Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal): the complete traveller's guide
Premier Inn's closest hotel to Gatwick — directly opposite the North Terminal, with 701 rooms, Hypnos beds and breakfast served from 3:30am. An honest, detailed rundown, including the parking situation and the small charges that catch people out.
Hotel overview
This is Premier Inn's closest hotel to Gatwick Airport — sitting directly opposite the North Terminal, a four-to-five-minute walk from the entrance, with a free two-minute transit to the South Terminal. With 701 rooms it's also one of the largest hotels at the airport, built squarely around one job: getting you a reliable, affordable night's sleep and a very early breakfast before a flight.
The Premier Inn formula is here in full — comfortable Hypnos beds, air-conditioned rooms with soundproof windows, a Thyme Bar & Grill for dinner, an on-site Costa, and free WiFi. What sets this branch apart is the breakfast timing: continental from 3:30am and cooked from 5am, which is about as early as any hotel at any UK airport, and genuinely useful for dawn departures. Up to two children eat breakfast free per adult ordering a Premier Inn Breakfast.
It suits budget-conscious flyers from either terminal, families, and anyone with a very early flight. Two honest points to weigh: there's no on-site car park (you use the airport short-stay opposite), and small extras like early check-in and luggage storage are chargeable. Reviews are also more mixed than the brand average — the location and beds get consistent praise, but some guests report cleanliness and maintenance letdowns.
| Official website | premierinn.com |
|---|---|
| Address | North Terminal, Northway, Horley, Gatwick RH6 0PH |
| Star rating | 3-star (budget) |
| Rooms | 701 air-conditioned rooms |
| Distance | Directly opposite North Terminal (~4–5 min walk); free 2-min transit to South |
| Breakfast | Continental from 3:30 AM; cooked from 5:00 AM (charged) |
| Check-in / check-out | From 3:00 PM / by 12:00 noon |
| Parking | None on site — Gatwick Short Stay Car Park 5 or 6 opposite (chargeable) |
Star rating and what it means
Premier Inn is a budget brand (broadly 3-star) built on consistency: a comfortable room, a restaurant and a decent breakfast, without extras like a pool or room service.
| Level | What it broadly means in the UK |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ / ★★★★ | Luxury / upscale: multiple restaurants, room service, extensive facilities |
| ★★★ Three-star / budget (this hotel) | Budget consistency: comfortable Hypnos beds, en-suite rooms, a restaurant & bar — value and reliability are the draw |
| ★★ Two-star | Ultra-budget: functional rooms, minimal extras |
| ★ One-star | Very basic accommodation |
Reviews here are more mixed than Premier Inn's usual standard. The location, comfortable beds, friendly restaurant staff and early breakfast draw consistent praise; the complaints centre on cleanliness in some rooms, slow lifts and a functional, no-frills feel. It's a large, busy airport hotel — set expectations accordingly and it delivers what it promises.
Brand, ownership & business profile
A Premier Inn hotel, part of Whitbread — the UK's largest hotel brand.
- Premier Inn — known for consistent budget rooms, the Hypnos bed, Thyme restaurants and a good-night guarantee.
- Premier Inn doesn't run a points loyalty scheme; it competes on price and reliability. Book direct at premierinn.com for the best rates.
Important disambiguation: Premier Inn has more than one hotel branded "London Gatwick Airport." This is the North Terminal one, opposite the terminal, with no on-site parking. There's also Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (A23 Airport Way), a short distance away, which does have on-site parking and is under a 10-minute walk from the North Terminal — a better pick if you're driving. Further Premier Inns serve Crawley and Horley. Check the exact hotel name on your booking.
Business profile
| Category | 3-star budget airport hotel (large-scale, on-airport) |
|---|---|
| Primary market | Early departures, families, budget flyers, both terminals |
| Brand | Premier Inn (Whitbread) |
| On-site | Thyme Bar & Grill · Costa Coffee · bar · 24-hr front desk · ATM · meeting room |
| Signature | Opposite the North Terminal; breakfast from 3:30am; Hypnos beds |
Takeaway for travellers: the most convenient budget hotel for Gatwick's North Terminal, at scale, with unusually early breakfast. Best when you want a dependable cheap bed minutes from check-in and don't need parking on site.
