Travelodge Gatwick Airport Central: the complete traveller's guide
Modern, spacious rooms rated 8.0/10, a bar open late, food from 6 AM, and a shuttle at £4.50 a head every 15 minutes. Solid value before a flight — as long as you know exactly what's charged extra, because the parking has caught people out.
Hotel overview
Travelodge Gatwick Airport Central sits on Povey Cross Road in Horley, roughly ten minutes' drive from the terminals. It's a large, modern budget hotel rated 8.0/10 across 138 reviews — and notably, one platform records no negative reviews in the past five months.
What guests consistently praise is the rooms: modern, clean and spacious, with comfortable beds, a kettle and tea, and thoughtful details you don't expect at this price — USB and USB-C charging ports right beside the bed, and a mirrored dressing table with sockets underneath for hairdryers and straighteners. There's a modern bar serving cocktails and a restaurant open until late, with food available from 6 AM for early departures.
Practical strengths for travellers: a 24-hour front desk, a lift, a stair-free entrance, express check-in and check-out, and pets are welcome. The shuttle is £4.50 per person each way, running every 15 minutes — cheap by local standards. The thing to watch is what costs extra, covered next.
| Address | Povey Cross Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 0BE |
|---|---|
| Guest rating | 8.0 / 10 (138 reviews) |
| Distance to Gatwick | ~4.6 km / ~10 min drive — not walkable |
| Shuttle | £4.50 pp each way, every 15 minutes |
| Parking | Charged extra — Horizon Parking app required |
| Front desk | 24 hours; express check-in and check-out |
| Food | Bar and restaurant open late; food from 6 AM |
| Pets | Welcome |
What's actually included — read this first
The most common complaint about this hotel isn't the hotel itself — it's people arriving having misunderstood what their booking covers. Listings genuinely disagree, so here's the position honestly.
| Item | What sources say | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Parking | Charged extra. Guests confirm the car park costs more and requires the Horizon Parking app | Assume it's not included unless your confirmation says otherwise, in writing |
| WiFi | Conflicting. Two major platforms advertise free WiFi; guest reviews state plainly it wasn't included | Confirm at booking; budget for a charge |
| Breakfast | Conflicting. Some listings say free breakfast; reviews describe paying, and one guest said they'd buy from Greggs next time | Confirm what your specific rate includes |
| Shuttle | Charged — £4.50 per person each way, consistently reported | Reliable figure; budget £9 return per person |
Why this matters. One reviewer wrote that parking being included was a deciding factor when they booked — then found it wasn't, and left a scathing review. Whether that was a listing error or a misread, the lesson holds: check your confirmation email line by line, and if parking, breakfast or WiFi matter to your budget, get them confirmed explicitly before you travel. Rates and inclusions vary by booking channel.
Rating and what guests score
A budget-brand hotel that performs well for its class — 8.0/10, which is stronger than several 4-star properties in this series.
| Aspect | How it reviews |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Consistently praised — clean, spacious, modern, comfortable beds (from 34 reviews) |
| Staff & check-in | Friendly, helpful and efficient even when busy (from 54 reviews) |
| Shuttle | Well reviewed and reasonably priced |
| Food | Mixed — bar praised, but kiosks and food quality criticised |
| Recent trend | No negative reviews recorded in the past five months on one platform |
Rooms, beds & prices
Modern budget rooms that guests repeatedly describe as larger than expected. Family rooms and ground-floor rooms are available. Ranges below are indicative.
| Room type | Beds | Sleeps | From (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double | 1 double | 2 | ~£45 |
| Twin | 2 singles | 2 | ~£50 |
| Family Room | Double plus additional beds | 3–4 | ~£70 |
| Ground-floor room | Varies | 2 | ~£50 |
| Accessible room | Varies — confirm features directly | 2 | ~£50 |
Rooms draw the strongest praise here — "clean, comfortable and spacious" recurs across reviews, and one guest called it perfect for families or holiday groups. Two honest caveats from guests: soundproofing described as inadequate in some reviews, and shower curtains that hold humidity. Ask for a quieter room if you're a light sleeper before an early flight.
What's in the rooms
| Category | Included |
|---|---|
| Charging | USB and USB-C ports right beside the bed — genuinely useful before a flight |
| Hot drinks | Kettle with tea and coffee |
| Entertainment | Flat-screen TV |
| Getting ready | Dressing table with mirrored light; sockets under the mirror for hairdryers and straighteners |
| Workspace | Desk and chair; coat rack |
| Bed | Comfortable beds; clean bedding consistently noted |
| WiFi | Confirm whether included — sources conflict |
The charging setup deserves a mention: USB and USB-C sockets beside the bed, plus dedicated sockets at the dressing table, solve a genuine pre-flight annoyance — several pricier hotels in this series don't manage it.
