Check-in / check-out | From 3:00 PM / by 12:00 noon |
| Parking | Self-parking £25/day (limited); park-and-fly packages available |
| Guest rating | ~8.4 / 10 |
Star rating and what it means
A 4-star Marriott brand — comfortable, contemporary rooms with a restaurant, bar, gym and business facilities, though not a full-service luxury hotel.
| Level | What it broadly means in the UK |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ Five-star | Luxury: extensive facilities, near-flawless service |
| ★★★★ Four-star (this hotel) | Upscale: spacious well-equipped rooms, restaurant & bar, gym, meeting rooms, room service |
| ★★★ Three-star | Mid-range comfort: en-suite rooms, a restaurant, decent service |
| ★★ / ★ Budget | Simple, functional accommodation |
Reviewers rate it ~8.4/10 and highlight spacious, clean, comfortable rooms with quality bedding and good soundproofing, plus friendly staff. The recurring criticisms, per aggregated review summaries, are the parking and shuttle fees, occasional service inconsistency and a slightly impersonal restaurant space.
Brand, ownership & business profile
A Courtyard by Marriott — Marriott's business-focused mid-upscale brand.
- Courtyard by Marriott — designed around comfortable rooms and flexible workspaces for business and leisure travellers, with consistent quality and modern design.
- Marriott Bonvoy — earn and redeem points here; free to join at checkout.
Note there's also a Courtyard by Marriott at London Heathrow, and several Marriott-family hotels around both airports — check the address (Buckingham Gate, RH6 0NT) matches the Gatwick property you intend to book.
Business profile
| Category | 4-star mid-upscale airport hotel (walking distance) |
|---|---|
| Primary market | Business travellers, South Terminal departures, families, park-and-fly |
| Brand / loyalty | Courtyard by Marriott; Marriott Bonvoy |
| On-site | Restaurant & bar · convenience store · gym · 4 meeting rooms · 24-hr business centre · garden courtyard |
| Signature | Triple-glazed quiet rooms; walkable to South Terminal; outdoor courtyard |
Takeaway for travellers: a genuinely comfortable, quiet, well-equipped 4-star you can walk to the South Terminal from — provided you price in the extras for WiFi, breakfast, parking and the shuttle.
Rooms, beds & prices
218 recently refurbished rooms, most at a generous 24 sq m — Guest Room, Premium King, Family and Premium Family — plus Junior Suites at around 30 sq m. All have triple-glazed windows for quiet, Egyptian cotton and premium bedding, air conditioning, a fridge, an in-room safe, tea and coffee making facilities, a work desk with plug-in panels, pay-per-view movies and a hairdryer. Family rooms have two double beds (two adults and two children), connecting rooms are available, and children stay free. Ranges below are indicative.
| Room type | Size | Beds | Sleeps | From (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest Room | 24 sq m | King or twin | 2 | ~£95 |
| Premium King | 24 sq m | King (upgraded) | 2 | ~£110 |
| Family / Premium Family | 24 sq m | Two double beds | 2 adults + 2 children | ~£125 |
| Junior Suite | 30 sq m | King + seating area | 2 | ~£150 |
Prices are per room, per night, room-only — breakfast, in-room WiFi and parking are extra (see the charges section). The triple glazing is a genuine strength: guests repeatedly describe the rooms as quiet despite the airport location, and the 24 sq m size is above average for the area. Children stay free, which helps offset the extras for families.
- Bed quality: Egyptian cotton and premium bedding; consistently praised.
- Quiet: triple-glazed windows — a step beyond the usual double glazing here.
- Families: two-double-bed family rooms, connecting rooms, children's menu, kids stay free.
