The truth about car parks at Gatwick Airport

The truth about Gatwick Car Parks

We all heard the horrible stories about Car parks that operate at Gatwick Airport. There are Car Parks at Gatwick that employ inexperienced drivers, park cars on industrial estates, supermarkets etc

Unfortunately - yes, there are such car parks that see the opportunity for an easy buck and go to great lengths for it.

All that I can say is don’t tarnish them all with the same brush.

There are a lot of factors to look for when you book your Gatwick Parking.

What is the first question we ask - Where is my car parked?

We all ask this question and more often then not we get ‘Our car park is minutes a way from the airport’.

How far ‘minutes a way’ is most of the cases? I tell you - a lot. Always check if the company that you park with has their CAR PARK location published; not the company address or head office.
And don’t believe the story that will not be safe if the car park location is published. Why will not be safe to be published you have to ask yourself. That could only mean that they don’t have an authorised car park, no security measures in place etc

Always check where your car will be parked.

Are your drivers insured to drive my car?

We know, by law YOU HAVE TO BE INSURED to drive a vehicle. Why ask about the drivers if the company should have the insurance?
For the …….duuuh reason which we all should think of it. The DRIVER is the one who will drive your car.

By law, a car park MUST have insurance for their drivers. The criteria’s for insurance on car parking companies are not far from what you know. They look on the company’s drivers age, mature drivers = experienced drivers, if they have points or other penalties, points = more likely your driver may take your car for a joyride, especially if you own a sport car etc

When you sum up all the factors, the insurance may go sky roof high if they employed the neighbour’s son that want some extra pocket money. Will they pay such a high insurance? very unlikely.

Ask with whom have the insurance, on reputable companies you’ll find it published on their web site.

Why you charge considerable less than other companies?

We are draw by the low price that some companies quote us. Here is a double sword, if you see a price that is way below the average cost for Gatwick Parking think twice before you book. It may be a special offer or introductory price on their service but always check with them before you book.

Very small prices are questionable in the Gatwick Parking industry, and for Airport parking in general. To afford to pay the rent for your car park space, add the taxes, the insurance and all other expenses, when you draw the line and do the math you’ll see for yourself that £20.00 - £30.00 for one week parking doesn’t cover the cost for an authorised car park at any airport.

But as I said, not all are the same. You’ll find authorised car parks off site Gatwick Airport, which have all the measures in place.

Take Tudor Rose Valet Parking for example (or meet and greet – as many of you refer to as). You can see where their car park is, you can visit their car park any time. Just take the postcode and go on Google Earth, you’ll find it there exactly as described.

Their drivers are uniformed and all mature; confident and experienced with all type of cars. Insured and cheeked by the police. Members of AVPCA, an organisation which collaborates with Gatwick Police and Gatwick Airport to ensure that companies such as the ones we hear about are sanctioned or closed and stopped to give Gatwick Parking such a bad name.

Check, check and double check again the car parks you want to book your Gatwick Parking.

Mobile Gadgets – bless or a curse?

We leave in a day and age where we rely more and more on technology, even for the smallest task or chore. With so many companies, on all service sectors creating a web site or an application designated for smartphones or tablets is no wonder we became dependent on our gadgets.

Whether we are on a train, car or just down in the park with our kids we all carry our phones or Ipads. We tweet, check our friends on facebook or just to find the nearest ‘Italian restaurant’, our best friend gadget is there to help.

Annoying as it may be, we do sometimes (some more often then others) leave things to the last minute.

And no exception makes your airport parking. We are so excited with the prospect of getting away from the miserable weather or the stressful job, that where we will park our car comes last on the list - if is not forgotten altogether.

To park at the airport car parks is one of the alternatives. But even if you are lucky to find a place – especially in the summer, the cost for a meet and greet service or valet parking is astronomical, whether you’re talking about Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester is the same.

The alternatives are the car parks around the airport that offer the meet and greet / valet parking service. But if you’re already on the way to the airport and not familiar with the airport parking companies - what do you do, how you can find a reputable company that can book you at short notice?

What many of us will do, pick up our phone and google - Airport Parking.

