Recommendation for hotel at Heathrow airport?

[elena7seas]

Hi:

 

I have just booked our flights for our April transatlantic on the Silhouette, and will be flying home through London Heathrow.

 

We have an overnight stay at Heathrow, arriving at 7:00 pm from Mallorca and flying out the following day at 8:00 am.

 

I would appreciate any recommendations for a hotel at Heathrow.

 

My research indicates that there are hotels connected to Terminals 4 and 5. Are either of these hotels convenient to Terminal 1? We arrive and depart from Terminal 1.

 

I often book hotels through Priceline, and there are 3 zones for Heathrow Airport: North Heathrow Airport, Slough-Heathrow Airport and South Heathrow Airport. Does anyone have any suggestions for which zone to book if going through Priceline?

 

I appreciate any suggestions or comments that anyone is able to offer.

[Mistymya]

What airline are you on? Are you on the same all the way the airline might comp your stay and local transportation. Usually i just call and ask. Its not automatically suggested. This happens when i go from europe and overseas - don't know much about the other way though!

[elena7seas]

What airline are you on? Are you on the same all the way the airline might comp your stay and local transportation. Usually i just call and ask. Its not automatically suggested. This happens when i go from europe and overseas - don't know much about the other way though!

 

I am flying using Aeroplan points (Air Canada). We are on Lufthansa flying into London, and United flying from London to Vancouver.

 

I have never had an overnight stop on a flight before, so never though to ask. I don't know if Aeroplan will provide a hotel, but I will give them a call tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the suggestion!!

[Cotswold Eagle]

Hi:

 

I have just booked our flights for our April transatlantic on the Silhouette, and will be flying home through London Heathrow.

 

We have an overnight stay at Heathrow, arriving at 7:00 pm from Mallorca and flying out the following day at 8:00 am.

 

I would appreciate any recommendations for a hotel at Heathrow.

 

My research indicates that there are hotels connected to Terminals 4 and 5. Are either of these hotels convenient to Terminal 1? We arrive and depart from Terminal 1.

 

I often book hotels through Priceline, and there are 3 zones for Heathrow Airport: North Heathrow Airport, Slough-Heathrow Airport and South Heathrow Airport. Does anyone have any suggestions for which zone to book if going through Priceline?

 

I appreciate any suggestions or comments that anyone is able to offer.

 

In a sense, no hotels at Heathrow are convenient for Terminals 1 or 3, the central part of the airport! Terminals 4 and 5 are entirely separate (from Heathrow Central and each other) - I sometimes say Heathrow is three airports sharing two runways, which accounts for some of its operational difficulties.

 

What I mean by 'not convenient' is that you will need to take some form of transport to a hotel, and hotels are not allowed by the airport operator to run their own shuttles to the terminals. Instead, there are scheduled buses which serve several hotels running from each terminal.

 

So, here's an outline of options:

- use one of the hotels attached to T5 or T4 and take the regular free transit trains between there and T1. The hotels literally are attached, by short walk once you are in the right terminal.

- take the Hotel Hoppa bus to one of the hotels served from T1 - these will tend to be along the northern perimeter of the airport, so I'm guessing Northern Area on Priceline. If you have specific hotels in mind, check back. The bus will cost something like £8 return - I haven't checked prices recently, like some others on this board I loathe the Hoppa, others have no problem with it. Local buses in the immediate area of Heathrow are free (don't even try to see the logic in this!), so one will probably run close, but not to the door, of your hotel. You could get a cab off the rank, but will not be hugely popular -they are looking for £70 fares into London, although I believe I have heard they can get back into the queue quickly if they take a local fare. Your hotel could arrange a transfer back to the terminal by local taxi in the morning.

- don't look at Slough - further away, no great benefit.

 

Another alternative is actually to go into London (e.g. by train, Heathrow Express or Connect and stay in the Paddington area) - but you are probably arriving too late and leaving too early to take advantage of seeing sights or a show.

 

And I bet you thought it would be a simple question :)

[reilly1]

For a simple answer, we have used Heathrow Marriott several times and found it good with a nice restaurant and good rooms. They have a frequent shuttle running to all terminals.

[Cotswold Eagle]

For a simple answer, we have used Heathrow Marriott several times and found it good with a nice restaurant and good rooms. They have a frequent shuttle running to all terminals.