What's in every room
| Category | Included in every room |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | TV with cable/satellite channels & pay-per-view movies |
| Connectivity | Work desk with plug-in panels — in-room WiFi is chargeable (free in public areas) |
| Hot drinks | Tea & coffee maker; fridge |
| Sleep | Triple-glazed windows, Egyptian cotton & premium bedding, air conditioning |
| Bathroom | En-suite with water-efficient shower, hairdryer, toiletries |
| Practical | In-room safe; room service (limited hours); laundry & dry cleaning available |
A well-specified room for the price bracket — the fridge, safe, proper desk and triple glazing all count. The notable omission is free in-room WiFi, which is charged at around £7.50 a day; WiFi in the public areas is free. Marriott Bonvoy members should check whether their status includes in-room WiFi.
Dining
The on-site restaurant (branded The Cow at The Airport, with the Casterbridge Grill name also used) serves breakfast and dinner — traditional British pub food, grills and seasonal dishes — alongside a bar, a children's menu, a convenience store for snacks and room service during limited hours.
| Venue / meal | What to expect | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet breakfast (extra) | 6:00–10:00 weekdays; 6:30–10:30 weekends | ~£16.95 pp |
| Restaurant (dinner) | British pub food, grills, seasonal dishes; children's menu | £14–£26 mains |
| Bar | Cocktails, drinks & snacks | £5–£12 / drink |
| Convenience store & room service | Snacks and essentials; room service in limited hours | Varies |
Guests generally rate the food well — "delicious meals and helpful staff" is a recurring theme — though some find the restaurant space a little impersonal and occasionally note loud music. Breakfast is a chargeable extra at around £16.95 per person, so compare with hotels that include it if that matters to your budget.
The extra charges — read before you book
This is the most important section for anyone comparing prices. The Courtyard charges separately for several things that other Gatwick hotels include, and reviewers regularly say the fees weren't clear to them at booking. Here they are in one place.
| Item | Typical charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-room WiFi | ~£7.50 per day | WiFi in public areas is free; rates may vary |
| Buffet breakfast | ~£16.95 per person | Not included in standard rates |
| Self-parking | ~£25 per day | Limited spaces; extended/long-stay parking extra |
| Airport shuttle | ~£3 per person, one way | Marriott's own site states no shuttle is provided — confirm before relying on it |
| Gatwick Hoppa bus | ~£5.25 per person | Alternative public option to the terminals |
| Refundable deposit | ~£50 per day | Held at check-in, returned after your stay |
| Early check-in / late check-out | Chargeable | Subject to availability |
None of these are unusual individually, but together they can add £50 or more to a one-night stay for two people with a car. One guest reported being charged £9 for a short bus transfer they hadn't expected. The simplest way to avoid surprises: walk to the South Terminal (5–7 minutes), skip the paid shuttle, and decide in advance about breakfast, WiFi and parking.
Facilities & services
| Parking | On-site self-parking ~£25/day (limited spaces); extended parking extra; wheelchair-accessible parking; park-and-fly packages with 8 or 15 days' parking |
|---|---|
| Terminal access | ~5–7 min walk to South Terminal; paid shuttle (~£3pp, reported 4:00 AM–11:30 PM) and Gatwick Hoppa (~£5.25pp); ~5 min drive to North |
| Dining | Restaurant & bar; children's menu; convenience store; room service (limited hours) |
| Fitness | Fully equipped fitness centre — no swimming pool |
| Business | 24-hour business centre; 4 meeting rooms (~969 sq ft conference space); computer station |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi in public areas; in-room WiFi chargeable (~£7.50/day) |
| Outdoor | Peaceful garden courtyard |
| Services | 24-hour front desk; express check-in/out; laundry & dry cleaning; wake-up service; daily housekeeping |
| Family | Children stay free; connecting rooms; children's menu |
Accessibility & suitability for elderly guests
A modern, recently refurbished hotel with accessible rooms and parking, close enough to walk to the South Terminal — though the walk may be a factor for some.
