How we picked the three
With no hotel within 2 miles of the terminal, we chose from the closest hotels and ranked them by guest score and what the rate included. Courtyard by Marriott scores highest, Holiday Inn Express is the closest and includes breakfast, and The St George and Dragon adds free cancellation.
Courtyard by Marriott Exeter Sandy Park is 4-star, 2.8 miles from the terminal, and scores 8.5 (Fabulous) from 4,816 reviews. It is the best-rated of the three closest hotels.
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East by IHG on Guardian Road is the nearest hotel to the terminal, 2.4 miles away. It scores 8.1 from 5,973 reviews, included breakfast, and had the lowest price in our Exeter search.
The St George and Dragon by Innkeeper's Collection at Clyst St George is 3.3 miles from the terminal, 4-star, and scores 8.3 from 1,933 reviews. Its rate offered free cancellation, which neither of the other two picks did.
Why no hotel sits at the terminal
Our search found no hotel within 2 miles of the Exeter Airport terminal. The airport sits in farmland at Clyst Honiton, and the closest hotels are on the eastern side of Exeter, around Junctions 29 and 30 of the M5.
Large UK airports draw hotels to their perimeter roads. Exeter is smaller, and our search did not return a hotel on the airport site or in Clyst Honiton village. The practical choice is a hotel on the city side of the M5, a short drive west along the A30, or a village inn towards the Exe estuary.
For an early flight, that means allowing a few extra minutes for the drive or a pre-booked taxi. The three closest hotels sit 2.4 to 2.9 miles from the terminal in a straight line, and the road distance is a little longer.
The eastern edge of Exeter
Three hotels sit 2.4 to 2.9 miles west of the terminal: Holiday Inn Express Exeter East on Guardian Road, Courtyard by Marriott at Sandy Park and the Toby Carvery hotel on Rydon Lane by Junction 30 of the M5.
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East by IHG stands on Guardian Road, on the business park east of the city. It is 3-star and has 5,973 reviews. Its rate on our dates included breakfast but not free cancellation.
Courtyard by Marriott Exeter Sandy Park
Courtyard by Marriott Exeter Sandy Park sits on Sandy Park Way, beside the home ground of Exeter Chiefs rugby club. It is the only 4-star hotel among the three closest and has the best score of the three.
Toby Carvery Exeter M5 J30
Toby Carvery Exeter M5 J30 by Innkeeper's Collection on Rydon Lane is 2.9 miles from the terminal. It is 3-star, scores 7.4 from 5,051 reviews and offered free cancellation.
Clyst St George, Topsham and Countess Wear
Three stays sit 3.3 to 4.3 miles south and south-west of the terminal, towards the Exe estuary. The St George and Dragon and The Globe are 4-star inns, and River Retreat is a self-catering apartment at Countess Wear.
The St George and Dragon by Innkeeper's Collection is a Vintage Inn at Clyst St George, 3.3 miles from the terminal, with free cancellation on our dates.
The Globe on Fore Street in Topsham is 4 miles away. It scores 8.6 (Fabulous) from 1,444 reviews and also offered free cancellation. Topsham is a small town on the Exe estuary, with Fore Street at its centre.
River Retreat Apartment Exeter - River Views & Parking on Countess Wear Road scores 9.5 (Superb), the best score in our Exeter search, from 120 reviews. It is an apartment rather than a hotel, so check the arrival arrangements before you travel.
Woodbury and Exmouth
Woodbury Park Hotel & Spa sits 3.8 miles south-east of the terminal, and Hedgebank in Exmouth sits 7 miles south. Woodbury Park is the most-reviewed hotel on our list outside Exeter itself.
Woodbury Park Hotel & Spa at Woodbury Castle is 4-star and scores 8.1 from 5,319 reviews. It suits a short spa break more than a one-night airport stop, though at 3.8 miles it is still one of the nearer hotels to the terminal.
Hedgebank on Phillipps Avenue, Exmouth, is a 4-star guest house with a score of 9.2 (Wonderful) from 317 reviews. At 7 miles it is the furthest stay in our search, and it suits travellers who want a night by the coast before or after the trip.
North of Exeter: Silverton
The Silverton Inn on Fore Street, Silverton, sits 6.6 miles north-west of the terminal. It scores 9.1 and was the only stay on our Exeter list whose rate included both breakfast and free cancellation.
The Silverton Inn is a village inn with rooms in Mid Devon. It suits travellers driving in from the north of the county. Its score of 9.1 (Wonderful) comes from 647 reviews.
Prices on our sample dates
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East is the cheapest hotel in our Exeter search and also the closest to the terminal. Toby Carvery on Rydon Lane is second, and Woodbury Park is third.
