How we picked the three
We ranked the four hotels within 1.2 miles by guest score and review count, then looked at what the rate includes. Hampton by Hilton has the best score and includes breakfast, Radisson Blu is the 4-star hotel beside it, and Holiday Inn Express adds breakfast and free cancellation at a much lower price.
Hampton By Hilton London Stansted Airport on Bassingbourn Road scores 8.6 (Fabulous) from 20,000 reviews. It is 0.2 miles from the terminal and its rate included breakfast.
Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport on Waltham Close is also 0.2 miles away. It is 4-star and scores 8.1 from 20,000 reviews.
Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport by IHG on Thremhall Avenue is 1.2 miles away and scores 8.2. Its rate included breakfast and free cancellation at about half the price of the two terminal hotels.
The airport hotels
Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Blu stand 0.2 miles from the terminal. Holiday Inn Express on Thremhall Avenue and Novotel on Round Coppice Road sit on the airport's southern side, 1.2 and 2.3 miles from check-in.
Hampton by Hilton London Stansted Airport
Hampton By Hilton London Stansted Airport is 3-star and the dearest of the airport hotels on our dates, the price of a short walk to departures with breakfast included.
Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport
Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport is the only 4-star hotel within half a mile of the terminal.
Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport
Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport by IHG is 3-star and one of the best-value rooms in our Stansted search.
Novotel London Stansted Airport
Novotel London Stansted Airport on Round Coppice Road is 4-star, 2.3 miles from the terminal, and scores 8.4 from 269 reviews at a mid-range price.
Takeley, Elsenham and Birchanger
Five stays sit 1.2 to 3.2 miles from the terminal in the villages just around the airport. Stansted Coach House scores 9.7, the best in our search, and The Cottage Guest House at Birchanger scores 9.2.
The White House at Smiths Green, Takeley, is 1.6 miles south of the terminal and scores 8.2. In Elsenham, Desalis Hotel London Stansted on Hall Road scores 6.7, and Stansted Coach House - Apartment Hotel on Isabel Drive scores 9.7 (Superb) from 209 reviews.
The Cottage Guest House on Birchanger Lane is 3.2 miles west and scores 9.2 (Wonderful). The Cock Inn Hotel on The Street scores 8.8 and included breakfast and free cancellation.
The M11 services at Birchanger Green
Days Inn and Ramada stand at the Welcome Break services at Birchanger Green, Junction 8 of the M11, 3.1 miles from the terminal. They have two of the lowest prices in our search.
Days Inn by Wyndham London Stansted Airport has the lowest price on our list, with a score of 7.4. Ramada by Wyndham London Stansted Airport scores 7.2. Both suit drivers who want a cheap room close to the motorway and a short drive to the terminal in the morning.
Great Dunmow, Thaxted, Hatfield Heath and beyond
Seven stays sit 4.9 to 8.9 miles from the terminal in the market towns and villages of Essex and Hertfordshire. Several are traditional inns with high scores, and Down Hall Hotel is a country house hotel at Hatfield Heath.
The Kicking Dickey in Great Dunmow and Swan Hotel by Greene King Inns on the Bull Ring in Thaxted both offered free cancellation. The Cricketers Clavering scores 8.9 and included breakfast and free cancellation.
The PitStop at Little Hallingbury scores 9.4 and included breakfast. Hatfield Heath holds Hunters Meet and Down Hall Hotel, the dearest hotel in our search. Pages Hotel and Guesthouse in Old Harlow is the furthest, 8.9 miles away.
Prices on our sample dates
Days Inn at Birchanger Green has the lowest price in our search, followed by the Ramada next door and The Kicking Dickey in Great Dunmow. Holiday Inn Express is the cheapest of the airport hotels.
- Days Inn by Wyndham London Stansted Airport: £48.95 a night, 3.1 miles away
- Ramada by Wyndham London Stansted Airport: £54.70 a night, 3.1 miles away
- The Kicking Dickey: £63.13 a night, 4.9 miles away
- Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport by IHG: £64.11 a night, 1.2 miles away
- Desalis Hotel London Stansted: £72.71 a night, 1.2 miles away
The two hotels beside the terminal cost about £120 to £129 a night on our dates, roughly double the Holiday Inn Express on Thremhall Avenue. The walk to departures is what that difference buys.
Guest scores
Stansted Coach House scores 9.7, The PitStop 9.4 and The Cottage Guest House 9.2. Among the airport hotels, Hampton by Hilton leads on 8.6.