 

Good choice. The Radisson and Sheraton Skyline either side of it tend to be a bit cheaper, and the Premier Inn down the road even more so.

 

OP the London Toolkit has a useful mp of LHR hotels at the bottom of this page. http://www.londontoolkit.com/lhr/hotel_hoppa_bus.htm

 

The Radisson/Marriott/Sheraton mentioned above are at 16/17/18 on the map and you will see many hotels are on the same road, the Bath Road. It's a few minutes from there by Hoppa in to the central area (depending how many other hotels it has to call at after yours), the buses run every 20-30 minutes.

 

Not knowing your budget, or the facilities you want, it's hard to be more specific. If the Sofitel at T5 is in budget, I'd stay there, but it's way more expensive than the Bath Road 4*s mentioned above :) There's a decent article here about LHR hotels - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g186338-c19344/London:United-Kingdom:Heathrow.Hotels.html

[maryann2]

 

 

 

I often book hotels through Priceline, and there are 3 zones for Heathrow Airport: North Heathrow Airport, Slough-Heathrow Airport and South Heathrow Airport. Does anyone have any suggestions for which zone to book if going through Priceline?

 

I appreciate any suggestions or comments that anyone is able to offer.

I always book through Priceline also and have stayed at most of the Heathrow hotels.

The Sheraton Skyline is a lovely hotel and is in the SOUTH ZONE. Not sure what other hotels are in this zone though. Can usually get a hotel for around $60.

Last Minute travel also has some deals. The 4 star secret hotel can be the Holiday Inn Express. Says Terminal 5 but nowhere near. If you pretend to add a rental car it will show the name of the hotel.

You can use the free local bus to some of the hotels but I find with luggage it is easier to use the Hoppa bus.

[Doctor G]

For a simple answer, we have used Heathrow Marriott several times and found it good with a nice restaurant and good rooms. They have a frequent shuttle running to all terminals.

 

 

I agree. I have stayed at three hotels at Heathrow, and the Marriott is the nicest, has the most comfortable beds, and the best food. I was just there in December. It is not, however, the cheapest.

 

Carolyn

[ALSEAU]

Has anyone stayed overnight in an airport hotel and returned the next day for ship or private transfer to the Harwich pier? If so how did that work for you? I am sailing with RCCL.

[Twickenham]

Has anyone stayed overnight in an airport hotel and returned the next day for ship or private transfer to the Harwich pier? If so how did that work for you? I am sailing with RCCL.

 

If I were arriving the day before my cruise out of Harwich, I would not do this. Rather, I would take the train/underground into Central London, stay overnight there, then train to Harwich - the station is literally at the cruise port.

[Globaliser]

For a simple answer, we have used Heathrow Marriott several times and found it good with a nice restaurant and good rooms. They have a frequent shuttle running to all terminals.

Just for clarity, the Heathrow Marriott doesn't have its own shuttle.

 

With one exception, there are no conventional hotel shuttles running at Heathrow because they are prohibited. Instead, there is a hotel transfer bus service called the Hotel Hoppa, which is probably the world's most hated airport <--> hotel transfer service in the world because it's unreliable, infrequent and expensive.

[Globaliser]

Has anyone stayed overnight in an airport hotel and returned the next day for ship or private transfer to the Harwich pier?

I agree with Twickenham. There's no point doing this. Going into town and staying there makes much more sense - even if you decide that you don't want to take the train and organise a private transfer instead.

[ScootsMom]

I always book through Priceline also and have stayed at most of the Heathrow hotels.

The Sheraton Skyline is a lovely hotel and is in the SOUTH ZONE. Not sure what other hotels are in this zone though. Can usually get a hotel for around $60.

Last Minute travel also has some deals. The 4 star secret hotel can be the Holiday Inn Express. Says Terminal 5 but nowhere near. If you pretend to add a rental car it will show the name of the hotel.

You can use the free local bus to some of the hotels but I find with luggage it is easier to use the Hoppa bus.

 

Maryann2 - have you stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Ter 5?

Thanks

[maryann2]

Maryann2 - have you stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Ter 5?

Thanks

 

Yes I stayed there last August during the Olympics for $61. Last Minute Travel does not have any taxes added so that was the total price.

It also includes a hot breakfast. There is a Marks and Spencers over the road for snacks.