With this in mind, Tudor Rose Valet Parking at Gatwick Airport created a mobile web site.
Not only to help you book your Gatwick Parking on short notice but enabling you to navigate through the web site pages easily. In just one click you can call their office to make your booking or you can follow their step by step directions for Gatwick Airport Terminals or Tudor Rose Car Park site.

If you had booked your car with Tudor Rose Airport Parking but you forgot to print off the paper with instructions on what to do; No need to worry or panic, with just one ‘tap’ you can access the Terminal or Car Park Directions and go through the procedure.

No fiddling with papers while you’re driving, no need to dig out in your bag for pen and paper to write down instructions.

The driver’s mobile number is easy to access, just tap on the number and you’ll be put through straight away.

A mobile web site from a Gatwick Parking company is more then welcome and comes very handy for all its travellers.

Gatwick Parking - Truth or dare!

The new ownership of Gatwick Airport came as a breath of fresh air for the airport development.

They brought new airlines and encourage the already establish airlines to come with new routes and extending the already vast list for tourist or business destinations.

If you didn’t travel from Gatwick in the last couple of years, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the new arrangements Gatwick set for its travellers.

But all came with a price that ain’t cheap by any means. It’s understandable, as any business when you invest you expect a turner over on your investment.

This can easily be seen on the official Gatwick Airport Parking. Only yesterday I read an article that a week parking at Gatwick North Terminal came at the ‘bargain’ price of £154.00.

‘Rip-off’ they shouted, and so would I if they quote me that price. It’s nearly the same cost as my flight if not more.

We all look at Gatwick airport official car parks first when we want to book. The stories that you hear about the off-site car parks at Gatwick send chills down your spine.

What I can say is – DON'T TARNISH THEM ALL WITH THE SAME BRUSH.

I browsed the internet to see what off-site Car Parks are at Gatwick Airport and what they can offer.
I looked over forums for travellers that used Gatwick Parking and see what they‘ve experienced.

There are companies that park cars on residential streets near Gatwick airport or on the near by cities such as Horley, Crawley, even Horsham (which is over 10 miles from Gatwick Airport).
Read in forums that people got letters from Tesco or Sainsbury to tell them they’ve had their car parked over the 3 hours limit , when their cars should’ve been parked in ‘a secure car park’ .
People praised just two or three car parks that were off-site Gatwick airport, but only one of them caught my eye. And that was Tudor Rose Airport Parking.

They offer Valet parking / Meet and Greet Parking at Gatwick Airport.
Their web site is fairly easy to browse through. They offer a very straight forward service. You can see transparency on to their products and offers; no hidden extras nor unpleasant surprises.
You can see where your car will be parked; photos of their car park are published on their web site. Their drivers are uniformed and have a photo ID; they even published with whom their drivers are insured.

It’s easy to see why people praised them and why they are in business for the last 20 years.

So if you fly from Gatwick don’t be put off by the stories of off-site car parks that go around.

There are good, reputable companies at Gatwick that can offer you a secure, reliable and prompt service at a reasonable price.

Hotels Gatwick

What is the right price for comfort?


We leave in a day and age where we look more and more at the price when we want to buy something, whether is a service or goods; and more often than not we have to compromise on quality, safety or comfort.

No exception is Gatwick Hotels, but is not always the case.

When they say ‘Even the big hotels don’t want empty rooms’, they could not be more right. If you call direct any big hotels at Gatwick, such as Hilton, Sofitel or Marriott you’ll be surprised to see that they are ready to offer up to 15% off from the web price if you book with them – usually you’ll get the ‘ if you book now we can offer you for ……’ .

Are other known hotels chains around Gatwick i.e Holiday Inn, Best Western etc. They offer pretty good deals too where you don’t need to compromise on comfort.

Where is the parking you’ll ask?

It’s a common knowledge now; the price that you pay for Parking at Gatwick is sometimes more expensive than hotel and parking packages.

If you get your hotel room at Gatwick for a decent price, you can book your parking with a reputable Meet and Greet company, for example Tudor Rose where they can cut you deal on parking that can beat or match any other offers you may find on the Travel Agents’ websites.

And you will not need to compromise on quality, safety or comfort.

