Paris to London to Gatwick
 

We will be coming from Paris via the eurostar and need to get to Gatwick later the next morning. What is the best way to do this portion of the trip? Should we go from the Waterloo to a hotel near Victoria, spend the night there and then take the express to Gatwick or get a hotel near Gatwick? Any hotel suggestions would be helpful as well. We are a family of four.
Thanks.

It would make things easier for you to stay near Victoria Station, where you can catch the Gatwick Express to the airport in the morning. The ride takes about 35 minutes:

http://www.gatwickexpress.co.uk/

(There is no need for you to worry about booking the Gatwick Express ahead of time.)

I've used the Holiday Inn Victoria a number of times. I like it and it is VERY convenient, but you'd have to check the rates and accommodations for your particular dates and situation. There is a Comfort Inn that is very convenient to the station. There is also a very classic-looking Thistle property on the block of the station, but I don't know anything about their rates. (I'm sure you will get more suggestions here.)

I wouldn't suggest staying out at Gatwick unless you are arriving quite late into London and your flight out is quite early, but that's just my personal opinion. My guess is that it is probably less expensive to stay near the airport.

Brighton is thirty minutes south of Gatwick, and is a large town with strong music, theatre, shopping and restaurants, half to two thirds the prices in London. There are several trains an hour, and an all night hourly train service. You might book a seafront hotel for an interesting but relaxing evening. Among hotels at 80 or 100 pounds for two for the night I like the Old Ship, the oldest hotel in town, but the Palace Hotel, www.palacebrighton.co.uk , and Queens hotel are good, too. There are also many bed and breakast houses near the sea beyond the West Pier at 40 to 50n pounds for two for the night. The site http://tourism.brighton.co.uk/accommodation/ covers hotels and also window-shopping, meals, and events.

Please write if I can help further.

[email protected]

My husband and my mother stayed there the night before she caught a flight back to the U.S. from Gatwick. Their single rooms were small, but comfortable and it's very convenient to the train station. The prices were pretty good, a special rate somewhere in the neighborhood of £60, including the breakfast buffet.

FYI, re the Thistle location, you walk out the back of the hotel right into the train station.
I also would discourage you from staying out at Gatwick. Not really any more convenient, because you still have to get to the airport from the hotel and really, it's more convenient to do that directly from Victoria.

You could always just stay near Waterloo after coming from Paris on the Eurostar. Trains run from Waterloo East station to Gatwick - I think you have to change at London Bridge but that won't be too bad. Trains are frequent, wll take about 40 minutes in total and will probably be cheaper than the Gatwick Express for you.

Check out www.nationalrail.co.uk but you wouldn't need to plan this in advance due to the frequent nature of these trains.

This way, you don't need to use London Victoria at all.

In theory, Dave_ is correct. However there are realtively few hotels near Waterloo in comparison w/ the area around Victoria. At Victoria there are literally scores of places right at the station, w/i a short walk, or w/i a 5 minute cab ride.

I'd stay near Victoria.