Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport: the complete traveller's guide
A two-minute covered walk from the North Terminal check-in desks, with a free hot breakfast from 6am and a free 24-hour gym — one of the best-value connected hotels at Gatwick. An honest, detailed rundown, including the parking catch nobody mentions.
Hotel overview
The Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport is one of only a handful of genuinely connected hotels at Gatwick — a covered walkway links it to the first floor of the North Terminal in under two minutes, arriving at Level 2 between departures and arrivals. For an early flight, you can go from your room to the check-in desks without ever stepping outside.
What makes it stand out beyond the location is the value: unlike nearly every other hotel here, the room rate includes a free hot breakfast buffet, served from 6am for early departures, and there's a free 24-hour fitness centre. Rooms are modern, air-conditioned and well insulated, with blackout curtains and a choice of pillows, plus free WiFi and Hilton's digital key.
It suits pre-flight stays from the North Terminal, families (family and connecting rooms available), and anyone who wants Hilton reliability without Sofitel prices. The honest catch — and it's a significant one for drivers — is that the hotel has no car park of its own, and the nearest airport short-stay parking is very expensive. If you're driving, read the parking section carefully.
| Official website | hilton.com |
|---|---|
| Address | Longbridge House, North Terminal, Gatwick Airport, Horley RH6 0PJ |
| Star rating | 3-star |
| Connection | Covered walkway to North Terminal (<2 min); free 24hr transit to South (~5 min) |
| Breakfast | Free hot buffet included, from 6:00 AM |
| Check-in / check-out | From 3:00 PM / by 12:00 noon |
| Parking | None on site — NT Short Stay Car Park 6 (Level 4), ~£45–60/24hr |
| Guest rating | ~8.8 / 10 |
Star rating and what it means
A 3-star Hilton brand — focused, modern and consistent, with free breakfast and a gym rather than full-service restaurants and room service.
| Level | What it broadly means in the UK |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ / ★★★★ | Luxury / upscale: multiple restaurants, room service, extensive facilities |
| ★★★ Three-star (this hotel) | Focused comfort: modern en-suite rooms, a bar/restaurant, free breakfast & gym — value and consistency are the draw |
| ★★ Two-star | Ultra-budget: functional rooms, minimal extras |
| ★ One-star | Very basic accommodation |
Reviewers rate it highly (~8.8/10), praising the unbeatable two-minute walk to check-in, spotless comfortable rooms, the included hot breakfast and the professional reception team. It punches above its star rating because of what's included — the trade-off is no pool, no room service and no hotel car park.
Brand, ownership & business profile
A Hampton by Hilton — Hilton's focused-service brand.
- Hampton by Hilton — Hilton's mid-market brand, built around a consistent, comfortable room with free hot breakfast and free WiFi included as standard.
- Hilton Honors — earn and redeem points here, and use the app for digital check-in and a digital room key.
Not to be confused with the separate, larger Hilton London Gatwick Airport, which is connected to the South Terminal and is a different, more full-service hotel. Both are Hilton-family properties at Gatwick, at opposite terminals — check which one your booking is for.
Business profile
| Category | 3-star focused-service airport hotel (connected) |
|---|---|
| Primary market | Pre-flight stays, families, business travellers, early departures |
| Brand / loyalty | Hampton by Hilton (Hilton); Hilton Honors + digital key |
| On-site | Restaurant & bar (24/7 menu) · free hot breakfast · free 24hr gym · meeting room (up to 16) |
| Signature | Covered walkway to North Terminal in under 2 minutes; breakfast included |
Takeaway for travellers: the best-value connected hotel at Gatwick's North Terminal — a genuinely short covered walk, free hot breakfast and a free gym, at a fraction of the flagship's price. Just don't plan to park here.