Rooms, beds & prices
701 air-conditioned rooms in the standard Premier Inn layout — Standard Double, Standard Twin, Standard Family, Premier Plus and Accessible. Every room has the brand's comfortable Hypnos bed, soundproof windows, an en-suite bathroom with a powerful shower, a flat-screen TV, a writing desk, tea/coffee facilities, a vanity area and a hairdryer. Premier Plus rooms add extras such as more space and upgraded amenities. Rates are budget-level; ranges below are indicative.
| Room type | Beds | Sleeps | Off-peak from | Peak from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Double | Double (Hypnos) | 2 | ~£70 | ~£140 |
| Standard Twin | Two single beds | 2 | ~£75 | ~£145 |
| Standard Family | Double + sofa bed / pull-out | 3–4 | ~£95 | ~£170 |
| Premier Plus | Double (upgraded room) | 2 | ~£95 | ~£175 |
Prices are per room, per night, room-only (breakfast is charged separately). The Hypnos beds get consistent praise — "great bed as always" is a recurring review line — and the soundproof windows help despite the airport setting. Rooms are described as clean and spacious by most, though a minority report maintenance or cleanliness issues; if anything's wrong, raise it at reception, as staff are generally reported as quick to move guests.
- Bed quality: Premier Inn's Hypnos beds — a genuine strength at this price.
- Sound: soundproof windows and air conditioning throughout.
- Families: Standard Family rooms; up to two kids eat breakfast free per paying adult.
What's in every room
| Category | Included in every room |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | Flat-screen TV; telephone |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi; writing desk |
| Hot drinks | Tea & coffee making facilities |
| Sleep | Hypnos bed, soundproof windows, air conditioning, blackout curtains |
| Bathroom | En-suite with a powerful shower, separate toilet in some rooms, hairdryer & toiletries |
| Practical | Vanity area; non-smoking throughout |
Straightforward, reliable budget essentials with one standout — the Hypnos bed. Note there's no room service and no minibar; the Thyme restaurant, bar and Costa downstairs cover food and drink, and the lounge shows live flight updates.
Dining & breakfast
The on-site Thyme Bar & Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner — hearty pub-style dishes, classics and lighter options — with a bar for drinks and snacks and an on-site Costa for coffee to take away. The headline is the breakfast timing, which is exceptional for an airport hotel.
| Venue / meal | What to expect | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Continental breakfast | From 3:30 AM (to 10:00 weekdays / 10:30 weekends) | ~£10 pp |
| Cooked / full breakfast | From 5:00 AM — build-your-own, unlimited, veggie & vegan options | ~£12 pp |
| Thyme Bar & Grill (evening) | Pub grub, classics & lighter dishes | £10–£18 mains |
| Costa Coffee & bar | Coffee to take away; drinks & snacks | £3–£9 |
A 3:30am continental breakfast is genuinely rare and worth planning around if you're on a dawn flight — most airport hotels don't open the restaurant until 5 or 6am. Family value is solid too: up to two children eat breakfast free when an adult orders a Premier Inn Breakfast. Breakfast is charged separately from the room rate.
Facilities & services
| Parking | No on-site car park. Overnight parking in Gatwick Short Stay Car Park 5 or 6, opposite the hotel (~5-min walk), charged at airport rates. Park-and-fly packages via partners are better value for longer trips |
|---|---|
| Terminal access | Directly opposite the North Terminal (~4–5 min walk); free 24/7 inter-terminal transit to South (~2 min) |
| Dining | Thyme Bar & Grill; on-site Costa Coffee; bar; vending machines |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi; live flight updates in the lounge area |
| Services | 24-hour front desk; ATM on site; meeting room; luggage storage (chargeable, ~£3 per bag) |
| Rail & coach | Close to Gatwick Express rail services and National Express coach stops via the terminal |
| Extra charges | Early check-in available for a fee (~£15) subject to availability |
| Pool / pets | No swimming pool; no gym; check the current pet policy with the hotel |
Accessibility & suitability for elderly guests
This is one of the better-specified budget hotels at Gatwick for accessibility, with accessible rooms on every floor and full step-free access throughout.
