Gatwick Airport hotels — Expedia and Hotels.com

Gatwick is consistently cheaper than Heathrow for both car hire and parking, and its two terminals — North and South — are linked by a free shuttle running around the clock. On-airport desks sit in the terminal car parks; off-airport providers a short shuttle away often undercut them by 15–20%, which is worth the extra quarter-hour on a week-long rental but rarely on a two-day one. The M23 feeds straight onto the M25, and the south coast is under an hour, making Gatwick the practical choice for Brighton, the South Downs and Kent. It sits outside the London ULEZ zone, so emissions standards only matter if you intend to drive into the capital.

Typical nightly rate: £65–£180