- Mr Plane Guy
- Apr 19
- 7 min read
Premier Inn Gatwick North Review: Cheap Airport Stay or Absolute Travel Prison?
By Mr Plane Guy, Plane Honest Travel & Loyalty Insights
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep Mr Plane Guy airborne and away from places like this.
Includes taxes and mandatory fees upfront, no nasty surprises at checkout.
If you’re searching for Premier Inn Gatwick North, you’re probably thinking:
cheap, reliable, easy airport hotel.
And on paper, this one looks ideal:
Right next to Gatwick North Terminal
Big brand name
“Premier Plus” room upgrade
What could go wrong?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
This is one of the most searched Gatwick airport hotels, and yes, technically, it does the job.
But it also felt like staying inside a mass tourism production line, where comfort, quality, and basic standards were quietly sacrificed somewhere along the way.
Location & Getting There (Let’s Clear This Up Properly)
Can you walk from Premier Inn to Gatwick Airport?
Yes, you can.
This is where a lot of people get confused.
This Premier Inn is right by the North Terminal drop-off road
It’s walkable, directly across the road, if you need assistance through Gatwick, they have an assistance area directly opposite the hotel.
⚠️ Important:There are multiple Premier Inns at Gatwick
Premier Inn North Terminal (this one)
Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (Manor Royal)
Premier Inn Gatwick (directly behind the hotel)
👉 Book the wrong one and you’re getting a bus or a longer walk
Don’t Spend £30 in Pret and Still Have Nowhere to Sit
If you’re staying at an airport hotel like this before flying from Gatwick, this is the bit most people overlook.
You’ve sorted the hotel. You’ve made the morning easier, but once you’re through security at the airport, it’s a different story.
£7 coffee.
£15 breakfast at Pret or Wetherspoons.
Nowhere to sit.
You end up spending £20–£40 without even thinking about it and you’re still stuck in a busy Gatwick departure area.
Gatwick actually has some genuinely good lounges, and they’re not all business class only. 👉 I’ve reviewed the main Gatwick Airport lounges here, what’s worth it, what’s not, and what to avoid.
If you don’t want to pay every time, that’s where Priority Pass can work well, it gives you access to multiple lounges at a reduced cost, regardless of airline or ticket.
👉Check which Gatwick lounges you can access here, Priority Pass memberships are currently up to 30% off
If you travel even a few times a year, this is where it really starts to make sense.
The Room (Premier Plus… Apparently)
This was a Premier Plus room
Which sounds like:
upgraded, better experience, something a bit nicer.
Reality? It’s basically:
Tea & coffee
Mini fridge
Iron
Things most hotels include anyway.
What is Premier Inn Plus?
A slightly upgraded version of a standard Premier Inn room, same hotel, just a few added extras.
Plane Honest verdict: This is not an upgrade, it’s marketing spin.
Now the room itself…
This is where it goes downhill fast.
Dust everywhere, not subtle, properly visible
Glasses looked like they’d been washed in a ditch next to the runway
Pillows completely finished, I woke up needing a chiropractor
I’m not exaggerating, my neck was genuinely ruined the next morning
Premier Inn Gatwick Shower & Bathroom (Basic Things… Not Working)
Shower head didn't work
Shower gel dispenser broken
The Window Situation (Claustrophobic)
Windows don’t open
No airflow
Stuffy, enclosed
It genuinely felt a bit like a holding room, not a hotel
The Lifts (A Full Experience in Themselves)
To get from floor 3 to floor 9:
Took 20 minutes
Required multiple lifts
One broke during the process, I also had multiple breakdowns trying to get to the room.
This is where the hotel starts to feel like: a system under strain, not a smooth operation
Premier inn Food & Drink, Convenience Over Quality (Very “Premier Inn” Energy)
Let’s be honest, if you’re staying here, you’re not coming for a culinary experience… and that’s exactly how it feels.
