Heathrow "area" hotel advice wanted

[bethohio3]

I am looking for advice on where to stay the Sunday night before our Monday 10am departure from Heathrow.

 

We disembark on Friday and are spending Friday and Saturday nights at a B&B in Salisbury. Our plan is to spend Sunday in Bath and then stay overnight somewhere convenient to Heathrow.

 

We'll have a rental car and will need to return it on Monday morning before our flight.

 

So questions:

 

1) Where would be a good place to stay overnight?

2) How complicated is to return a rental car at Heathrow (I've only returned rental cars at US airports)

 

Thanks!

[DorneyBoy]

Bath (and Salisbury) having a car is a bit of a millstone around your neck for visiting both these cities, unless you plan on using them as a base to tour from.

I would consider getting a one way rental to Bath and dumping the car when you arrive. There are direct and frequent National Express coaches from Bath to Heathrow so I would spend the extra day in Bath and then get a bus to Heathrow in the evening to overnight.

There are about 30 Heathrow hotels most of which have Hoppa Buses every 20-30 minutes to the terminals. Which one is best will be driven by the passenger terminal you are using. Many chains have 2 or 3 hotels serving different terminals that are literally miles apart.

 

If you persevere with the car, I'd overnight as close to the airport as possible. Traffic can be very congested around 6-7 a.m. on a Monday morning around the airport coming into London. The airport hotels have very expensive overnight car parking for guests.

There are some very nice hotels at a price in the Ascot, Virginia Water area but Windsor where I live is the obvious choice, only 15 minutes drive from the airport and a very nice area to visit the day before.

 

Car Rental companies in UK are very similar to those in North America. The global brands are all on the northern perimeter road of Heathrow Airport.

Edited November 11, 2013 by DorneyBoy

[aquilegia]

Stay overnight at an airport hotel and return your car the night before. You really don't want to have any delays on Monday when your flight is so early. If you must take a car to Bath. leave it in a Park and Ride facility on the outskirts, don't attempt to take it into the city centre.

[cole]

The Hilton is connected to Terminal 4 and you can easily walk through the connecting walkway right into the airport in a matter of minutes. Can't get any better than that! ;)

Cole

[sparkle56]

Cole is correct. We stayed at this hotel after disembarking our Norway cruise. It is so convenient. You just get one of those luggage carts and walk through a connecting walkway from the airport (second floor) to the hotel. The hotel itself is very nice (small rooms, but nice).

 

We have booked it again for our upcoming British Isles cruise.

 

If you are staying in London itself, we recommend St. Ermin's Hotel. We stayed there three nights pre-cruise and it is fabulous.

[DorneyBoy]

The Hilton is connected to Terminal 4 and you can easily walk through the connecting walkway right into the airport in a matter of minutes. Can't get any better than that! ;)

Cole

 

The Hilton Terminal 4 is only connected to Terminal 4. its several miles from the other 3 terminals (other 4 terminals in 2014).

Knowing which terminal you are flying from is critical to choosing a convenient hotel.

The only other terminal with a hotel within walking distance is Terminal 5 with the Sofitel.

[Twickenham]

I am looking for advice on where to stay the Sunday night before our Monday 10am departure from Heathrow.

 

We disembark on Friday and are spending Friday and Saturday nights at a B&B in Salisbury. Our plan is to spend Sunday in Bath and then stay overnight somewhere convenient to Heathrow.

 

We'll have a rental car and will need to return it on Monday morning before our flight.

 

So questions:

 

1) Where would be a good place to stay overnight?

2) How complicated is to return a rental car at Heathrow (I've only returned rental cars at US airports)

 

Thanks!

 

I would probably be looking at hotels in the Windsor/Slough area - there's a Marriott hotel which is a rewards category 5 hotel, so you could possibly get a free night there if you can earn a free night certificate thru one of Marriott's Megabonus promotions (usually 2 stays/1 free night). Should be easy to drive to the car rental office from there.

 

Returning the car shouldn't be any more complicated than in the US. I would strongly recommend signing up for your rental company's loyalty program, which often speeds up the whole procedure. For instance, I'm a Hertz Gold member, and usually my return is simply a matter of presenting the keys and rental info to the counter agent - never takes more than a couple of minutes.

[Bob++]

I too support the idea of staying in Windsor the last night. Get there early and do a tour of the castle.

 

For a 10am flight you need to be checking your baggage at 7:30 latest, aim for 7am. Then you can dump your luggage and go and have a leisurely breakfast.

[aquilegia]

I too support the idea of staying in Windsor the last night. Get there early and do a tour of the castle.

 

The OP is planning to stay Saturday night in Salisbury then drive on Sunday to Bath. Given that even in summer the last entry to Windsor Castle is 4pm (in winter it's 3pm), it's not going to be practical to drive from Salisbury to Bath, look around Bath properly, then drive the 100 odd miles to Windsor in time to tour the castle.

[bethohio3]

I think trying to return the car Sunday night and staying at an airport area hotel makes sense, as does the idea of staying in Windsor (based on the map :-).

 

We know we won't have time to visit Windsor on this trip. We only have a few days post cruise, and we're going to Beaulieu (DH is an antique car buff), Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath--and that's a pretty full schedule.

 

We know that once you park in Salisbury or Bath, you stay parked :-). The 0645 tour of Stonehenge is the primary reason we'll have a rental car, and Beaulieu is the second reason.