Rooms, beds & prices
Modern, air-conditioned, non-smoking rooms — Twin, Queen, Queen with Sofa Bed, Queen Corner and Queen Accessible — all with a comfortable bed and a choice of pillows, blackout curtains, effective insulation against airport noise, a flat-screen TV, a desk, a laptop safe, an iron and tea/coffee facilities. Bathrooms have spacious walk-in power showers. Family rooms take two adults and up to two children, and connecting rooms are available. Rates are mid-market and include breakfast; ranges below are indicative.
| Room type | Beds | Sleeps | Off-peak from | Peak from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen | Queen bed | 2 | ~£85 | ~£150 |
| Twin | Two single beds | 2 | ~£90 | ~£155 |
| Queen with Sofa Bed / Family | Queen + sofa bed | 3–4 | ~£110 | ~£180 |
| Queen Corner | Queen (larger corner room) | 2 | ~£100 | ~£170 |
Prices are per room, per night and include the hot breakfast — worth factoring in when comparing with hotels that charge £15–20 a head. Rooms are consistently described as spacious, spotless and comfortable, with good insulation despite the terminal location. One tip from guests: if you're a light sleeper, request a room facing away from external noise.
- Bed quality: comfortable beds with a choice of pillows; blackout curtains.
- Sound: well-insulated rooms — most guests sleep fine despite being at the terminal.
- Families: sofa-bed and connecting rooms; 2 adults + up to 2 children.
What's in every room
| Category | Included in every room |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | Flat-screen TV; alarm clock |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi in all areas; work desk |
| Hot drinks | Tea & coffee making facilities |
| Sleep | Comfortable bed, choice of pillows, blackout curtains, air conditioning, good insulation |
| Bathroom | Spacious bathroom with a walk-in power shower, hairdryer |
| Practical | Laptop safe, iron & board; Hilton digital key via the app |
Everything you need for a smooth pre-flight night, with the digital key a genuine convenience if you arrive late. Note there's no room service — but the bar has a 24/7 menu, which covers odd-hours hunger.
Dining & breakfast
There's one casual on-site restaurant and bar, serving evening meals and drinks, with a 24/7 menu for late arrivals. The headline is breakfast: a free hot and cold buffet is included in every rate, served from 6am — genuinely unusual at Gatwick, where most hotels charge for it.
| Venue / meal | What to expect | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Hot breakfast buffet | Hot & cold buffet, cereals, juices, teas & coffees; from 6:00 AM | Included |
| Restaurant (evening) | Casual comfort-food menu | £10–£18 mains |
| Bar | Alcoholic & soft drinks; 24/7 menu available | £5–£10 / drink |
| North Terminal | Full range of airport restaurants & cafés, 2 min walk | Varies |
The included hot breakfast from 6am is the single best value feature here — for a family of four it can be worth £50–70 against hotels that charge separately. Guests praise the variety and the early service for morning flights. Children's meals are excluded from room packages that include meals, so check what your rate covers.
Facilities & services
| Parking | No hotel car park. Nearest is NT Short Stay Car Park 6, Level 4 (~£45–60 per 24hr — hourly rates). Long-stay / park-and-fly packages via third parties (APH, Purple Parking etc.) are far better value |
|---|---|
| Terminal access | Covered walkway to North Terminal (<2 min); free 24hr transit/monorail to South Terminal (~5 min) |
| Dining | Restaurant & bar with 24/7 menu; free hot breakfast from 6am |
| Fitness | Free 24-hour fitness centre (cardio, cable machine, dumbbells) — no pool |
| Business | Business centre; one meeting room (up to 16 people) |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi in all areas; Hilton Honors digital key |
| Rail | Gatwick Airport station (South Terminal) — ~30 min to central London; also Brighton & Reading |
| Safety & security | 24-hour reception; in-room laptop safe; lifts; photo ID + card at check-in |
| Pool / smoking | No swimming pool; 100% non-smoking including e-cigarettes and vaping |
Accessibility & suitability for elderly guests
This is one of the strongest accessibility options at Gatwick — step-free, covered access to the North Terminal plus a well-equipped set of accessible features.