- Stansted Coach House - Apartment Hotel: 9.7 Superb, 209 reviews, 2.4 miles away
- The PitStop: 9.4 Wonderful, 490 reviews, 5.3 miles away
- The Cottage Guest House: 9.2 Wonderful, 244 reviews, 3.2 miles away
- The Cricketers Clavering: 8.9 Fabulous, 1,278 reviews, 7.3 miles away
- The Cock Inn Hotel: 8.8 Fabulous, 1,143 reviews, 3.1 miles away
- Hampton By Hilton London Stansted Airport: 8.6 Fabulous, 20,000 reviews, 0.2 miles away
The three airport hotels on Bassingbourn Road, Waltham Close and Thremhall Avenue each have 20,000 reviews in our search, so their scores are among the most settled anywhere.
Breakfast and free cancellation
6 rates included breakfast and 7 offered free cancellation. Holiday Inn Express, The Cock Inn, The Cricketers and Pages Hotel offered both.
Breakfast came with Hampton By Hilton London Stansted Airport, Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport by IHG, The Cock Inn Hotel, The PitStop, The Cricketers Clavering and Pages Hotel and Guesthouse. Free cancellation came with Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport by IHG, The Cock Inn Hotel, The Kicking Dickey, Swan Hotel by Greene King Inns, Hunters Meet, The Cricketers Clavering and Pages Hotel and Guesthouse.
Check the terms for your own dates before you pay.
Choosing your Stansted hotel
Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Blu suit the earliest flights. Holiday Inn Express suits a lower budget on the airport side, Birchanger Green suits drivers on the M11, and the village inns suit a quieter night.
Early departures
Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Blu sit 0.2 miles from the terminal.
Coming from London
The Stansted Express runs from Liverpool Street to the station beneath the terminal, so London travellers can stay at a terminal hotel the night before or travel in on the day.
Lower budgets
Days Inn and Ramada at Birchanger Green and Holiday Inn Express give the lowest prices.
Terminal hotel or Thremhall Avenue
The choice at Stansted comes down to a short walk at a higher price, or a 1.2-mile transfer at about half the price. Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Blu sit beside the terminal, and Holiday Inn Express sits on Thremhall Avenue.
All three have 20,000 reviews in our search and score between 8.1 and 8.6, so quality is similar. Hampton by Hilton and Holiday Inn Express both include breakfast, and only Holiday Inn Express offered free cancellation.
For a flight in the first wave of the morning, the terminal hotels remove any transfer. For a later flight, Holiday Inn Express saves a large share of the room price for a short taxi ride. Novotel on Round Coppice Road sits between the two in price and adds a 4-star room.
After a late landing
Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Blu are the quickest stays to reach after a late arrival, 0.2 miles from the terminal. Village inns and guest houses may set check-in hours, so check them before you fly.
The motorway hotels at Birchanger Green, 3.1 miles away, are another option for drivers collecting a car after a late flight. Apartments such as Stansted Coach House may use arranged arrival times, so read the booking details first.
About the figures
Distances are straight lines from each stay to the Stansted terminal, measured from map coordinates. Prices are two-night totals for 5 to 7 November 2026 divided by two, for one room and two guests.
The drive from the villages is longer than the straight-line figure, so allow extra time. Scores are out of 10 and appear with their review counts. Rates change with the season and with demand, so the quote form at the top of the page gives the price for your own dates.
Getting to the terminal
The Stansted Express runs from London Liverpool Street into the station beneath the terminal. Drivers reach the airport from Junctions 8 and 8a of the M11.
The village and M11 hotels are a short drive or taxi ride from the terminal. With time to spare after security, see our Stansted Airport lounges page.
Parking for the trip
Drivers can compare Stansted parking with us for the whole trip, then book the room for the night before on this page.
See every car park on our Stansted Airport parking page, then pick a hotel from the lists above.
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. Add 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.
Stansted Airport hotels: your questions
Hampton by Hilton London Stansted Airport and Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport are both 0.2 miles from the terminal in a straight line.
Hampton by Hilton and Holiday Inn Express London Stansted Airport included breakfast in our sample search.
The Stansted Express runs from London Liverpool Street to the station beneath the terminal.
Stansted Coach House - Apartment Hotel in Elsenham scored 9.7 (Superb) in our search, 2.4 miles from the terminal.
Yes. Our sample search was for 1 room and 2 guests over two nights, 5 to 7 November 2026.
Flying from Stansted? Add your dates to the quote form at the top of the page for live rates. Need help? Call 0333 5678 678.