Glynis/Aisacienne - Many thanks for the advice. Much appreciated!

I will do my research.

Has anyone got any recent recommendations for car parking at Stansted please? Or any recommended web-sites to book parking deals for Stansted through? Would prefer not to have to give up car keys if possible. Thanks.

There are very few 'private car parks' at Stansted Airport. Most are owned by BAA. Don't think you will find one where you do not have to give up the keys. I think most companies have to have your keys for security reasons. Bishops Stortford Football Club run an airport parking service but I have read a few dodgy reviews about them.

We have booked a weeks parking in February at Stansted and found the cheapest prices on the Stansted Airport Web site, booking direct with BAA advance parking. We have booked the official meet and greet service which makes life far simpler. No phone calls to make - on your return the car is waiting in the fast track area of the short stay car park - you just pick up your keys from the kiosk. More expensive than using the pink elephant long stay car park but in mind worth it when you bear in mind that the long stay car park is a good 10 minute bus journey away!

Pippa

Thanks Pippa. I will probably go for that one then, rather than pink elephant. If I was going for a fortnight I would book a taxi, but for a week the costs are similar and I really do prefer to have the car at the airport if possible.

Re the Keys thing. I think I am getting confused with Gatwick as I know there is an airport there where you park your car yourself and it's in the same place when you come back two weeks later. (well hopefully in the same place ) Thanks again.

The Bishop's Stortford football club parking option seems to have bitten the dust - this week's Herts and Essex Observer. Suggest you consider a package with a night's hotel and then some free parking, or just pay up and put up ...........!!

The hotels at Stansted are fairly expensive. The Hilton is the cheapest but it is also not very close to the airport. A cheaper option would be to use of of the many b&b's in the locality - just search on google.

Just make sure you book the 'official' meet and greet BAA parking on the BAA advance. As it's name suggests it is advance booking - the earlier you book the cheaper it is. There are other meet and greet options in the Stansted area but for myself I prefer to use the official one.

It is a known fact that BAA have closed down several private operators at Stansted. At Gatwick you have lots of options - makes for lower prices.

Pippa

Thanks again Pippa I'll check out the 'offical' BAA meet and greet.

I'm not interested in an hotel overnight at Stansted, I live so close (about 25 mins away) it would be daft, I'd rather be in my own bed. So I'm not sure what the 'just pay up and put up' comment means from you Alsacienne.

Just to clarify - it is actually called 'valet parking'.

We live about 50 minutes from Stansted so like you prefer to be in our own bed. I tend to find if you have an early morning flight you don't really sleep in a strange bed so might as well get a little sleep in your own!!

Pippa

Pay up and put up

I simply meant that it would be necessary to park in the official parks and put up with the high prices. Nothing sinister!

However if you only live 25 mins away, is it worth looking at alternative methods of getting to Stansted such as train or coach ... or even persuading a neighbour or friend for a fee to drop you off and pick you up ... might be cheaper than parking!!

Hope the parking dilemma does not spoil your preparations for your holiday.

I think I will be going with Pippas suggestion.

I don't think I could ask a friend to get up and drive us at 4.30am in the morning, I wouldn't have the cheek, plus they then have to make themselves available to collect you, just to save 60 quid.

Chris . how is the meet and greet working out against a cab? . I think that may be your best option. we used the football club a few years ago and were very pleased but think that was probaly before my days on HT. We have tried so many options with stansted and have yet to find anything that great. One carpark was back at Harlow and it took them longer to transport us than for us to drive there from home in the first place:roll: so that was useless. both recent times that we have used pink elephant we have had to wait an absolute eternity for the bus on our way home. Going was very efficient tho. As you say cab works out best if you are going for 2 weeks. theres also the gatwick flyer who now do stansted as well so that may be worth a look as they will pick you up from home.

lyn

ps.agree with pippa found BAA own site is usually the cheapest if your booking nearer the time but also found holidayextras the cheapest if you want quotes for all your options.

Hi Lyn

I think the price will be similar to a cab, and if it's more or less the same, I prefer to take the car. Pink Elephant are really cheap (about 35 quid) but they are quite a way out and the shuttle is only evey 20 mins.

I flew Stansted-Dublin back in November. I had sports holdall well within dimensions and a small handbag. I had a magnetic construction set in hand luggage and wasn't sure if it had to go in hold. So I went over to security to ask and was told it was ok in hand luggage. The man was really nice and said that my handbag would have to go inside holdall which I expected. What I actually did was to put handbag inside holdall when I joined queue and then once in departure lounge took it out again. Wasn't challenged once and Ryan air staff didn't say anything either.

Regarding booking at Stansted in advance and getting parking cheaper.

Perhaps like me some of you have the following BAA link which places, for some reason, the cheapest Pink Elephant price at the bottom (out of sight!) - which if you dont know is there you would miss.

OK you need to book 30days in advance and cant get you money back if you cancel.

http://secure.baa.com/baabook/BAABook.ASP?WCI=Entry

However, using another BAA link, like the one below, it places the cheapest Pink Elephant price at the top !

http://secure.baa.com/baa/BAABook.ASP?WCI=GetAvailReply

Strange.

Regards, Chris

We used the BAA Valet Parking last week at Stansted.

It was very easy - we were met on the forecourt and after the official checking mileage etc just handed over keys and went straight into the terminal.

On our return we just telephoned after landing just to make sure the car was ready then walked across to the fast track part of the short stay car park. We were escorted to the car and signed a form to say car was ok. \keys handed over and away. Being a very cold wet evening this was great - no waiting for a bus.

We would certainly use again - booked early enough it cost us £69 instead of £100. Obviously for a couple of weeks it would be quite expensive but for a week it did seem worth it.

Well recommended.

Pippa

Hi has anyone stayed at the Yew Tree Inn, Manuden Nr Bishop Stortford. We've booked 1 night on the 31st March before a flight from Stansted. A double room and parking for 4 days was £79 which I think is a great price. Also what is Stansted like? We've never flown from there before and we have nearly a 5 hour journey to get there. Thanks

hi peeps, i am flying into stansted next week on a short domestic. never flown in/out of std and would like to know if ryanair use quite remote stands at the gates as i have heard previously, is it easy enough to find your gate from the main check in area?only a bit concerned as i don't want to end up missing my flight home and having to pay out for a new ticket, i am on a budget as it is!

Some of Ryanairs stands are a bit of a trek from the main departure gates. it your luckly enough to get a game in the low 40's, then it's only a 5 minute walk, if your gate is in the high 50's it could take as long as 15 mins (especially if your not a quick walker anyway).

If you happen to get a gate with a number lower than 40 you'll have to get the monorail which runs every 2 mins from the terminal building to those gate areas.

One vital thing is with Stansted is to leave enough time to clear security. I went away for the weekend a couple of weeks ago and it took an hour to clear security, plus 10-15 mins for check in, so leave lots of time as we saw loads of people running though the airport to try and catch their flights.

Stansted is very easy to find your way around though so you should not have any problems.

Pippa

Dont know if you are still looking in, but I have just booked the valet car parking at stansted for a week as I liked the time of tranfer to terminal building being 1 to 2 mins and not the possible 30 mins of Pink Elephant. Although it is expensive in comparison.

I expect this is a daft question, but does the 'valet' mean they clean your car as well while you are away?

Doe