East Midlands Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels
East Midlands Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels
Where to stay

East Midlands Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

East Midlands Airport sits halfway between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, and none of the three cities is within reach of the terminal: you always arrive by car or taxi, in twenty minutes or more. Those wanting to visit Nottingham, with its castle and the Lace Market, find an aparthotel in the centre convenient, about twenty minutes from the flight. Those after a quieter stay can instead choose the Nottinghamshire countryside, among converted farmhouses and historic pubs of the Vale of Belvoir, useful especially for those who don't need to return to the airport straight away.

Nottingham, Lace Market

City centre · About 20 minutes by car or taxi from the airport (23 km) along the A453; there's no direct train from the terminal.

Best for: handy for those wanting to explore Nottingham's historic centre, from the castle to the Lace Market, before or after the flight

Pros
  • In the heart of the Lace Market, close to the castle
  • New aparthotel, opened in 2025, with a kitchen in the room
Cons
  • 20 minutes by car from the terminal, a taxi or rental car is needed
  • University area, lively in the evening at weekends

Recommended hotels in this area

  • St Marys Quarters: Aparthotel in an eighteenth-century building restored in 2024 in the Lace Market, with a kitchenette and coffee machine in every room

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Cotgrave

Nearby town · About 25 minutes by car from the airport (25 km); there are no direct buses, a car or taxi is needed.

Best for: those seeking a quiet countryside stay with quality breakfast, half an hour from the terminal

Pros
  • Freshly prepared English breakfast, with homemade bread
  • Free parking and some ground-floor rooms
Cons
  • Few rooms, it's worth booking well in advance
  • No direct bus to the airport, a car is needed

Recommended hotels in this area

  • Primrose House B and B: Listed seventeenth-century farmhouse with an award-winning English breakfast and some ground-floor rooms

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Colston Bassett and the Vale of Belvoir

Nearby town · About 45 minutes by car from the airport, in the countryside of the Vale of Belvoir; no direct public transport link.

Best for: the right choice for a signature dinner in a historic Nottinghamshire pub, with no rush to get back to the airport

Pros
  • Cuisine from a historic pub led by a MasterChef-winning chef
  • Seventeenth-century building, listed as Grade II
Cons
  • Only 4 rooms, often fully booked at weekends
  • Too far for a simple short layover

Recommended hotels in this area

  • The Martins Arms: Seventeenth-century pub in the Vale of Belvoir, cuisine overseen by chef Laurence Henry, champion of MasterChef: The Professionals

See more hotels in this area →

Guided tours and experiences in Nottingham

Nottingham Walking Tour with a Local Guide
Nottingham Walking Tour with a Local Guide
★ 4.9 · 121 reviews
from €17.64
where to stay hotel Nottingham EMA
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