Russ Hill Hotel

For £77, we had a night’s stay and four days of parking, which isn’t bad value. We picked this lovely Manor House because we could leave the car safely and take our keys with us, something that mattered after a few bad experiences elsewhere. Reception staff were very friendly, and there’s a free phone service there for booking an airport taxi. Our room was clean, but it was tiny. The bed was small and extremely uncomfortable, and the pillows were awful. We expected to hear planes, so that wasn’t really a complaint, though the skylight in our little room seemed to make the noise more noticeable. Bright lights outside shone in, and the curtains fell a couple of inches short, so there was no way to block the light. The photos I took were during the dark hours. We left early and didn’t need breakfast, though it might have been disappointing if we’d been relying on it. I don’t like leaving negative reviews, so I’ve tried to mention the good points too.

The room was clean, with a decent shower, and the friendly staff made things easy. It was functional, if a little small. The hotel seemed very underused, so there was no breakfast available. The price for a hotel stay and two weeks of Gatwick parking was great. Shame there isn’t a cheap shuttle. A taxi cost £21, including the airport drop-off fee. Britannia could do so much with its hotels, but chooses not to.

We needed somewhere cheap to sleep and leave the car before flying, and it suited that purpose. The woman at the desk was very helpful. The bedroom was okay, though a fridge would have been useful for keeping food and drinks cold. The bar and food facilities weren’t open. We’d stay again for the same reason.

The building has loads of character, and the location is beautiful. It’s a pity that no money seems to have gone into upkeep or modernisation. Checking in was easy, but parking was a bit of a faff. The car park is shared with a meet-and-greet service, which made the setup confusing. The room was clean and tidy, but small and tired. I’d booked a double and got a small twin with two single beds. That was fine this time, as I was travelling alone, and the room was functional. Would I stay again? Honestly, no. If it were the only hotel with a cheap room and I was desperate, then of course. Otherwise, I’d prefer a different hotel.