Hampton by Hilton Stansted Airport

Breakfast was fresh, hot, and well organised, with good ingredients and a bright, comfortable place to eat. The restaurant and bar downstairs also felt relaxed, and the menus were clear and easy to follow. Our room was modern and thoughtfully arranged, and finding small desserts waiting there was a lovely surprise. We could see the runway and airport activity, but it didn't disturb us. The hallways and shared spaces were clean, quiet, and well lit. Staff were friendly and efficient, and the hotel felt calm from arrival. It's a comfortable, practical place to stay before or after a flight, with a warm welcome too. We'd come back.

Breakfast starts at 4am, which is great for an early flight. Check-in was quick, and the room had what you'd expect. The double bed was a little small, though comfortable. It's only a few minutes' walk from the terminal. I'd stay here again.

The rooms are comfortable, with a nice shower and strong water pressure, and the construction noise didn't come through. Getting there from the airport takes quite a walk, though, and the route isn't as simple as advertised. There's no covered walkway, so it's manageable with just carry-on luggage but less convenient with checked bags. There's also no room service or minibar, and no bottle of water waiting when you arrive.

I left at 5:30pm after being told a later checkout would be fine, then found they'd charged me another £10. That was the last straw after losing time and money over a booking problem. I'd booked through dayuse.com for 2 February, but the receptionist's system showed 1 February. She accepted my email confirmation, then had to rebook everything, leaving me to sort out the refund with dayuse.com myself. I waited nearly an hour for a room after being told it should take five minutes, and when I asked for an update, I was kept waiting another ten. My booking was for 9am to 5pm, but I didn't get into the room until 10:30am, and there was still a worker inside. I explained everything to another receptionist at checkout, and she said it was fine. The whole experience was awful, and I wouldn't recommend staying here.