Dining
A modern bar and restaurant on site, open until late — with the important detail that food is available from 6 AM for early departures.
| Venue / meal | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Bar | Modern, serving cocktails; well reviewed; open until late |
| Restaurant | Wide menu; food served until late |
| Breakfast | From 6 AM; confirm whether it's included in your rate |
| Self-service kiosks | Criticised by guests as poor |
An honest note on the catering. The bar itself reviews well, but food draws mixed comments — one guest said the taste "was not that great", another criticised uncleared restaurant tables, and a third said they'd buy breakfast from Greggs next time. One reviewer made a sharper point: for an airport hotel serving flights round the clock, you can't get food at all hours, and the self-service kiosks are poor. Fine for a drink and a quick meal; don't book expecting a highlight.
Shuttle & getting to Gatwick
The transfer arrangements here are among the better-value ones near the airport.
| Option | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel shuttle | Runs every 15 minutes; described as easy to use and well priced | £4.50 pp each way |
| Gatwick Hoppa (GH1) | Also serves this hotel — guests report using it to arrive | Hoppa fare |
| Pre-booked private car | Door to door, any hour, fixed fare | Fixed fare |
| Taxi | Guests advise a regular taxi over ride-hailing late at night | Metered |
| Walking | Not an option — around 4.6 km | — |
At £4.50 each way, this shuttle is far better value than several rivals — the Gatwick White House reportedly charges around £22 each way. Two practical warnings from guests: check the shuttle timetable against your flight, since one reviewer specifically advised paying attention to departure times; and if you're arriving late, one guest found ride-hailing slow and roughly double a regular taxi. For a group of three or four, a fixed-fare car may work out similar to four shuttle tickets each way — worth comparing.
Parking
| Cost | Charged extra — not included in the room rate by default |
|---|---|
| System | Horizon Parking app — download it and register your vehicle |
| Convenience | On site; guests describe it as convenient once sorted |
| Risk | Failing to register through the app risks a penalty notice |
Do this on arrival, not later. The car park is managed through the Horizon Parking app — the same ANPR-style system used at Premier Inn Gatwick A23. Register your registration number as soon as you park. And to repeat the earlier warning: at least one guest booked believing parking was included and it wasn't, so verify before you travel rather than at the barrier.
Facilities & services
| Front desk | 24 hours; express check-in and check-out |
|---|---|
| Access | Lift; stair-free property entrance; ground-floor rooms available |
| Dining | Modern bar with cocktails; restaurant; food from 6 AM until late |
| Transfers | Shuttle £4.50 pp each way every 15 min; priority airport pick-up listed; Hoppa GH1 also serves the hotel |
| Parking | On site, charged, via Horizon Parking app |
| Pets | Welcome |
| Rooms | Family rooms; ground-floor rooms; smoke detectors throughout |
| Not available | No pool, no gym |
| Nearby | Archway Theatre and Gatwick Aviation Museum ~5-min drive; M&S Simply Food nearby; Manor Royal ~3.3 mi |
Accessibility & suitability for elderly guests
On paper this is one of the better-equipped budget options — with one significant caveat from recent reviews.
Accessible strengths:
- Stair-free property entrance — explicitly listed
- Lift to upper floors
- Ground-floor rooms available — worth requesting
- 24-hour front desk, so there's always someone to help
- Express check-in and check-out for a quicker arrival
- Spacious rooms give more manoeuvring space than most budget hotels
- On-site bar and restaurant, so no need to go out for meals
- Shuttle at £4.50 pp, with priority airport pick-up listed
Important cautions:
- One guest reported the lift wasn't working at times — if you can't manage stairs, request a ground-floor room rather than relying on it
- Staff support described by some as inconsistent
- Self-service kiosks are criticised and may be difficult for some guests — ask staff directly instead
- Parking is charged and app-based; register on arrival or ask reception for help
- Accessible-room specifics aren't published — confirm features directly
Suitability verdict for elderly & less-mobile guests: good, with one condition. The stair-free entrance, lift, ground-floor rooms and 24-hour desk make this more accessible than most budget hotels here. But because a guest reported lift outages, book a ground-floor room specifically rather than depending on the lift — and ask reception to help with the parking app rather than wrestling with it yourself.
Insider details
Confirm what your rate includes before you travel
The single most useful tip. Parking is charged, and WiFi and breakfast are described inconsistently across platforms — some advertise them as free, guests report paying. One reviewer booked partly because they believed parking was included, and was angry to find otherwise. Read your confirmation carefully and get anything ambiguous in writing.
The shuttle is cheap — but check the timetable
At £4.50 per person each way, every 15 minutes, this is well-priced against nearby rivals charging several times that. Two caveats: a guest specifically advised paying attention to shuttle times relative to your flight, and for a family of four a return trip is £36 — at which point a fixed-fare car is worth pricing up.