Accessible strengths:
- Accessible room types available (select during booking; limited numbers per type)
- Wheelchair-accessible parking on site
- 24-hour front desk; express check-in and check-out; lifts
- Restaurant, bar, convenience store and gym all on site
Worth confirming first:
- Call the hotel to confirm specific accessible-room features for your needs
- The terminal is a 5–7 minute walk — if that's too far, plan the paid shuttle, Hoppa or a car
- Parking is limited, so book it in advance if you're driving
Suitability verdict for elderly & less-mobile guests: good — accessible rooms and parking, modern refurbished facilities, and everything you need on site. The main consideration is the walk to the terminal: it's short but not covered, so a door-to-door car is the easiest option if walking with luggage is difficult.
Insider details
Walk to the South Terminal and skip the shuttle fee
The single best money-saving tip here. The South Terminal is about a five-to-seven-minute walk, and guests confirm it's an easy stroll. The hotel's shuttle is chargeable (around £3 per person each way, and Marriott's own website actually states no shuttle service is provided — so don't rely on it without confirming), and the Gatwick Hoppa is around £5.25 per person. For a family of four, walking saves a meaningful amount both ways.
Triple-glazed rooms — quieter than most
Where this hotel genuinely outperforms its neighbours: the rooms have triple-glazed windows, not the usual double glazing, and at 24 sq m they're larger than typical airport-hotel rooms. Reviewers repeatedly mention how quiet and comfortable they are, helped by the premium bedding. If sleep quality before a flight is your priority, that's a real advantage.
Check the shuttle claim before you depend on it
An honest inconsistency worth knowing: Marriott's official site states the hotel does not provide a shuttle service, while several booking partners list a paid shuttle (roughly £3 per person, reported as running 4:00 AM–11:30 PM). If you're planning to use it — particularly for an early flight — confirm directly with the hotel when you book rather than assuming it will be there.
Children stay free — the family maths
Families get a real break here: children stay free, family rooms have two double beds for two adults and two children, connecting rooms are available and there's a children's menu. That offsets some of the paid extras, though breakfast at around £16.95 a head adds up for a family — worth deciding in advance.
WiFi coverage & signal strength
WiFi is free in public areas and chargeable in guestrooms (around £7.50 per day). Signal-strength-by-area detail (which floors are strongest) isn't published — confirm with hotel, or share guest reviews and we'll add specifics.
General guidance for a modern Marriott-brand hotel: connectivity is usually reliable, and Marriott Bonvoy membership may include in-room WiFi depending on your tier — worth checking before paying the daily rate.
Practical information
| Check-in | From 3:00 PM (early check-in chargeable, subject to availability) |
|---|---|
| Check-out | By 12:00 noon (late check-out chargeable) |
| ID at check-in | Photo ID + payment card; ~£50/day refundable deposit |
| Parking | Self-parking ~£25/day, limited; extended parking extra |
| WiFi | Free in public areas; ~£7.50/day in guestrooms |
| Breakfast | Buffet ~£16.95pp (6:00–10:00 wkdy / 6:30–10:30 wknd) |
| Smoking | Designated smoking area only (fines apply elsewhere) |
| Pool / loyalty | No pool; Marriott Bonvoy |
Getting to the terminals
Walkable to the South Terminal; the North Terminal needs transport.
| To… | Best way | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Terminal | Walk (recommended), or paid shuttle / Hoppa | ~5–7 min walk | Free on foot; shuttle ~£3pp; Hoppa ~£5.25pp |
| North Terminal | Shuttle/Hoppa or car; or walk to South + free inter-terminal transit | ~5 min drive | Shuttle/Hoppa fare; taxi ~£10–14 |
| Central London | Train from Gatwick Airport station (South Terminal) | ~30 min | Rail fare |
| Brighton / coach | Trains from the airport station; Gatwick coach station at South Terminal | ~30 min+ | Rail / coach fare |
Walking to the South Terminal is free and quick — the paid shuttle mainly makes sense with heavy luggage, in bad weather or for the North Terminal. For a guaranteed door-to-door pickup, an early flight or a family with bags, a fixed-fare RushXO car covers both terminals 24/7 with no per-person charges.
