Don't stay in them myself as we live too close to BHX - but there IS a Crown Plaza Hotel in the NEC complex adjacent the airport that you might want to check out.

I personally wouldn't encourage anyone to rush to the Holiday Inn on the A45 (by the Cargo Terminal / Old Terminal Buildings) or the Metropole (also at the NEC) which has nice facilities (health club etc) but it is HUGE and very expensive - catering largely to the conference trade.

The New Premier Travel Lodge (again on the far side of the NEC) has only been open a couple of years, will be basic, but should be clean and comfortable to tide you over for one night. The Novotel is literally across a service road to the Main Terminal (no more than 100m ) - it's clean and functional but soul-ess - again OK for a short stay.

If you want to look a little further afield for a bit more charm, you could try the Manor Hotel in Meriden http://www.manorhotelmeriden.co.uk/index.php - I believe they do offer holiday parking, but please double-check!! Meriden used to be known as "The Centre of England" (hence it's name) until some erosion and silt changed the shape of the UK. It has a couple of hotels (Bulls Head, nice food, rooms over a popular pub/restaurant - and Strawberry Bank, plus the Manor - popular locally for Weddings and the like), a few shops on the "village" green, where there is the Cyclists Memorial, and even a duckpond!! It's about 5 miles from the airport, but you'd never guess as it still has it's rural feel. You could also check out the Forest of Arden Hotel (Marriott) at Maxstoke just north of Meriden. Has 2 fine golf courses, leisure club, fishing lakes and is set in a deer park!!! Absolutely beautiful location - but I'm not sure what the situation is re parking and it's unlikely to be cheap!!!! http://marriott.co.uk/Channels/globalSites/propertypage/UK/cvtgs

Hi I stayed at the Crowne Plaza hotel at Birmingham airport last October and found it very reasonable think we paid £99 for two of us with 15 days parking and an airport shuttle included. The rooms are lovely and made our hotel in the Costa Del Sol seem terrible! However I found the food and drink extremely overpriced but if you walk to the NEC (about 10 mins and a nice walk around the lake) it is easy to catch a train into Birmingham for a bite to eat the trains run very late and are really cheap.

Hi
We always stay at the Nova Hotel which is straight opposite the terminal. We have never had any problems with this hotel and the hotel and car park deals are really good.

Nicole

Thanks for all of that fabulous info folks - your help is really appreciated ----- though we live in Stoke Birmingham is unknown territory when it comes to using the airport.

Thanks again

i apologize for not thanking you for your reply, instantly, im not oon here 24/7, great info though

I've just remembered that we were held in the corridor before baggage reclaim. Literally 300 odd people being held in a small space. think of the height of the average 4/5 year old and the height that a carry bag is at if it's being being carried by the shoulder strap. yes all it'll take is for adult to turn around or the child to get bored and start figeting. this could mean a nasty injury.

We have flown into Birmingham twice in the last couple of months on scheduled BA flights and on each occasion we were not held in any corridor! On the second occasion we landed the same time as a packed PIA flight so there would have been, with other flights from Europe about 500 people at the same time but we still cleared customs and baggage reclaim in about 15 minutes.

I came through in 25 mins including baggage collection on my last arrival in the main terminal (was around midnight though) - no holding in corridors.

Jodie

Driver02

driver thanks again for the info, i couldnt get a room for the 5 of us , so i have done the day before check in and paid 69 for the parking, they collect the car from the terminal and meet you back for 2 weeks, so about 95 all together, not bad! only 4 weeks 3 days to go xxxx

all booked now for 69,69p
brill price i think!! for 2 weeks parking, where they meet you at the terminal and help with luggage!

only 7 days to go!!

I'm trying to decide between APH, APH Summer Park & Ride and Airparks at Birmingham The main APH car park is cheapest but furthest away. It has good reviews below. Anyody have recent experience of the others?

Hi,
Does anyone know if you can still smoke anywhere in the departure lounge? I know you could inside the pub in departures when we went in September last year.
Cheers,
Ange

Think restrictions are the same at the moment but the whole airport is becoming no smoking as from September- not sure whether that's the 1st or 30th.

Thanks for that Deb

It is completely no smoking in the departure lounge now in the terminal where the charter flights go from. We travelled out from there at the end of July and lots of people were going back from passport control in order to have one last ciggie!

From 30 September the whole airport will be no smoking.

Stock up on nicorette!

We fly on the 29th August to Zante and as I am a nervous flyer anyway, not being able to smoke on the flight is hard enough as it is. Maybe it's time to give up(again!!!)
Thanks for letting me know
Ange

Sorry can't find the Birmingham link -

Can anyone give us any feedback re this hotel please.
How does the park and fly work? Is the off site parking a long way away?

Any help appreciated - we usually use Manchester so feel a bit lost this holiday!

hi - does anyone have any 'recent' experience of the security measures and length of time to get thru check in / security and to the departure gate etc...?

We usually fly about 6/7 am and arrive at BHX 2.5 hours before to park the car and check in early, always leaves us enough time for a mooch round duty free and to grab some breakkie - just wondered if the extra security is increasing the time this early in the morning..?? we fly on Oct 30th ...thanks