Stansted Airport Hotels: On-Airport, Bishop's Stortford and Nearby
Stansted is the London airport where staying the night before makes most sense: it is forty miles from central London, the first departures leave before 06:00, and the on-airport hotels are a covered walk from check-in. This guide groups the options by distance, with the fixed transfer fare to the terminal from each.
Hotels by distance from the terminal
Transfer fares are fixed saloon prices for up to four passengers. Short runs are priced at the minimum fare.
| Area | Typical hotels | To terminal | Transfer (saloon) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On airport | Radisson Blu (covered walkway), Hampton by Hilton, Novotel London Stansted, Premier Inn Stansted Airport, Holiday Inn Express Stansted | 2–5 min walk or shuttle | from £65 |
| Stansted Mountfitchet and Takeley | Village inns and B&Bs | 5–10 min drive | from £65 |
| Bishop's Stortford | Down Hall, the Wren Kitchen hotels, Premier Inn and Travelodge | 10–15 min | from £65 |
| Harlow and Sawbridgeworth | Premier Inn, Harlow Mill, Manor of Groves | 20–25 min | from £65 |
| Cambridge | Full city choice for a day before the flight | 35–45 min | from £84 |
Live booking-engine prices at the time of writing; the exact fare is shown by postcode before you confirm.
For an early flight
The Radisson Blu is joined to the terminal by a covered walkway and the Hampton and Premier Inn are a few minutes on the free shuttle, which is the reason to stay on airport: a 05:45 departure needs a 03:45 alarm and nothing else. Bishop's Stortford is the better night out, with restaurants and a station, and a pre-booked car at 04:00 is ten minutes to the set-down. Our Stansted early morning page covers the timings from London if you decide not to stay.
For a late arrival
Arrivals after 23:00 with a long drive home are the other reason to stay. The on-airport hotels take walk-ins on the night, and the pre-booked car for the morning is the same fixed fare as any other hour. If you would rather push on, fixed fares from Stansted at midnight are the same as at noon: central London from £182, and the Hertfordshire and Essex towns from £65. See the Stansted Airport transfer page to book, and the Stansted terminal guide for the layout on arrival.
Common questions
Which hotel is inside Stansted Airport?
How much is a taxi from a Bishop's Stortford hotel to Stansted?
Is it worth staying near Stansted before an early flight?
Can I get a taxi from Stansted to a hotel late at night?
Do you do hotel to airport transfers for groups?
Stansted guides and hotels
- Stansted Airport guide – terminal, transport, tips
- Journey planning guides – early flights, late arrivals
- Budget hotel plus transfer – how to plan it
- Radisson Blu transfers
- Hampton by Hilton transfers
- Holiday Inn transfers