I will have one night to spend on the way back from an extensive trip in Europe arriving to the Stansed at 11:00. I am leaving from Gatwick Airport the next day at about noon. Would it be possible and worth my while to spend the night at Brighton before going to meet my flight?

I would definitely stay a night in Brighton rather than spending all that time in an airport hotel or going into london. It takes 40 minutes to gatwick and the trains are really frequent and right in the airport. I have stayed in several great B&B's in brighton: I reccommend The Square and Brightonwave or Drakes if you want an excellent (expensive)meal. Or the hotel du vin which is right on Ship St in the Lanes area but that is also more expensive. Go for it!

yes go to Brighton, you'll love it.

Brighton is south and stansted is north. You'll need to get into London and then on to a train south to Brighton. Trains leave from Victoria. It's a fair bit of planes, trains and autos for my taste!!
If all goes well, you could get to Brighton around three-ish. Get into a hotel and ......................

It will take about 2 1/2 hours by train/tube/train and 4 1/2 hours by coach. Go to www.nationalrail.co.uk to see timetables and fares for train from Stansted to London, a tube ride, and then train to Brighton. Go to www.nationalexpress.com for coach timetables and fares.

Yes - Brighton is fine. But as Highledge and TimS say - it is a looong way from Stansted. You could not hope to be in Brighton before 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon.

Personally, I'd rather have a shorter trip to a Victoria-area hotel and spend the day in London. But if the long trip to Brighton doesn't bother you - then go for it.

Standted-London Liverpool Street Station takes 45 mins trains leave from the airport every 15 minutes.
Transfer to nearby Kings Cross Thameslink station (bus is good for this trip - cheaper and easier with luggage than going down into the tube, often via labyrinthic passageways - any 15 mins to Kings X Thameslink then about 1.5 hours to Brighton - very doable to me - leave airport at noon and land in Brighton about 2:30pm, time enough to enjoy this unique seaside town. Are you young? Then Brighton hops at night, especially on weekends with young folk flocking here for kicks in the many nightspots.
Brighton to me would be more relaxing that getting to a London hotel just for one night and from the Brighton train station, an easy walk from many of the many B&Bs in town you have direct trains to Gatwick every few minutes or so.

I'd get the train at Blackfriars - a #388 bus will get you there in 4 minutes, then 35 more to Gatwick.

Sorry - an hour plus a little to Brighton.

Thanks, all!
I really want to see Brighton--after reading everything, We'll give it a try....We are not young, but I think young enough for a nice dinner near the ocean and a peak at the Pavillion.