Download the Horizon Parking app on arrival
The car park runs on the Horizon Parking system, so register your vehicle as soon as you arrive. Guests describe the car park itself as convenient — the friction is purely administrative, and forgetting to register is how people end up with penalty notices.
Charging ports where you actually need them
A small thing done well: USB and USB-C ports beside the bed, plus sockets under the dressing-table mirror for hairdryers and straighteners. If you've ever hunted for a socket at 4 AM with a phone at 12%, you'll appreciate it — and several more expensive hotels in this series don't offer it.
Eat before late, and don't rely on the kiosks
The bar reviews well and food runs from 6 AM until late, but it isn't 24-hour — one guest made the fair point that an airport hotel serving round-the-clock flights can't always feed you, and rated the self-service kiosks poorly. If you're landing very late or leaving before 6 AM, plan to eat elsewhere or bring something.
Don't confuse it with the Holiday Inn on the same road
Worth noting: Povey Cross Road also hosts the Holiday Inn London Gatwick Airport. They're different hotels with different rates, parking arrangements and shuttle costs. Check the name and the RH6 0BE postcode on your booking.
WiFi coverage & signal strength
WiFi is available, though whether it's included in your rate needs confirming. Signal-strength-by-area detail isn't published — confirm with hotel, or share guest reviews and we'll add specifics.
Practical information
| Address | Povey Cross Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 0BE |
|---|---|
| Distance to Gatwick | ~4.6 km / ~10 min drive — not walkable |
| Shuttle | £4.50 pp each way, every 15 minutes |
| Parking | Charged; Horizon Parking app required |
| WiFi / breakfast | Confirm whether included — listings conflict |
| Food | From 6 AM; bar and restaurant open until late |
| Front desk | 24 hours |
| Access | Stair-free entrance; lift; ground-floor rooms available |
| Pets | Welcome |
Customer reviews
Rated 8.0/10 from 138 reviews, with no negative reviews recorded in the past five months on one platform — a good sign of recent consistency.
| Theme | What guests say |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Clean, spacious, modern, comfortable beds; good for families and groups |
| Staff | Friendly, helpful and efficient at check-in, even when busy |
| Shuttle | Excellent service, reasonably priced, every 15 minutes |
| Bar | Modern, good range, open late |
| Complaints | Extra charges for parking and WiFi; poor self-service kiosks; food quality mixed; lift not always working; inconsistent staff |
Pros & cons
Pros
- 8.0/10, with no negative reviews in the past five months on one platform
- Rooms consistently praised as clean, modern and spacious
- Shuttle just £4.50 pp each way, every 15 minutes
- USB and USB-C charging beside the bed; sockets at the dressing table
- Modern bar and restaurant open late; food from 6 AM
- 24-hour front desk; express check-in and check-out
- Stair-free entrance, lift and ground-floor rooms
- Pets welcome; family rooms available
- Gatwick Hoppa GH1 also serves the hotel
Cons
- Parking charged extra — and at least one guest believed it was included
- WiFi and breakfast inclusion described inconsistently across listings
- Self-service kiosks criticised; food quality mixed; no round-the-clock food
- Lift reported not working at times
- Soundproofing described as inadequate by some guests
- Staff consistency questioned in a minority of reviews
- No pool or gym; not walkable to the airport
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FAQs
How much is the shuttle to Gatwick?
£4.50 per person each way, running every 15 minutes. Guests describe it as easy to use and reasonably priced — considerably cheaper than some nearby hotels. Do check the timetable against your flight time, and note that for a family of four a return trip comes to around £36.
Is parking included?
No — parking is charged extra, and the car park is managed through the Horizon Parking app, which you should download and register with on arrival. At least one guest booked believing parking was included and found it wasn't, so check your confirmation carefully.
Are WiFi and breakfast free?
Sources conflict. Some booking platforms advertise free WiFi and free breakfast, but guest reviews describe paying for both. Confirm exactly what your rate includes when booking rather than assuming.
Can I get food early before a flight?
Yes — food is available from 6 AM, and the bar and restaurant run until late. It isn't 24-hour though, and guests rate the self-service kiosks poorly, so if you're leaving before 6 AM or arriving very late, plan to eat elsewhere.
Is it accessible?
Reasonably — there's a stair-free property entrance, a lift, ground-floor rooms and a 24-hour front desk. However, one guest reported the lift wasn't working at times, so if stairs are difficult, request a ground-floor room specifically rather than relying on the lift.
Are pets allowed?
Yes, pets are welcome — which is unusual near Gatwick, where several hotels refuse them outright. Confirm any charges when you book.