Hotels in Bishops Stortford

Bishops Stortford earns its keep as the closest sizeable town to Stansted Airport, so most visitors passing through are here for a comfortable pre-flight night rather than dedicated sightseeing. There is real history behind that convenience: a timber-framed high street on the Essex border, and the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes, now folded into the Rhodes Arts Complex, rebranded South Mill Arts, which packs in a theatre, cinema and small museum.

The River Stort towpath makes a pleasant walk, and the canal-side pubs are a fair reward after a delayed flight. Be honest with yourself, though: this is a market town living in an airport's shadow, not a destination in its own right. Stay near the town centre or station for a short taxi run out to Stansted.