Accessible strengths:
- Covered, step-free walkway directly into the North Terminal — no outdoor transfer or shuttle
- Blue Badge parking bays, lifts, ramps and wide doorways
- Accessible rooms with walk-in showers, modified bathrooms and lowered room fixtures
- 24-hour reception; digital key for an easy arrival; breakfast on site
Worth confirming first:
- Confirm specific accessible-room features when booking (Queen Accessible rooms)
- For the South Terminal it's the free transit rather than a walkway
- No hotel car park — plan drop-off and parking in advance
Suitability verdict for elderly & less-mobile guests: excellent — the very short covered, step-free walk to North Terminal check-in is hard to beat, and the accessible rooms and facilities are well specified. The main thing to plan is arrival by car, since there's no hotel car park; a door-to-door drop-off is the easiest option.
Insider details
Under two minutes to check-in — and where the walkway lands
The walkway connects the hotel to the first floor of the North Terminal, arriving at Level 2 between departures and arrivals — so you're delivered right where you need to be. Coming from the South Terminal? Take the free monorail to the North Terminal, then follow signs for the Hampton by Hilton (from the terminal, head to Level 1 towards the bag-drop area, where the hotel is clearly signposted).
The free hot breakfast is the real value
Most Gatwick hotels charge £15–20 per person for breakfast. Here it's included in the rate and served from 6am, with hot and cold options — which for a family can be worth more than the price gap to a cheaper hotel nearby. Combined with the free 24-hour gym, the "included" list is unusually generous for a 3-star.
The parking catch — read this if you're driving
The most important honest warning: the hotel has no car park of its own. The nearest option is the North Terminal Short Stay Car Park 6 (Level 4), charged at hourly airport rates — reported at roughly £45–60 for 24 hours, which is very expensive for an overnight stay. If you're driving, book a park-and-fly package through a parking specialist (APH, Purple Parking and similar offer hotel + long-stay parking bundles with shuttles) instead of paying short-stay rates. Some guests have also mentioned parking deals when booking direct with Hilton — worth checking the current offer before you book.
WiFi coverage & signal strength
Free WiFi is available in all areas including rooms. 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 Hilton-brand hotel: WiFi is usually reliable in rooms and public areas and fine for browsing, streaming and calls. Ask reception if you need dependable speed for heavy work use.
Practical information
| Check-in | From 3:00 PM (digital check-in via the Hilton app) |
|---|---|
| Check-out | By 12:00 noon |
| ID at check-in | Photo ID + payment card required |
| Parking | None on site; NT Short Stay Car Park 6 Level 4 (~£45–60/24hr); park-and-fly packages recommended |
| WiFi | Free in all areas |
| Breakfast | Free hot buffet included, from 6:00 AM |
| Pool / smoking | No pool; 100% non-smoking (including vaping) |
| Loyalty | Hilton Honors; digital key |
Getting to the terminals
The hotel is connected to the North Terminal, with a free transit link to the South.
| To… | Best way | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Terminal | Covered walkway (step-free, indoors) | <2 min | Free |
| South Terminal | Free 24-hour transit / monorail from North Terminal | ~5 min | Free |
| Central London | Train from Gatwick Airport station (South Terminal) | ~30 min | Rail fare |
| Brighton / Reading | Direct trains from Gatwick Airport station | ~20–70 min | Rail fare |
You won't need a taxi for the terminals — the walkway and free transit cover both. Where a pre-booked car earns its place is the door-to-door journey home or onward with luggage and family after landing, and for arrival if you're not parking at the airport. A fixed-fare RushXO car covers both terminals 24/7.
