Four hotels offer direct terminal access via covered walkways: Sofitel London Gatwick connects to North Terminal in just 2-3 minutes with 14 meeting rooms including the 300-seat Desoutter Suite, while Hilton London Gatwick Airport links to South Terminal in 5-7 minutes with 23 spaces topped by the 450-capacity Ascot Suite. Hampton by Hilton sits at North Terminal with two boardrooms for up to 16, and Courtyard by Marriott offers four rooms within a 10-minute walk of South Terminal. These terminal-connected venues typically run £40-70 per person for day delegate rates, with the convenience factor reflected in the pricing.
Gatwick meeting rooms offer significant savings compared to Zone 1 London, with hourly rates starting from £15 at Basepoint Business Centre versus £50+ for equivalent spaces in the City. Day delegate rates here range from £25-75 per person, while central London typically demands £65-120. Orega's Beehive in the historic terminal building charges £24-102/hour depending on room size, roughly 40% less than their City locations. The sweet spot for value sits with venues like Holiday Inn London Gatwick Worth, offering DDR from £34 per person with full catering and AV included.
Five venues dominate the large conference market around Gatwick. Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick leads with its pillar-free Millennium Suite accommodating 650-800 theatre style across 1,254 square metres. Hilton London Gatwick Airport handles up to 450 in the Ascot Suite with 22 additional breakout rooms, while Sofitel manages 300 in the Desoutter Suite with natural daylight throughout. For slightly smaller groups, Crowne Plaza London Gatwick seats 280 theatre style in flexible configurations, and Holiday Inn London Gatwick Worth offers the Sussex Suite for 350 delegates with modern AV infrastructure.
Regus operates two key locations: Manor Royal (Churchill Court 3) from £55/hour, just 10 minutes from the airport, and The Pinnacle opposite Crawley Station with instant rail connections. Orega Gatwick occupies the original Art Deco Beehive building at City Place, offering four aviation-themed rooms (De Havilland, Dakota, Douglas DC3, Vanguard) from £24-102/hour with concierge support. Freedom Works at Astral Towers provides budget options from £30/hour with a free shuttle to the airport, while Basepoint Crawley starts at £19/hour for simple, functional spaces with parking included.
Terminal hotels like Sofitel and Hilton typically see their premium spaces booked 4-6 weeks ahead for conferences, though smaller boardrooms often remain available with 1-2 weeks' notice. Serviced offices like Regus and Orega can accommodate last-minute bookings, sometimes same-day for their smaller rooms. The Manor Royal business district venues maintain better availability year-round. Peak booking periods coincide with airline industry events and the autumn conference season (September-November), when securing anything over 50 capacity requires 6-8 weeks' lead time. January and August typically offer the best availability and negotiating position on rates.
Langshott Manor near Horley brings Tudor elegance to executive meetings, with The Mulberry room seating 60 beneath original beams, perfect for board retreats at £50-75 per person DDR. Orega's Beehive occupies Gatwick's original 1936 terminal building, where the Dakota room preserves Art Deco details alongside modern presentation tech. The Hawth Theatre in Crawley offers nine creative spaces within a working arts venue, ideal for unconventional training days. For something contemporary, Arora Hotel Gatwick features a striking glass atrium flooding the Longley Suite with natural light for up to 270 delegates.
Direct terminal access defines the top tier: Sofitel at North Terminal (2-3 minute covered walk) and Hilton at South Terminal (5-7 minutes) eliminate transfer hassles entirely. For rail convenience, Regus at The Pinnacle sits directly opposite Crawley Station with London Victoria just 36 minutes away. Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn London Gatwick Airport both run regular Hoppa shuttles every 15-20 minutes to terminals. In Manor Royal, venues cluster within 5-10 minutes of Three Bridges station, offering direct trains to London Bridge. The Courtyard by Marriott manages a 10-minute walk to both South Terminal and Gatwick Airport station, balancing convenience with quieter surroundings.
Standard DDR packages at Gatwick hotels typically include room hire, unlimited tea/coffee, arrival pastries, buffet lunch and afternoon snacks, plus basic AV (screen, projector, flipchart). Sofitel and Hilton enhance this with barista coffee stations and three-course lunch options at their £45-70pp rates. Budget options like Holiday Inn Worth (from £34pp) stick to basics but still include WiFi and stationery. Crowne Plaza advertises a Small Group package at £300 for up to 10 delegates, working out at £30 per person all-inclusive. Serviced offices like Regus charge room hire separately but can arrange catering through preferred suppliers, typically adding £15-25pp for refreshments and lunch.
Terminal hotels maintain the most flexible hours, with Sofitel and Hilton able to accommodate overnight meetings or very early starts before 6am flights, though these require advance arrangement and typically incur 25-50% surcharges outside 7am-7pm hours. Hampton by Hilton at North Terminal offers 24-hour reception making early/late access feasible. Serviced offices generally operate 8am-6pm weekdays only, though Regus Access members can use certain facilities 24/7. For genuine round-the-clock availability, booking a hotel suite configured for meetings often proves more cost-effective than premium charges on dedicated meeting rooms, with Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn both offering suite options.
Recruitment days demand multiple small rooms with waiting areas, making serviced offices ideal. Orega Gatwick excels here with four separate rooms from 2-10 capacity, professional reception services, and the historic Beehive setting creating strong first impressions from £24/hour. Regus Manor Royal offers similar flexibility from £55/hour with multiple rooms bookable simultaneously. For assessment centres needing larger briefing spaces plus breakouts, Arora Hotel Gatwick provides 13 rooms of varying sizes with dedicated conference floor separation. Holiday Inn Express Crawley keeps things simple with one 25-person room at around £120-350/day, perfect for single-track interview schedules.