Have noticed the price seems higher this year LMT price that is.

It really is not Terminal 5 though.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Yes I stayed there last August during the Olympics for $61. Last Minute Travel does not have any taxes added so that was the total price.

It also includes a hot breakfast. There is a Marks and Spencers over the road for snacks.

Have noticed the price seems higher this year LMT price that is.

It really is not Terminal 5 though.

 

Well, it's significantly closer to T5 than any other part of Heathrow, but you are, of course, right that it's hardly next door :) There is no Hoppa to T4 from this hotel, and this from a recent review on another website about getting from the central area on the Hoppa:

 

They are supposed to run every 30 minutes. By the time I got to the hotel from Terminal 3, it was almost a full hour later because of the wait and the very long drive. Note to self: book hotel close to the arrival terminal.

 

But I understand it has been refurbished well (it used to be a Quality Inn) and there are deals to be had. You pays yer money and takes yer choice!

[Cotswold Eagle]

I always book through Priceline also and have stayed at most of the Heathrow hotels.

The Sheraton Skyline is a lovely hotel and is in the SOUTH ZONE. Not sure what other hotels are in this zone though.

 

That's useful information. And counter-intuitive, because the only thing the Skyline is SOUTH of at Heathrow is the motorway :)

 

Looking at their map, the more convenient Bath Road hotels are in the Priceline South Zone, the ones nearer the motorway are North. But South extends over the airport past T4 (would include the T4 Hilton, if that ever goes on there) and down to Feltham, so you can't guarantee the Bath Road (although that is where most of the 4* hotels will be). North Zone will include the cluster of hotels around the M4 junction and to the immediate west (!) of the airport, and would include the T5 Sofitel. The hotels further out to the west, such as the HI Express T5, would appear to be in the Slough Zone.

[ScootsMom]

Yes I stayed there last August during the Olympics for $61. Last Minute Travel does not have any taxes added so that was the total price.

It also includes a hot breakfast. There is a Marks and Spencers over the road for snacks.

Have noticed the price seems higher this year LMT price that is.

It really is not Terminal 5 though.

 

 

Thank You for the information. Looking for a decent place for a night or two before and after our cruise. This looks to fill the bill and I like the hot breakfast. I believe we fly into Ter 4.

[elena7seas]

Thank you everyone. :)

 

I really appreciate all of the information, although it will take me a little bit to digest it all.

 

I think I will have to print out a map and start making notes on it. At least I have a bit of time before I have start my Priceline bidding. I will also have to take a look at Last Minute Travel, which is a service I have never used.

 

I am willing to book direct with the hotel (e.g. the Marriott) if it will avoid a lot of hassle, but use Priceline in the "all things being equal" situation.

 

It seems that transportation to and from the airport is the biggest issue. How much time should I allow between when I leave the hotel and when I arrive at Terminal 1 if I (1) pre-order a cab or (2) take the Hoppa or other shuttle bus service.

 

Again, thanks everyone, for your great assistance.

[elena7seas]

I always book through Priceline also and have stayed at most of the Heathrow hotels.

The Sheraton Skyline is a lovely hotel and is in the SOUTH ZONE. Not sure what other hotels are in this zone though. Can usually get a hotel for around $60.

Last Minute travel also has some deals. The 4 star secret hotel can be the Holiday Inn Express. Says Terminal 5 but nowhere near. If you pretend to add a rental car it will show the name of the hotel.

You can use the free local bus to some of the hotels but I find with luggage it is easier to use the Hoppa bus.

 

 

Hi Maryann2:

 

I took a look at Last Minute Travel. The prices look quite good, but how is it that the Holiday Inn Express can be a 4 star Hotel? I've stayed in a few HIE's, and most were struggling to be 3 star hotels.

 

I did see the name of the hotel when I pretended to book the rental car. If I back out of that reservation so that I don't have to take the car, will the hotel still be the same one if I rebook just the hotel on the same pricing link? I know that question seems a bit obtuse, but I was just wondering if there was any way that the hotel might change, using that same link, if you weren't booking the car.

 

Thanks again for your kind help.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thank You for the information. Looking for a decent place for a night or two before and after our cruise. This looks to fill the bill and I like the hot breakfast. I believe we fly into Ter 4.