Accessible strengths:
- Accessible rooms on all floors, with extra space for wheelchairs
- Lowered beds, handrails, grab bars and wet-room bathrooms
- Lifts to all floors and ramps — the whole hotel is wheelchair-accessible
- Short, level walk to the North Terminal; free step-free transit to South
- 24-hour front desk; restaurant and Costa on site
Worth confirming first:
- Book accessible rooms by phone, as they can't always be selected online
- No on-site parking — plan drop-off or the short-stay car park opposite
- Some guests report slow lifts at busy times in a 701-room hotel
Suitability verdict for elderly & less-mobile guests: good — accessible rooms on every floor with wet rooms, grab rails and lowered beds, plus lifts and ramps throughout and a very short walk to the terminal. Call to book the accessible room you need, and arrange a door-to-door drop-off since there's no hotel car park.
Insider details
Breakfast from 3:30am — the reason to book here
If you're flying at dawn, this is the standout feature at Gatwick. Continental breakfast starts at 3:30am and the cooked breakfast from 5am, when most airport hotels don't serve until 5 or 6. Combined with a four-minute walk to the North Terminal, it makes a 6am departure genuinely civilised. Kids eat free (up to two per adult ordering a Premier Inn Breakfast).
The two Gatwick Premier Inns — pick the right one
A common and costly mix-up. This hotel is the North Terminal one: closest to the terminal, but with no on-site parking. The separate Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (A23 Airport Way) is under a 10-minute walk from the North Terminal and does have on-site parking. If you're driving and want to park at the hotel, book the A23 one. If you want the shortest walk, book this one.
The small charges that surprise people
Worth knowing before you arrive: early check-in is chargeable (reported at around £15, subject to availability) and luggage storage costs roughly £3 per bag. Neither is unreasonable, but guests arriving off overnight flights are often caught out expecting them to be free. Parking opposite in the airport short-stay is also charged at airport rates, which is expensive for more than a night — use a park-and-fly package for longer trips.
Mixed reviews — what to expect honestly
This branch reviews less consistently than Premier Inn's brand average. The positives are reliable: excellent location, comfortable Hypnos beds, friendly restaurant staff, good-value food. The negatives that recur are cleanliness in some rooms, slow lifts and a very functional feel in what is a large, constantly busy hotel. If your room isn't right, reception is generally reported as willing to move you — so speak up straight away.
WiFi coverage & signal strength
Free WiFi is available in rooms and public areas. 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 large budget hotel: WiFi is usually fine for browsing and messaging, with an optional paid upgrade for faster speeds at some Premier Inns. Ask reception if you need reliable speed for work.
Practical information
| Check-in | From 3:00 PM (early check-in ~£15, subject to availability) |
|---|---|
| Check-out | By 12:00 noon |
| ID at check-in | Photo ID + payment card required |
| Parking | None on site; Gatwick Short Stay Car Park 5 or 6 opposite (~5-min walk, charged) |
| WiFi | Free in rooms & public areas |
| Breakfast | Charged: continental from 3:30 AM, cooked from 5:00 AM; up to 2 kids free per adult breakfast |
| Luggage storage | Available, chargeable (~£3 per bag) |
| Pool / smoking | No pool or gym; non-smoking hotel |
Getting to the terminals
Directly opposite the North Terminal, with the free transit covering the South.
| To… | Best way | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Terminal | Walk — directly opposite | ~4–5 min | Free |
| South Terminal | Walk to North Terminal + free 24/7 inter-terminal transit | ~10 min total | Free |
| Central London | Train from Gatwick Airport station (South Terminal) | ~30 min | Rail fare |
| Brighton / coach | Direct trains; National Express coach stops at the terminal | ~30 min+ | Rail / coach fare |
No transfer is needed for either terminal — it's a short walk to North and a free transit to South. Where a pre-booked car earns its place is arrival (there's no hotel car park), late-night landings with luggage, or the door-to-door journey home. A fixed-fare RushXO car covers both terminals 24/7.
