'Right Out of a Jane Austen Novel!' "When traveling out of Standstead airport, I'll never stay in a different hotel again. I really liked the Whitehall Hotel. It is an older hotel, once a large country farm with long low Elizabethan style buildings. The grounds have a lovely garden, with mature hydrangeas, hollyhocks in bloom, and quite a nice variety of mature trees and shrubbery. If the grounds themselves aren't enough, the property is surrounded by gentle rolling hay fields cut through with a curvy country lane. Next door is an old stone church with old gravestones and some park benches with great views. I saw wild turkeys, swallows, and a number of song-birds. As I had just flown transatlantic and bussed up to Stanstead from Heathrow, the lovely grounds and the gentle country walk was delightful. The room itself had that quirky charm feeling. Each room is named for a famous historic figure, and the room I had was quite large, with a huge bed, several easy chairs, a giant built in wardrobe taking up a whole wall, large windows, a bathroom with separate shower and large tub, a desk and television, but no fridge or microwave. Wireless internet was pay-only, and a bit expensive, and that would be the one thing I would change. Free wireless internet would just be the cherry on the sundae. As for the 'charm,' well, the carpet was dusky pink, there were no screens in the windows (and on one of the hottest nights of the summer, it was a genuine issue. I ended up keeping the windows wide open and hoping that my jet lag sleep would keep me down even through a bug onslaught. But as far as I can tell, no bugs or bats, even with wide open windows all night long). The front desk staff was quite helpful in tracking down a fan. Overall, I quite enjoyed this hotel, charm and all." 8 July 2009
'Ideal for airport parking with over night stay' Was really un sure what this hotel would be like as have never flown from Stansted before and the reviews on here have been not very good so I was pleasantly suprised when we pulled up! The hotel and its grounds were stunning and we actually sat out in the garden and had lunch before we left for the airport. We were provided with a taxi to and from the airport which we waited no longer than 10 mins either end for (call the hotel from airport to be collected) the hotel being about 15mins from Stanstead, couldn't have been any easier! The room that we stayed in was huge! The bed would easily have slept four and there was a double sofa bed for our teenage son! Ok so the hotel could do with a lick of paint here and there inside and a few floor boards creak but then its a character building not some modern Hilton hotel! Breakfast was wonderful the next day and was served by a really nice lady who couldn't do enough for you and kept checking you were ok or if you wanted more. Our car was left in the car park on site which was well lit and secure and we were not evan asked to leave our keys so we had no worries about it being left for the two weeks we were away. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who needs a great convieniently located hotel with airport parking to Stanstead. Anyone who was not impressed with this hotel was perhaps expecting a little too much! We normally stay at the Ifield Court Hotel when flying from gatwick and this matched in comparison to any of those who have stayed there." 30 June 2009
