Specific Stansted parking question - valet parking
Discussion
Trying to book my parking for a late Aug trip to the flat for sun. I normally book into red or orange which are v close but no can do. Thinking of trying the valet park....NOT meet and greet which is useless.
The query that I can't answer is what happens when you get back to the UK past midnight.
So, has anyone used the official valet service and what do you think re the night time pick up?
The query that I can't answer is what happens when you get back to the UK past midnight.
So, has anyone used the official valet service and what do you think re the night time pick up?
Used this last week - booked by mistake as I normally use the meet and greet. I think it’s called premium valet so you literally drive to the terminal and drop your car there.
Returned at 03.30 as we were delayed. No issues as they will be expecting you based on your returning flight number and the office where you dropped your keys off will be open. Just be aware that as you are literally outside the terminal, there are exit barriers to negotiate on the way out. They do give you a password that you should speak into the assistance button but some people have said this causes a delay while you wait for someone to answer.
I wouldn’t use it again as am normally very happy with the meet and greet in the normal car park which is easier to get out of in my opinion
Returned at 03.30 as we were delayed. No issues as they will be expecting you based on your returning flight number and the office where you dropped your keys off will be open. Just be aware that as you are literally outside the terminal, there are exit barriers to negotiate on the way out. They do give you a password that you should speak into the assistance button but some people have said this causes a delay while you wait for someone to answer.
I wouldn’t use it again as am normally very happy with the meet and greet in the normal car park which is easier to get out of in my opinion
silverthorn2151 said:
I know the barriers you mean. .
Little tip on these. A strange anomaly is that people line up behind barriers to the right but seldom to the left. Many times I've wizzed past lines and lines of cars to an empty barrier. I think people think that because there's nobody using them, they must be broke. (I'm sure there's a syndrome for this effect 
)Either way, stay left on the way out
Another little tip, although probably won't work now, but in the days when cash was an option, sometimes you would find £ coins in the cup that had been rejected.
I would take them out then press the help button and say the machine was rejecting coins, and after a few seconds they would always lift the barrier to let you out. Presumably they couldn't be bothered to come out to have a look at the machine.
So not only would you get your parking for free but you went out a few £'s to the good as well.
I was running my own business at the time so went there many times each week.
I am sure that doesn't happen now, not even sure you can even use cash any more, but it felt like a victory for the little man when it did happen and I used to drive home happy.
I would take them out then press the help button and say the machine was rejecting coins, and after a few seconds they would always lift the barrier to let you out. Presumably they couldn't be bothered to come out to have a look at the machine.
So not only would you get your parking for free but you went out a few £'s to the good as well.
I was running my own business at the time so went there many times each week.
I am sure that doesn't happen now, not even sure you can even use cash any more, but it felt like a victory for the little man when it did happen and I used to drive home happy.
Thanks all, now booked with valet parking. As well as the assurances above Stansted twitter checked with the operators and the kiosk is manned through the night.
I've also noticed that the left hand barriers are always empty so head there. I'm also afraid its card only now. Always people having an argument there too. If you are over the permitted time, which isn't long it's £25 plus to get out.
The trick is to park and sit in the nearby services and wait for a phone call to say through passports and then head there and hey presto they are waiting for you and away you go.
Loaded up with fast track for security and passport going out and in in the hope of making the process as easy as poss. Trouble is, flying Ryanair and they are always a bus ride from the lounge! Even with all that and valet parking it's cheaper than BA from LCY.
I've also noticed that the left hand barriers are always empty so head there. I'm also afraid its card only now. Always people having an argument there too. If you are over the permitted time, which isn't long it's £25 plus to get out.
The trick is to park and sit in the nearby services and wait for a phone call to say through passports and then head there and hey presto they are waiting for you and away you go.
Loaded up with fast track for security and passport going out and in in the hope of making the process as easy as poss. Trouble is, flying Ryanair and they are always a bus ride from the lounge! Even with all that and valet parking it's cheaper than BA from LCY.
silverthorn2151 said:
The trick is to park and sit in the nearby services and wait for a phone call to say through passports and then head there and hey presto they are waiting for you and away you go.
A friend did that last week picking his son and DiL.What he failed to notice was that if you came off the M11 southbound and parked up in Birchhanger, you couldn't get back across the roundabout again to get to the airport. All you could do was to go onto the M11 northbound.
He ended up having to go all the way back up the M11 to the A11 junction to be able to turn around and come back down the M11 southbound again. It took him almost an hour.
He was not best pleased.
Monkeylegend said:
silverthorn2151 said:
The trick is to park and sit in the nearby services and wait for a phone call to say through passports and then head there and hey presto they are waiting for you and away you go.
A friend did that last week picking his son and DiL.What he failed to notice was that if you came off the M11 southbound and parked up in Birchhanger, you couldn't get back across the roundabout again to get to the airport. All you could do was to go onto the M11 northbound.
He ended up having to go all the way back up the M11 to the A11 junction to be able to turn around and come back down the M11 southbound again. It took him almost an hour.
He was not best pleased.
silverthorn2151 said:
Ah yes, there were roadworks on the roundabout. There is a back way but you need to think about it before zooming up the M11 north!
I used to park up around Takeley but I noticed when I came through there recently most of the places where you could sit and wait have been either closed off to cars or have yellow lines.The council are making it more difficult but I suppose it used to be a problem for the locals so they had to do something.
Well, I used the valet parking and can report it was BRILLIANT,
Pulled into a slightly chaotic drop off lane at 5:30am and was directed to a coned off area by the valet hut.
Bags out, keys handed over in about 3 mins and directly into the terminal.
Arrived back, delayed, at about 2 am. Again, slightly chaotic terminal. Tnrough the doors to the hut and the car was parked right there. 3 mins to get keys and cases in and given a codero get through the barriers.
Arriving late after a long journey not having to walk and get the car or wait for a car park but made it worth every penny.
Pulled into a slightly chaotic drop off lane at 5:30am and was directed to a coned off area by the valet hut.
Bags out, keys handed over in about 3 mins and directly into the terminal.
Arrived back, delayed, at about 2 am. Again, slightly chaotic terminal. Tnrough the doors to the hut and the car was parked right there. 3 mins to get keys and cases in and given a codero get through the barriers.
Arriving late after a long journey not having to walk and get the car or wait for a car park but made it worth every penny.
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