Customer reviews
The hotel reviews well (~8.4/10), with spacious quiet rooms, quality bedding, good food and friendly staff the main positives; the parking and shuttle fees, occasional service inconsistency and a slightly impersonal restaurant are the recurring criticisms.
| Theme | What guests say |
|---|---|
| Rooms & sleep | Spacious, clean, comfortable; quality bedding; good soundproofing (triple glazing) |
| Location | Convenient — walkable to South Terminal in about 7 minutes |
| Food & staff | Delicious meals; friendly, helpful staff (though service can be inconsistent) |
| Atmosphere | Stylish and relaxing; occasional loud music, impersonal restaurant space |
| Common gripe | High parking and shuttle fees; charges not always clear at booking |
Ratings are solid for the area — confirm current numbers on your preferred platform. Share specific reviews and I can add a scored breakdown.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Walkable to the South Terminal (~5–7 min) — no transfer needed
- Spacious 24 sq m rooms (30 sq m suites), recently refurbished
- Triple-glazed windows and premium bedding — genuinely quiet
- Children stay free; family rooms, connecting rooms & children's menu
- Restaurant, bar, convenience store, gym and garden courtyard on site
- Strong business facilities: 24-hr business centre, 4 meeting rooms
- Marriott Bonvoy points; park-and-fly packages (8 or 15 days)
Cons
- In-room WiFi is chargeable (~£7.50/day) — free only in public areas
- Parking ~£25/day and limited; breakfast ~£16.95pp extra
- Shuttle is paid (~£3pp) — and Marriott's own site says none is provided
- ~£50/day refundable deposit; early check-in & late check-out chargeable
- No swimming pool; service can be inconsistent; restaurant a little impersonal
Best way to book online
| Book via | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Official site (marriott.com) | Best-rate, Bonvoy points, accessible-room selection | Check whether your rate/tier includes in-room WiFi & breakfast |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Member rates, points, possible WiFi benefit | Free to join at checkout |
| Park-and-fly specialists | Bundling room + 8 or 15 days' parking, meet-on-return options | Confirm whether transfers are included and what they cost |
| Major OTAs | Comparing dates & deals | Headline rates exclude WiFi, breakfast, parking & shuttle |
In short: book direct with Marriott for the best rate and Bonvoy points, then add up the extras before comparing with other hotels — WiFi, breakfast, parking and the shuttle are all separate here. If you're driving, a park-and-fly package is usually better value than paying £25 a day. Then book your airport transfer separately with RushXO for a fixed fare with no per-person charges.
Book your transfer → · Call the 24/7 team
FAQs
Can you walk to the terminal?
Yes — the South Terminal is about a five-to-seven-minute walk, and guests confirm it's an easy stroll. That's usually better value than the paid shuttle, especially for a family. The North Terminal is roughly a five-minute drive.
Is WiFi free?
Only in the public areas. In-room WiFi is chargeable at around £7.50 per day (rates may vary). Marriott Bonvoy membership may include in-room WiFi depending on your tier, so check before paying.
How much is parking?
On-site self-parking is around £25 per day and spaces are limited, so book ahead. Extended and long-stay parking cost extra, and park-and-fly packages with 8 or 15 days' parking are usually better value for a trip.
Does the hotel run an airport shuttle?
This is inconsistent: Marriott's own website states the hotel does not provide a shuttle service, while several booking partners list a paid shuttle at roughly £3 per person each way. Confirm directly with the hotel before relying on it — or just walk to the South Terminal.
Is breakfast included?
No — the buffet breakfast is an extra at around £16.95 per person, served 6:00–10:00 on weekdays and 6:30–10:30 at weekends.
Is it good for families?
Yes — children stay free, family rooms have two double beds for two adults and two children, connecting rooms are available and there's a children's menu. Just budget for breakfast if you want it.