Over 20 years of experience tells you they know what they are doing, 24/7 CCTV on site reassures you onto your car safety and to be met at the Hotel forecourt by their uniformed driver and have your car delivered at the Terminal on return is more than you could ask for.

They have their own Guest House too, for £79.00 you can get an overnight accommodation with parking for a week and the transfers are free of charge 24/7.

Comfortable beds, clean rooms, beautiful gardens where you or your children can have a stroll and a nice pub within walking distance from them.

Quality service – and you don’t need to rob the bank, secure car park - your car is safe while you’re away and comfortable rooms with all that you need.

Hotels Gatwick

What Do You Look For?


I’m finally heading on vacation tonight, on a trip I’ve been looking forward to for months! Like many Britons, I’ve got limited time off from work, so it probably won’t surprise you that I’m on evening flights after putting in a full day of work at the office. What does that mean? A late night arrival…

Getting in late at night isn’t all that much fun, especially once you factor in the time to wait for a shuttle and any paperwork that might wait for me at the check-in desks, so we’ve booked a night at an airport hotel instead of trying to drive to our actual intended destination, Gatwick Airport.

When I think of hotels at Gatwick, I think of a place where you lay your head down for a few hours, either after a late night arrival like mine, or the night before that painful 6am flight. The only amenities I need for a stay like this are a clean room, a comfortable bed, and a (mostly) quiet stay.

It appears that other people want more from their airport stay, though. Now, these hotels are offering way more than just a bed to sleep on: you’ll find pools, spas, restaurants, gyms. That’s more than some of the “regular” hotels I stay at…

Gatwick Airport hotels fit perfectly into the niche I need them for, a convenient place to grab some shut-eye at a low price. If I had more time to enjoy the airport hotel’s amenities, I’d probably still use that extra time out and about rather than on-site at a hotel. Maybe I don’t need these features, but apparently a lot of travellers do.

When do you use Gatwick hotels? Do you look for anything in particular or are you also just looking for a place to crash?


Once was a time when the prospects of a stay at an airport hotel sent shivers down the spines of even the most-seasoned travellers: pokey rooms, planes roaring overhead like they were about to come through the walls, rattling windows at every take-off and landing, non-existent lounges or bars in which to escape, and restaurants whose offerings were best forgotten ...

No more. Today Gatwick hotels are up there with the best, including with social and recreational facilities, business centres, dining and bar offerings - and sound-proofing.

And the more so in value when you search out the bargains: the Hookwood Lodge Gatwick Airport Hotel, for example, currently has Autumn and Winter rates that begin from just £79.00 per room per night - stay 1 night with 1 wk parking and transfers included (prices based on pre-paid bookings).

As well, the hotel has a Day Rate for those perhaps arriving in Gatwick in the morning and not flying out again until the evening: £45.00 gets you a room up to 5pm.

Day Rates are a particular boon for long-distance travellers, with many overseas airports now having hotels right within their passenger terminals, so you can fly and then flop for a few hours without leaving the terminal.

So I guess is a matter of taste, need and value that you take in when you look for Hotels at Gatwick.

Hookwood Lodge Hotel

If you have tickets for any of the events at London Olympics but you're 'scared' of where London traffic and price hotels will lead you to….

No need to be.

There are solutions for you. Take Gatwick for example, only 20 minutes away from Central London -through Victoria Station, with Gatwick Express or 25 to 30 minutes with Southern.
An array of hotels around Gatwick, offers you that much needed place to stay overnight.

A good choice could be Hookwood Lodge Hotel.

Hookwood Lodge at Gatwick Airport is a large, elegant Victorian house recently refurbished with a friendly atmosphere, spotlessly clean, comfortable and great value for money and only a stone throw away from Airport.

Free and fast transfers to and from the Airport are provided.

If you will come with your car, there are plenty of spaces for parking on Hotel’s car park. No need to worry about parking at the Airport or drive to London and facing the congestion charges, that is if you get through the chaotic traffic first or ‘fight’ for a parking spot with the residences.

Be a sport, think and plan ahead of a ‘game’ and you’ll for sure get the gold.

20 years of Success.. Thank you all..!

We are so glad to say that we have completed 20 years of our business and we are so thankful to all our clients for making this successful. Please have a look on our new video of the parking service. We hope that you all having a very good day. :)