Stansted, which is 30 miles north of central London, is the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom, behind Heathrow and Gatwick. Stansted is a hub for the many budget-priced airlines that serve Europe -- such as Ryanair and Easyjet -- but also offers a non-stop service to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, via AirAsia X. Trains depart from London's Liverpool Street station every 15 minutes and arrive at Stansted in 46 minutes.
The Radisson Blu is the only hotel connected directly to Stansted Airport -- via a covered walkway. All of the hotel's 500 bedrooms and 20 suites are decorated in three styles. "Urban" rooms are flamboyantly decorated with bright-red furniture, "Ocean" rooms feature calming blues and greens, and "Chili" rooms are decorated with bright colors and unusual furniture. Hotel facilities include a fitness center and full-service spa. The hotel claims Europe's first wine tower, which holds 4,000 bottles of wine in a tall glass wine case -- upon ordering, "bar angels" fly into the air to retrieve your selected wine. The hotel has four bars and three restaurants offering Italian, Spanish tapas, and New York-style steak.
The Holiday Inn Express is a mid-priced hotel one mile southwest of Stansted Airport. The hotel offers paid shuttle bus transportation to and from the airport, and offers the option of leaving your car at the hotel for up to 15 days with a "Park, Stay and Go" package. The hotel features a sports center onsite, and offers a complimentary breakfast. Drinks and international dishes are available at the lobby bar. Hatfield Forest and Mountfitchet Castle are both located within three miles of the hotel.
The Hilton is two miles west of Stansted Airport and offers a shuttle service to and from the airport for a small fee. All rooms and suites at are decorated in cool and calming tones and feature LCD televisions. Deluxe rooms include fresh fruit and a half-bottle of wine. The hotel allows pets. Leisure facilities include a fully-equipped gymnasium, steam room, sauna, hot tub and indoor swimming pool. A par 71 golf course is one mile away at Bishop's Stortford Golf Club. Onsite includes Amy's Restaurant. Coffee and snacks are available at the Caffe Cino.
The Swan Hotel is in the historic market town of Thaxted, eight miles north of Stansted Airport. Attractions in Thaxted include a 14th century church and the cottage formerly belonging to notorious highway robber Dick Turpin. The Swan Hotel features original period details such as open fires and oak beams. The hotel has 20 guestrooms and allows pets. The hotel's onsite restaurant serves traditional English fare. Light meals and cask-conditioned ales are available at the bar.