 

Please note what I said above. There is no Hotel Hoppa bus to the Holiday Inn Express Terminal 5 from Terminal 4. It's too far away.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Hi Maryann2:

 

I took a look at Last Minute Travel. The prices look quite good, but how is it that the Holiday Inn Express can be a 4 star Hotel? I've stayed in a few HIE's, and most were struggling to be 3 star hotels.

 

It is a 3 star hotel. I think the 4 stars you saw might be the average review rating?

[Globaliser]

It seems that transportation to and from the airport is the biggest issue. How much time should I allow between when I leave the hotel and when I arrive at Terminal 1 if I (1) pre-order a cab or (2) take the Hoppa or other shuttle bus service.

If you're staying somewhere along the Bath Road, where the Heathrow Marriott is, a cab should only take about 10 minutes to get to Terminal 1, provided that it arrives on time.

 

If I were relying on the Hotel Hoppa, I'd probably want to allow something like an hour because of the low frequency and the general unreliability of the service, plus the fact that it may well call at a number of other hotels on the way to the airport.

 

There are no other shuttle services. In particular, there are no conventional hotel shuttles (with one immaterial exception) because these have been banned by the airport. There are local buses, but these are unsuitable for anyone with luggage, and they go to the central bus station and not to the terminals.

[maryann2]

Hi Maryann2:

 

I took a look at Last Minute Travel. The prices look quite good, but how is it that the Holiday Inn Express can be a 4 star Hotel? I've stayed in a few HIE's, and most were struggling to be 3 star hotels.

 

I did see the name of the hotel when I pretended to book the rental car. If I back out of that reservation so that I don't have to take the car, will the hotel still be the same one if I rebook just the hotel on the same pricing link? I know that question seems a bit obtuse, but I was just wondering if there was any way that the hotel might change, using that same link, if you weren't booking the car.

 

Thanks again for your kind help.

I used LMT for the first time last August when all other booking sites were so expensive. Really pleasantly surprised with dealing with them and I do love the fact that there are no taxes added on.

 

You are right. No way is this a 4 star hotel, more a 3 star. Clean quiet and comfortable and I would stay there again.

 

I have noticed for different dates they show several 4 star hotels. If you do the pretend booking and then start again after finding out the name it will be the same hotel. Another thing I have heard you can do is call the number on their website and they tell you the name of the hotel and give you another 10% off. Have not tried this myself.

[flamomo]

I Have never been to London, but I will be flying into LHR in the early afternoon 1 day precruise, and plan to stay at a LHR hotel, possibly the Hilton, which is apparently at/near Terminal 4.

 

I will be flying American Airlines, which I believe arrives at Terminal 3.

 

The following morning, I will need to return to the airport (I am assuming that Terminal 3 is the international terminal) to meet the cruisline rep at 11AM at the Customs area for transfer to Southampton.

 

I am having a hard time understanding how to make this work. I have read this and other threads, and have looked at LHR maps, and it's seems difficult to sort out. Could someone please explain, in the simplest possible terms for a dummie(!), the easiest way to do it?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[Twickenham]

I Have never been to London, but I will be flying into LHR in the early afternoon 1 day precruise, and plan to stay at a LHR hotel, possibly the Hilton, which is apparently at/near Terminal 4.

 

I will be flying American Airlines, which I believe arrives at Terminal 3.

 

The following morning, I will need to return to the airport (I am assuming that Terminal 3 is the international terminal) to meet the cruisline rep at 11AM at the Customs area for transfer to Southampton.

 

I am having a hard time understanding how to make this work. I have read this and other threads, and have looked at LHR maps, and it's seems difficult to sort out. Could someone please explain, in the simplest possible terms for a dummie(!), the easiest way to do it?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Is there a specific reason you have to take the cruise line transfer? Because that seems to be creating a bit of a square-peg-in-a-round-hole situation. As you’ve found out, It’s not particularly easy to do, and if the cruise line’s transfer isn’t easy, then what’s the point, really, as you’re paying a premium for convenience?

What I would do:

-Train to Paddington, staying at the Hilton at the station – very easy, luggage carts at both ends, and if you’re willing to pay the price the T4 Hilton usually charges, then might as well get something in town;

-Next day, taxi to Waterloo, for the train to Southampton;

-Taxi from train station to pier.

If you’re really set on a cruise line transfer, I think they offer one from Victoria station, so you woul d just taxi to there the morning of the cruise.