Day Rooms and Layover Stays at Gatwick Airport

A long daytime stop at Gatwick leaves three options: the landside seating, a lounge, or a room used for a few hours. Gatwick is better set up for the third than most UK airports, because one property rents by the hour inside the terminal.

The hourly option

YOTELAIR London Gatwick Airport is the obvious answer. Cabins book from a four-hour minimum, day or night, each soundproofed with a SmartBed, a rain shower and a workstation. It is landside in the South Terminal beside arrivals, under a minute from the doors, so a five-hour stop converts into four hours of real rest rather than two hours after transfers.

Full rooms without leaving the terminal

BLOC Hotel London Gatwick Airport is on Level 3 of the same terminal and sells full rooms rather than hourly cabins, which suits a long stop that runs into the evening. Ask about early check-in when you book rather than on arrival.

At the North Terminal, Sofitel London Gatwick and Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport are both a covered walk from the doors, and Hilton London Gatwick Airport is a covered walk from the South. None publishes a standing day rate, so contact the hotel directly with your flight times and ask what they can do.

When a lounge is enough

Under about four hours, a lounge with showers usually solves the problem for less; see showers and lounges at LGW. Remember that Gatwick’s security closes for a few hours overnight, so an airside lounge is not a place to spend the small hours (details).

Related guides

Overnight rather than daytime? See sleeping in Gatwick Airport. Budget first? See the cheapest LGW hotels. Which terminal you are actually in: North vs South.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I book a room by the hour at Gatwick?

Yes. YOTELAIR in the South Terminal rents cabins from a four-hour minimum, day or night, and is landside next to arrivals so no boarding pass is needed. It is the only property at Gatwick with a published hourly rate.

Is a day room worth it for a Gatwick layover?

For stops of about five hours or more, usually. A bed, a rain shower and a soundproofed room beat the landside seating, and the four-hour YOTELAIR minimum is priced well below a full night at the walkway hotels. For shorter stops, a lounge is often the better value.

Which hotel is quickest to reach on a layover?

YOTELAIR and BLOC, both inside the South Terminal, need no transfer at all. From the North Terminal, Sofitel and Hampton by Hilton are covered walks, and the free inter-terminal shuttle bridges the two terminals in two to three minutes.

Information last verified: August 5, 2026