Mid-range business travellers and stand teams who want to be on Western Gateway, a short walk from the west entrance and the lower-numbered halls. This guide covers where the hotel is, where cars set down, how to reach your hall, and the airport transfers that make most sense from here.
Where Novotel London ExCeL is
7 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1AA. Western Gateway, at the west end of ExCeL – about 400 metres from the west entrance; the hotel describes it as a ten-minute stroll.
Drop-off and pick-up at the hotel
Cars pull in on Western Gateway outside the hotel entrance, on the same road as ExCeL's west drop-off point.
From the hotel to your hall
Walk east along Western Gateway to the west entrance; for halls in the S1–S5/N1–N5 range you are in the right end of the building.
Best airport transfers for Novotel London ExCeL
- London City Airport – the closest airport – a few minutes by car; typically 5–10 min off-peak.
- Heathrow Airport – direct Elizabeth line to Custom House as a back-up option; typically 60–75 min off-peak.
From any other airport the journey time is the same as to ExCeL itself – see the hotels near ExCeL guide for the full table. Your driver tracks the flight and waits in arrivals with a name board.
Show-week tips for Novotel guests
If your flight lands in the morning, add the hotel as a stop when you book: the driver drops your cases at reception and takes you on to the west entrance, so you are not dragging luggage through the halls. In the evening the Royal Victoria Dock waterfront is right outside, and the IFS Cloud Cable Car to Greenwich Peninsula and The O2 leaves from the Royal Docks terminal a short walk west. On the last day of a show, Western Gateway gets busy as the halls empty; booking your airport pick-up from the hotel door rather than the venue usually saves twenty minutes of queuing.
Other hotels near ExCeL
- Hotels near ExCeL: transfer guide
- ibis London ExCeL Docklands transfers
- Premier Inn London Docklands (ExCeL) transfers
- Moxy London ExCeL transfers
- Aloft London ExCeL transfers
- DoubleTree by Hilton London ExCeL transfers
- Crowne Plaza London Docklands
- Sunborn London yacht hotel
What travellers ask: Novotel London ExCeL Transfers
We read the busiest recent threads on TripAdvisor, Mumsnet and the Rick Steves travel forum about this journey. Below is what comes up most, in our own words, with how we handle it. Prices and timetables quoted in forum posts go out of date, so we have left them out.
Next door, but priced for show week
Forum regulars rate the Western Gateway hotels as the easiest base for ExCeL but warn that room rates climb sharply during the biggest shows.
How we handle it: Book your airport transfer when you book the room: show-week cars go early, just like rooms.
Coming from Heathrow
For Heathrow arrivals, the forum consensus is that the Elizabeth line works for light travellers, while late arrivals with luggage are pointed to a pre-booked car because the trip crosses all of London.
How we handle it: We meet you in arrivals and drop you at the Novotel door on Western Gateway; late flights are tracked, with 60 minutes of free waiting from landing.
Source: TripAdvisor London forum – LHR to ExCeL London: best way to get to and from
Evenings around the Royal Docks
Posters describe the area as modern and busy during events but quiet late at night.
How we handle it: For late returns from dinners in town we can collect you and bring you back to the hotel door.
Source: Mumsnet – Anyone familiar with the area around London ExCeL?
Frequently asked questions
How far is Novotel London ExCeL from ExCeL London?
Western Gateway, at the west end of ExCeL – about 400 metres from the west entrance; the hotel describes it as a ten-minute stroll.
Does the Novotel London ExCeL have meeting rooms?
Yes – 12 meeting rooms, the largest for up to 80 people, plus on-site parking and a 24-hour front desk.
Can you collect a group from Novotel London ExCeL each morning?
Yes – an MPV, V Class or 9-seater picks everyone up at a set time and drops at the entrance nearest your hall.
More ExCeL London transfer guides
Airports to ExCeL: Gatwick Airport to ExCeL London Transfers · Heathrow Airport to ExCeL London Transfers · London City Airport to ExCeL London Transfers · Luton Airport to ExCeL London Transfers · Southend Airport to ExCeL London Transfers · Stansted Airport to ExCeL London Transfers
ExCeL to airports: ExCeL London to Gatwick Airport Transfers · ExCeL London to Heathrow Airport Transfers · ExCeL London to London City Airport Transfers · ExCeL London to Luton Airport Transfers · ExCeL London to Southend Airport Transfers · ExCeL London to Stansted Airport Transfers
Venues and stations: Canary Wharf to ExCeL London Transfers · Central London to ExCeL London Transfers · ExCeL London to Canary Wharf Transfers · ExCeL London to Central London Transfers · ExCeL London to Olympia London Transfers · ExCeL London to St Pancras International Transfers · Olympia London to ExCeL London Transfers · St Pancras International to ExCeL London Transfers
Hotels near ExCeL: Hotels Near ExCeL London: Transfer Guide · ibis London ExCeL Docklands Transfers · Moxy London ExCeL Transfers · Premier Inn London Docklands (ExCeL) Transfers
Guides: ExCeL London Exhibition & Conference Transfers · How a Pre-Booked London Airport Transfer Works · TfL-Licensed Private Hire Explained
Updated 2 October 2026. Journey times are typical door-to-door ranges; your driver checks live traffic before setting off.