Budget Hotels at Stansted Airport
Stansted is the low-cost airport, and its hotel market obliges: three properties compete hard under the price of a London dinner. Here they are, ranked by what the pounds buy.
Days Inn: the price floor
The Days Inn at the M11 services is the cheapest bed near Stansted: ensuite rooms, free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly, with the services’ food outlets a few steps away at any hour. There is no shuttle, so add a five-minute taxi each way; even with it, the total usually stays lowest. It is also the only hotel selling day-use blocks, covered in the day rooms guide.
Holiday Inn Express: the early-flight budget pick
The Holiday Inn Express adds what dawn flyers need: free breakfast from 4:00 am, a £3 shuttle every 30 minutes, boarding-pass printing and 254 dependable rooms. For a 6:00 am departure it is the strongest value at the airport.
Ramada: the driver’s pick
The Ramada, three miles out, answers a different question: free parking with EV charging, a full English buffet and family rooms, next to the golf club. For park-sleep-fly on a budget, run the numbers in the park, sleep and fly guide.
When to step up
The Hampton usually prices one band above these three, and buys the thing none of them can: the terminal 200 metres away on foot, with free hot breakfast from 4:00 am. On the mornings that matter, the step up is the bargain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest hotel at Stansted Airport?
Usually the Days Inn at the Birchanger Green services, five minutes' drive from the terminal. The Ramada, with free parking, and the Holiday Inn Express, with its shuttle and free breakfast, trade the lowest price for more convenience.
Is a budget hotel cheaper than sleeping in the terminal?
The terminal is free and miserable: Stansted discourages sleeping, the seats have armrests and there are no showers. A budget room costs money but delivers the flight-day alert and washed; most travellers who try both do not try the terminal twice.
Which budget hotel is best for an early flight?
The Holiday Inn Express: free breakfast from 4:00 am, boarding-pass printing in the lobby and the shuttle every 30 minutes. If the flight is very early, check the shuttle's first run and book a taxi as backup.
Information last verified: August 21, 2026