Old-fashioned airport parking
I’m sure we all have. We’ve gotten out of bed at 4 a.m. when our alarm screams at us that it’s time to get up. We’ve packed our sleepy party into the car for the perhaps 100-mile drive to the airport, leaving a lot more time than is really necessary in case traffic problems slow us down. We have arrived at the airport with a long wait ahead of us, tired (but hopefully still excited) before our vacation has really begun. And we still have to drop the family off at the terminal with luggage, drive to the long-stay car park, and then take the bus back to the terminal before we check-in.
Airport Hotel Parking: The Relaxed Option
I have become! With a family of five to organize, I am now a firm believer in checking out the night before and relaxing in a hotel near the airport. The holidays start a day early and the kids get the thrill of an extra night in a hotel with the five of us comfortably relaxed in a room really meant for four (you don’t have to be that cozy even if you have a family our size – The Moat House in Gatwick, for example, has family rooms that can sleep up to 7 people).
I can enjoy the ride to the airport as there is no need for me to stress about possible traffic delays as it doesn’t really matter – we have a confirmed hotel reservation and can arrive by midnight if the worst happens.
No more early alarm calls
We can also have a much more leisurely start on the morning of our flight. There is plenty of time for breakfast, the car is already parked and we get on the bus for the direct transfer to the airport terminal. We don’t need to leave a lot of time for “contingencies” as there is very little chance of being detained for a long time between the hotel and the airport terminal.
Meet and greet service
Returning to the UK, you can also make your life easier by choosing a hotel that offers a ‘meet and greet’ service, whereby your car is delivered to the terminal ready for your return (although it’s unlikely you’ll find this service offered for the very cheap hotels).
Airport Hotel Parking – A Great Value Alternative To Simple Airport Parking
And the best part is that this is usually much cheaper than you think. There are numerous Airport Hotel Parking Packages for each airport, and when you take away the cost of airport parking, you would have to pay anyway, so the additional cost is very small. For me and my family, the decision is simple. We will choose the quiet start to our vacation every time!