- Holiday Inn Express Exeter East by IHG: £59.38 a night, 2.4 miles away
- Toby Carvery Exeter M5 J30 by Innkeeper's Collection: £70.92 a night, 2.9 miles away
- Woodbury Park Hotel & Spa: £86.94 a night, 3.8 miles away
- Hedgebank: £90.60 a night, 7.0 miles away
- The St George and Dragon by Innkeeper's Collection: £92.89 a night, 3.3 miles away
Our prices cover two nights, 5 to 7 November 2026, for one room and two guests. Devon is busiest in the summer holidays, so book early for July and August flights.
Guest scores
River Retreat Apartment at Countess Wear has the best score on our list, 9.5. Hedgebank in Exmouth and The Silverton Inn follow on 9.2 and 9.1.
- River Retreat Apartment Exeter - River Views & Parking: 9.5 Superb, 120 reviews, 4.3 miles away
- Hedgebank: 9.2 Wonderful, 317 reviews, 7.0 miles away
- The Silverton Inn: 9.1 Wonderful, 647 reviews, 6.6 miles away
- The Globe: 8.6 Fabulous, 1,444 reviews, 4.0 miles away
- Courtyard by Marriott Exeter Sandy Park: 8.5 Fabulous, 4,816 reviews, 2.8 miles away
- The St George and Dragon by Innkeeper's Collection: 8.3 Very good, 1,933 reviews, 3.3 miles away
The three highest scores belong to small stays with a few hundred reviews each. Among the larger hotels, Courtyard by Marriott's 8.5 from 4,816 reviews is the strongest result.
Breakfast and free cancellation
2 of the 9 rates included breakfast and 4 offered free cancellation. The Silverton Inn was the only stay to offer both.
Breakfast came with Holiday Inn Express Exeter East by IHG and The Silverton Inn. Free cancellation came with Toby Carvery Exeter M5 J30 by Innkeeper's Collection, The St George and Dragon by Innkeeper's Collection, The Globe and The Silverton Inn.
Rates and terms change with the date, so check them for your own stay before you pay.
Choosing where to stay
Guardian Road and Sandy Park suit early flights and drivers on the M5. Topsham and Clyst St George suit a quieter night near the estuary, and Woodbury Park suits a break with leisure facilities.
Early departures
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East and Courtyard by Marriott are the nearest hotels and sit on the city side of the A30 route to the airport.
Driving down the M5
All three closest hotels sit near Junctions 29 and 30, so they break a long drive from the north the night before the flight.
A night near the coast
The Globe in Topsham and Hedgebank in Exmouth give an estuary or seaside stay within 7 miles of the terminal.
Getting to the terminal
Exeter Airport is reached from Junction 29 of the M5 along the A30 towards Honiton. From the hotels on the eastern edge of Exeter, the drive to the terminal is about 2.5 to 3 miles in a straight line.
A pre-booked taxi is the simplest option for an early flight from a village inn. With time to spare after security, see our Exeter Airport lounges page.
How we measured distance and price
We measure a straight line from each hotel to the terminal using map coordinates, and divide the two-night total from our sample search by two for the nightly price.
Straight-line distances help compare one hotel with another. The drive is longer, especially from the villages, so allow extra time. Each price, score and review count on this page comes from our search for 5 to 7 November 2026, for one room and two guests, and was checked before we added it.
Guest scores are out of 10. A score built on thousands of reviews, like those at Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard and Woodbury Park, moves slowly. A score built on a hundred or so reviews can change faster.
Parking for the trip
Drivers can compare Exeter Airport parking with us and pick a hotel from this page for the night before.
See every option on our Exeter Airport parking page.
Booking with us
Add your dates to the quote form at the top of the page, compare live rates and pay securely by card.
- Search. Enter your dates.
- Compare. Check distance, score and price.
- Book. Pay securely by card.
- Stay. Show the confirmation on arrival.
Our team can help on 0333 5678 678.
Exeter Airport hotels: your questions
Our search found no hotel within 2 miles of the terminal. The closest, Holiday Inn Express Exeter East, is 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East and The Silverton Inn included breakfast in our sample search.
Leave the M5 at Junction 29 and follow the A30 towards Honiton to the airport at Clyst Honiton.
River Retreat Apartment Exeter at Countess Wear scored 9.5 (Superb) from 120 reviews in our search.
Yes. Our sample search was for 1 room and 2 guests over two nights, 5 to 7 November 2026.
Flying from Exeter? Add your dates to the quote form at the top of the page for live rates. Need help? Call 0333 5678 678.