There is a full restaurant on-site, plus a Costa Coffee, a bar, vending machines, and even an internal roof terrace. On paper, that sounds decent. In reality, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Premier Inn Gatwick Breakfast (This Is Where It Really Falls Apart)
I’ve had a lot of airport hotel breakfasts. This was one of the worst.
Reheated, processed food
Deep fried everything
Zero freshness
Examples:
Watery orange juice (concentrate) probably started life in 2007
Frozen fruit
Pastries that felt like they’d survive a couple of decades
Bland, low-quality everything
It felt like maximum margin, minimum effort
You’ve got two options:
Unlimited cooked (£13.99)
Continental (£11.99)
Don’t expect anything fresh, premium, or remotely exciting.
The Restaurant & Meal Deal
They do push a “Great Value Meal Deal” at £29.99, which includes:
Main meal
Starter or dessert
Drink
Unlimited breakfast
That’s strong value, especially if you’re doing dinner + breakfast anyway.
But the reality? It leans heavily into that mass-market, pre-prepared, reheated vibe. Think easyJet/TUI crowd fuelling up before a 6am departure. Functional, not memorable. If you are flying with easyJet make sure you are up to date with all of their baggage rules. and also with Tui
Roof Terrace (Technically Exists…)
There is an internal roof terrace…
…but it’s basically a smoking and vaping zone. Not somewhere you’re going to sit and relax with a coffee unless you enjoy second-hand smoke with your flat white.
Across the road in the terminal you also have Mark & Spencers, Boots and Pret.
Plane Tip: Check current Gatwick parking deals here
Combining a cheaper hotel with parking can save a surprising amount.
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Price & Value
Typical:
£60–£130
👉 On paper: cheap Gatwick airport hotel
👉 In reality: you’re paying for location, not quality.
Plane Tip: Don't pay extra for Premier Inn Plus.
The Alternatives (And This Is IMPORTANT)
Right opposite this hotel:
👉 Hampton by Hilton Gatwick North Terminal
And honestly? It’s light years ahead
Directly connected
Cleaner
Better breakfast
Better rooms
Better experience
If the price difference is small, it’s not even a debate
It’s usually a small price difference… and a completely different experience.
FAQs (People Also Ask, Answered Properly)
Which Premier Inn is best for Gatwick Airport?
The one directly connected or closest to the terminal This one is close, but not the best option available
What time does breakfast start at Premier Inn Gatwick?
Continental breakfast is served from 3:30am to 10:00 am on weekdays and 3:30am to 10:30 at weekends. Cooked breakfast is served from 5am to 10am on weekdays, and 5am to 10.30am on weekends.
Final Boarding Call
Boarding Status: Delayed indefinitely
Cabin Class Verdict: Basic economy with turbulence
Worth Paying For Again: ❌ No
Who This Is For:
ultra budget travellers
one-night crash stays
very low expectations
Who Should Skip:
anyone who values cleanliness
anyone who wants a smooth start to a trip
anyone who enjoys… comfort
This isn’t “cheap and cheerful" It’s cheap and you feel it
Rating: 1.5 / 5
This isn’t just a basic airport hotel.
It feels like:
a high-volume, low-cost operation designed to move people through, not look after them.
There are better Gatwick airport hotels. Even at similar prices.
Plane Related Reads
The Best Lounge at Gatwick? I Visited Them All So You Don’t Have To
Priority PassReview 2026: One Year of Lounge Access, Was It Worth It?
easyJet Baggage Allowance (Cabin Bag Size, Hand Luggage & Hold Bags, 2026)
Gatwick Airport Lounge Reviews
Flying from Gatwick North? Skip the chaos and use a lounge, I’ve reviewed them all and Clubrooms is easily the best if you want space, proper food, and a calm start to your trip.
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London Airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading Premier Inn Gatwick North Review: Cheap Airport Stay or Absolute Travel Prison?
Airport lounges, free upgrades, travel chaos and the occasional meltdown. Real travel, not influencer nonsense.
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