Customer reviews
Reviews are mixed but lean positive, with the location, Hypnos beds, early breakfast and friendly restaurant staff the main positives; cleanliness in some rooms, slow lifts and extra charges are the recurring complaints.
| Theme | What guests say |
|---|---|
| Location | Excellent — genuinely 4–5 minutes from North Terminal; convenient for both terminals |
| Beds & rooms | Comfortable Hypnos beds; mostly clean and spacious — but inconsistent |
| Breakfast & staff | Substantial early breakfast; restaurant staff singled out for friendliness |
| Extras | On-site Costa and bar well liked; live flight updates in the lounge |
| Common gripe | Cleanliness lapses in some rooms; slow lifts; charges for early check-in & luggage |
Ratings vary more than at most Premier Inns — check recent reviews for your dates before booking. Share specific reviews and I can add a scored breakdown.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Premier Inn's closest hotel to Gatwick — directly opposite the North Terminal
- Breakfast from 3:30am (continental) / 5am (cooked) — exceptional for dawn flights
- Comfortable Hypnos beds; air-con and soundproof windows
- Thyme Bar & Grill, on-site Costa and a bar; live flight updates in the lounge
- Up to two kids eat breakfast free per adult breakfast
- Strong accessibility — accessible rooms on every floor, wet rooms, lifts & ramps
- Free 24/7 transit to the South Terminal
Cons
- No on-site parking — airport short stay opposite, at airport rates
- Early check-in (~£15) and luggage storage (~£3/bag) are chargeable
- Mixed reviews — cleanliness and maintenance can be inconsistent
- Slow lifts reported in a very large, busy hotel
- No pool, gym or room service; breakfast charged separately
Travel tips
- Dawn flight? This is a top pick — breakfast from 3:30am and a 4-minute walk to check-in.
- Driving and want to park at the hotel? Book the A23 Airport Way Premier Inn instead — this one has no car park.
- Budget for the extras — early check-in ~£15, luggage ~£3 per bag.
- Not happy with your room? Ask to move — staff are generally reported as accommodating.
- Travelling with kids? Up to two eat breakfast free per adult Premier Inn Breakfast.
- Need an accessible room? Call to book — they're on every floor with wet rooms.
- Pre-book your onward car — for arrival, late landings or the journey home with luggage, a fixed-fare door-to-door transfer is simplest.
Best way to book online
| Book via | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Official site (premierinn.com) | Best rates, saver/flexible options, Premier Plus upgrade | Confirm it's the North Terminal hotel, not A23 Airport Way |
| Phone (for accessible rooms) | Booking accessible rooms with specific features | Not always bookable online |
| Park-and-fly specialists | Bundling the room with long-stay parking & transfers | This hotel has no car park — check which car park is used |
| Major OTAs | Comparing dates & deals | Several Premier Inns serve Gatwick/Crawley/Horley — match the exact name |
In short: book direct with Premier Inn for the best rate, double-checking you've got the North Terminal hotel rather than the A23 Airport Way one (or a Crawley/Horley branch). Add breakfast if you're on an early flight — it's the reason to stay here. 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
How far is it from the North Terminal?
It's directly opposite — about a four-to-five-minute walk to the terminal entrance, making it Premier Inn's closest hotel to Gatwick. For the South Terminal, walk to the North Terminal and take the free 24/7 inter-terminal transit, which takes about two minutes.
What time does breakfast start?
Unusually early: continental breakfast from 3:30am (until 10:00 on weekdays, 10:30 at weekends) and cooked breakfast from 5:00am. That's ideal for dawn flights. Breakfast is charged separately, and up to two children eat free per adult ordering a Premier Inn Breakfast.
Is there parking at the hotel?
No — there's no on-site car park. Overnight parking is in Gatwick Short Stay Car Park 5 or 6 opposite the hotel, about a five-minute walk, charged at airport rates. If you want a Premier Inn with its own parking, book the separate A23 Airport Way hotel instead.
How is this different from the other Gatwick Premier Inn?
This is the North Terminal hotel — closest to the terminal but with no on-site parking. Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (A23 Airport Way) is slightly further (under a 10-minute walk to the North Terminal) but has on-site parking. Choose based on whether you're driving.
Are early check-in and luggage storage free?
No — early check-in is available for a fee of around £15 subject to availability, and luggage storage is charged at roughly £3 per bag. Worth budgeting for if you arrive on an overnight flight.
Are there accessible rooms?
Yes — accessible rooms are available on all floors, with extra wheelchair space, lowered beds, handrails, grab bars and wet-room bathrooms. Lifts and ramps make the whole hotel wheelchair-accessible. Call to book one, as they can't always be reserved online.