 

I really appreciate everyone's input. Here's where we are right now:

 

Friday morning, disembark, pick up rental car and go to Beaulieu, stopping somewhere en route for breakfast

 

Friday late afternoon, on to Salisbury, possibly Evensong

 

Friday evening, we hope to see a performance in Salisbury (it's the first night of the Salisbury International Arts & Music Festival)

 

Saturday early am, we're going to Stonehenge. (Yes, we've made those arrangements). Then we'll go back to the B&B for breakfast.

 

Saturday morning, we'll walk around the Salisbury market

 

Saturday afternoon, we'll tour the city, maybe climb the cathedral tower, and go to Evensong services if we didn't on Friday.

 

Saturday night, perhaps another performance?

 

Sunday morning, after breakfast, head to Bath for the Mayor's City tour, and spend the day there. Around 5 or 6, head towards Heathrow, stopping somewhere for dinner.

 

And that's why we want to stay convenient to the airport--the easier the better.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Which terminal will you be using at Heathrow? (Or if you don't know, which airline/destination?) As m'learned friend from Dorney alludes to, Heathrow is effectively 3 airports sharing 2 runways :)

[bethohio3]

We're flying United. (inbound from Dulles, outbound to Newark).

 

I think that means we arrive Terminal 1 and depart Terminal 4. (If that's not right, I hope someone will tell me--I was surprised that United uses two different terminals at the same airport)

[bethohio3]

We're flying United. (inbound from Dulles, outbound to Newark).

 

I think that means we arrive Terminal 1 and depart Terminal 4. (If that's not right, I hope someone will tell me--I was surprised that United uses two different terminals at the same airport)

[Cotswold Eagle]

OK, sorry now we need to ask WHEN you are flying! Your information on United is correct at the moment, but they will move into the reopened Terminal 2 on 4 June 2014. Generally speaking, the car rental returns and hotels all serve all terminals, but there are some degrees of convenience to consider.

 

By way of explanation, Heathrow is undergoing a massive rebuilding program in the central area (Terminals 1-3). This, combined with trying to co-locate alliance partners and accommodate various takeovers, has meant airlines shuffling around on a regular basis and some operations ending up split between two (or indeed 3) terminals :)

[Keith1010]

I just wanted to note that there is also the Sofitel Heathrow Hotel.

 

Keith

[helpthejuggler]

Which rental company are you using?

 

Some rental companies (Budget and Hertz I think) have depots just off the North Perimeter Road, close to many airport hotels on the northern side of the airfield and convenient for Terminal 2 transfers in the morning, assuming after June 2014.

 

If pre-June 2014, Terminal 4 is over on the southern side of the airfield so less convenient for these depots.

[bethohio3]

Thanks all. Our trip is in May--prior to the opening of the new terminal. We're probably renting from Hertz because they don't have a drop off fee for a one way rental, but there may be other options there

 

The Hilton at Terminal 4 is sounding really good--longer to drop off the car Sunday, perhaps, but easy Monday morning for departure.

[Cotswold Eagle]

I just wanted to note that there is also the Sofitel Heathrow Hotel.

 

Keith

 

The Sofitel is attached to T5, of course. Convenient for flights from there and also not too bad for T1-3 using the free Heathrow Express transfer. Not sure I'd recommend it for flights from T4, though. There is a bus between the two, but you lose the convenience.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thanks all. Our trip is in May--prior to the opening of the new terminal. We're probably renting from Hertz because they don't have a drop off fee for a one way rental, but there may be other options there

 

The Hilton at Terminal 4 is sounding really good--longer to drop off the car Sunday, perhaps, but easy Monday morning for departure.

 

Yes, if you can get an acceptable rate, that's what I'd do. Hertz is on the Northern Perimiter, as are almost all of the major firms (Sixt's depot is near T4, but not necessarily much more convenient). They run shuttles to the terminals, and they may do T5 and T4 together, but even then you'd only have an extra 15 minutes or so.

 

Some people say they have difficulty finding the car returns - I find them well signposted, but I'd probably print off the directions as well! They are not all in the same place - if you come in the main route off the M4 you basically go left or right on the peri road (so there is a general returns sign for a while and then specific ones for the different companies).

 

Edit to add: very useful map here, with the car returns shown. You will see that Hertz is close to T5 and a long way from T4 but that really is just a few extra minutes round the Perimiter road (and I expect they would run one shuttle to T5 and then T4 if needed)

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/static/Heathrow/Downloads/PDF/Maps/LHR_car_park_map.pdf

Edited November 14, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle
More info

[cruiser man]

We actually booked a Heathrow airport hotel through Hotwire this past summer. We selected a 4 star hotel and got the Crowne Plaza for $52 USD. It was very convenient and a very nice hotel. You may want to see what is available through Hotwire. The prices are usually very good.

[Bob++]

I have stayed at the Crowne Plaza twice, prior to a departure, and it is excellent. But I had my car with me. Meals at the hotel are expensive and there is no alternative within walking distance.

 

There is free wifi in the lobby - in the room you have to pay.

[lanceholt]

We have stayed at the Heathrow Marriott several times. Great hotel, beautiful lobby for people watching. Small but decent concierge lounge. Great service. Quick bus to terminal 5 right in front of the hotel. Windsow Slough is a bit far actually.