Customer reviews
The hotel reviews very well (~8.8/10), with the two-minute walk to check-in, clean comfortable rooms, the included breakfast and helpful staff the main positives; the lack of hotel parking and the cost of nearby airport parking are the common complaints.
| Theme | What guests say |
|---|---|
| Location | Unbeatable — 2-minute covered walk to North Terminal check-in |
| Rooms & sleep | Spacious, spotless, comfortable; well insulated against airport noise |
| Breakfast | Included, varied, early service for morning flights — a standout |
| Staff | Professional and attentive reception team |
| Common gripe | No hotel car park; short-stay airport parking is expensive |
Ratings are strong for a 3-star airport hotel — confirm current numbers on your preferred platform. Share specific reviews and I can add a scored breakdown.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Connected to the North Terminal by covered walkway — under 2 minutes to check-in
- Free hot breakfast buffet included, served from 6am
- Free 24-hour fitness centre; free WiFi throughout
- Comfortable, well-insulated rooms with blackout curtains & pillow choice
- Excellent accessibility (step-free walkway, accessible rooms, Blue Badge bays)
- Hilton Honors points and digital key; free transit to South Terminal
Cons
- No hotel car park — nearest airport short-stay parking is ~£45–60/24hr
- No swimming pool; no room service (though the bar has a 24/7 menu)
- Only one small meeting room (up to 16)
- Walkway serves the North Terminal only — South is via free transit
- Pricier than off-airport hotels in Crawley/Horley
Travel tips
- Flying from the North Terminal? This is among the easiest stays at Gatwick — under two minutes, all indoors.
- Don't pay short-stay parking rates — book a park-and-fly package instead if you're driving.
- Factor breakfast into the price — it's included, unlike most Gatwick hotels.
- Light sleeper? Request a room facing away from external noise.
- Use the Hilton app for digital check-in and a digital room key on late arrivals.
- Arriving at the South Terminal? Take the free monorail to North, then follow signs for the Hampton.
- Pre-book your onward car — for the journey home with luggage or family, a fixed-fare door-to-door transfer is simplest.
Best way to book online
| Book via | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Official site (hilton.com) | Best-rate guarantee, Hilton Honors points, digital key | Check any current parking offer; confirm it's the Hampton (North), not the Hilton (South) |
| Hilton Honors | Member rates, points earn/redeem | Need to be a (free) member |
| Park-and-fly specialists | Bundling the room with long-stay parking & shuttle — much cheaper than short stay | Check which car park and the transfer terms |
| Major OTAs | Comparing dates & deals | Confirm breakfast is included in the rate you pick |
In short: book directly with Hilton for the best rate, Honors points and the digital key — but if you're driving, compare a park-and-fly bundle, because paying airport short-stay rates overnight is the expensive way to do it. Then book your airport transfer separately with RushXO for a fixed fare, meet & greet and flight tracking.
Book your transfer → · Call the 24/7 team
FAQs
Is the hotel connected to the terminal?
Yes — a covered walkway links the hotel to the first floor of the North Terminal in under two minutes, arriving at Level 2 between departures and arrivals. For the South Terminal, a free 24-hour transit service takes about five minutes.
Is breakfast included?
Yes — a free hot and cold breakfast buffet is included in the room rate, served from 6am, which is unusual at Gatwick where most hotels charge separately. Note that children's meals are excluded from room packages that include meals.
Does the hotel have parking?
No — there's no hotel car park. The nearest is the North Terminal Short Stay Car Park 6 (Level 4) at airport hourly rates, reported at roughly £45–60 for 24 hours. If you're driving, a park-and-fly package through a parking specialist is far better value.
Is there a pool or gym?
There's no swimming pool, but there is a free 24-hour fitness centre with cardio machines, a cable machine and dumbbells — included in your stay.
Is this the same as the Hilton Gatwick?
No — the Hilton London Gatwick Airport is a separate, larger hotel connected to the South Terminal. This Hampton by Hilton is at the North Terminal. Both are Hilton-family hotels at opposite terminals, so check your booking.
Will I hear aircraft noise?
Rooms are well insulated and most guests sleep fine despite the terminal location, helped by blackout curtains. If you're a light sleeper, request a room facing away from external noise.