We find ourselves using airport hotels more and more these days. We live an hour and 15 mins away from our nearest airport and 30 mins more to the next one. We used to travel up in order to check-in 2 hours before but by the time we pay for parking we've decided we get better value by booking in to an hotel the night before.

we only used to do this when having to travel the 4 hours or so to Gatwick but have become used to the luxury of having the extra day, which we count as an extra day's holiday. Our last holiday was from our nearest airport but we had a leisurely journey up the day before, stopping for lunch on the way and checking in around 3pm. We then spent the evening chilling with a glass of wine, knowing that we could forget about the driving in the morning.

We live about an hour from Manchester airport. We always stay over the night before as I am a nervous flyer and get very twitchy about having to get up at stupid o'clock and worry about the motorway being closed or delays etc. Once I'm at the airport I'm not as bad so staying over is the less stressful way (for him as much as me )

thanks for your comments, i was looking for reasons to justify having an extra night away, and you two have made it easier for me

It will definetly be easier for us if we did it this way, as if we drove to the airport on the day of departure, then we would have to set off before 6am .

Can i just ask if we use the day before check in with thomson how many hours before departure do we need to be at the airport?

I know we would have already checked in, but we still obviously need to go through security etc.

thanks

Yummymummy..... this info may be of help:

Step-by-step guide to Day Before Check-in

* At London Gatwick, Thomson Airways flights check-in at North Terminal, Zone A.
* At Manchester Airport, Thomson Airways flights check-in at Terminal 2.

The day before your flight

Step One: Go to check-in any time between 12:00 midday and 22:00 - looking out for the Day Before Check-in desks.
Step Two: You will be asked the usual security questions relating to baggage. Checked-in baggage is then processed as normal.
Step Three: You will receive boarding cards (unless travelling to the USA, or on certain Cruise flights) and receipts for checked-in baggage.
Step Four: You're free to leave the airport and relax for the night.

On your day of departure

Step One: Return to the airport. If you've already received your boarding card, go straight to airport security. Queues are at their peak first thing in the morning. Please ensure you leave enough time to reach your departure gate at least one hour before your flight leaves.
Step Two: Sit back and relax as we look forward to welcoming you onboard .

Please remember"¦
If you're travelling to a destination that requires further security at check-in (e.g. all USA flights), you won't be given boarding cards the day before. You should still follow the steps above, but you'll need to return to check-in on the day of your flight to pick up the boarding cards. Day Before Check-in is not available for flights to certain Cruise destinations.

Caz

thanks very much Caz, i also managed to find this info by doing a quick google search. Note to myself : not to ask questions before having a look myself.

Although i did want to see if anyone else uses airport hotels
thanks again

We are doing so, more and more as well especially if we have an early flight. Last summer we flew form Manchester, which is 4 hrs from us. We travelled up on he train the day before, which was so relaxing for hubby. We had a lovely meal before retiring for the night without having to worry about getting to the airport the following day.

Helen, my thoughts exactly.

I will be booking a night in the premier inn hotel at manchester airport, which costs 40pounds for 2 adults and 1 child.
We will get the train down late afternoon, which will cost about 6pounds for both of us, and i think a child ticket costs about 3pounds.

Our flight is at 10:30am, so we do not need to be at the airport until about 8:30 am, so gives us time for breakfast at the hotel before we go to the airport.

It does sound like a nice relaxing start to the holiday, and i dont think we will be spending much more than if we travelled to the airport on the day of departure and parked in the carpark.

we live about 1 1/2 hrs,from manchester airport,but always stay the night before,in a hotel.
we just find it,a more relaxing start,to the holiday & when we have an early morning flight,it means a little bit longer in bed,for the grandaughter.
tracy

With low cost flights from my neck of the woods being those that leave between 6 and 7 am, spending an overnight close to the hotel is becoming a necessity to avoid being there at 4 am and up at 2.30 am ...

Far more civilized, and you don't have to worry about the state of the bathroom or bedroom when you leave or washing up the early morning tea things!

Mind you, wish there were more cheap hotels by the airports ....

I live in Norwich but have flown from Manchester twice and last year from Stansted and I have managed to book really cheap rooms in a Travelodge.It is just a case of looking well in advance,I've paid as little as £9 per room.Some of my family,13 of us ,have 5 rooms booked for 2 nights each at Heathrow Heston for 22nd and 23rd October and I have only paid £248 for the lot.We're off to Thorpe Park on Saturday then sightseeing in London for 2 of the grandchildren who have never been.

thankyou all for your thoughts.

I have been having a look for a room for the night and the cheapest i can find is premier inn for 40pounds for a family room (2adults and 1 child).

Oscarben - am i looking in the wrong place?

Travelodge is 0.8 miles from the airport and we booked well in advance,there are cheap rooms usually available if they are booked more than 3 weeks in advance.You would really need to weigh it all up,we parked in a friends drive and the men drove us and the children to the airport then my friends dad took the men.

thanks for that. We are not due to go until April 2011, which is 6months away, but i love to plan in advance

since you're so close, are you in the Greater Manchester PTE area? If so your max train fares are currently £4 adult (each way) and £2 child - if you waited until 18:30 the adult fare drops to £2 as well. See http://www.gmpte.com/journey_planning/tickets_rail.cfm?submenuheader=1

Both the Airport Travelodge and Premier Inn are on Runger Lane by the Cargo Centre (next to Junc 6 of the M56) so aren't really within walking distance of the terminals, they do provide a shuttle bus but you need to check the price, for a family a taxi may be cheaper. But since you won't have the big luggage there is an ordinary bus as well.

Thanks very much steve.

After phoning up my partner, he said that the day before our holiday he has to work because we will be away for 17nights, so he won't get home until past 7pm, and it is looking a bit pointless for us to do that this time
So it is looking like a 5:30am car journey for us which i really wanted to avoid.

We definately like stopping over the night before. Holiday's start earlier that way

Steve and yummy mummy - we stayed at the Travellodge last summer and paid £7 for the 2 of us to ge to the airport.

thanks.

I think this topic may be of use to someone else, as i dont think it is likely that we will doing this
my partner will not get home from work until 7pm, we could probably get the 8pm train to manchester airport, which will be about a 60 minute journey. arrive at the airport at 9pm ready to use the day before check in service which is open until 10pm.

I will have to see how much airport parking is, and if it will cost a fortune then we may consider stopping in an airport hotel.

I suppose it could be done.

steve - thanks for informing me about the reduced train fares in the evening.

Helen - was that using the shuttle service?

I'm doing it next time as flying from Heathrow, which is 2-3 hours drive away and have a 6.30am check in. Getting a hotel deal to stay and park for the whole 14/15 nights is cheaper than just booking parking somewhere without the hotel, though some I've looked at do say your car is taken away somewhere to be parked rather than staying at the hotel. £115 at Term 4 long stay as opposed to £79 for one night at Holiday Inn and parking for the two weeks.