13 hour layover at LHR- is this a good idea?

[Markanddonna]

We are trying to get from Israel (TLV) to the states after a Rome to Israel cruise. The cheaper flights have an early morning flight out of TLV which means we would have to leave our hotel at 2-3 AM, making a hotel stay pretty useless.

So, we found a multicity flight that covers our flight to Europe and then also from TLV to LHR to CMH for $950 (a really good price) with a 13 hour nighttime layover in LHR.

Could we exit the airport, stay at a nearby LHR hotel overnight, and easily make it back to LHR within that time window? Our checked luggage would hopefully still be the responsibility of British Airways, and we would just take our carry-ons to the hotel. It also makes sense to break up the usual 19-22 hour flight to get back to the USA.

Are there errors in my thinking?

[Globaliser]

33 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Could we exit the airport, stay at a nearby LHR hotel overnight, and easily make it back to LHR within that time window? Our checked luggage would hopefully still be the responsibility of British Airways, and we would just take our carry-ons to the hotel. ...

Are there errors in my thinking?

 

If you've got the time for this, then it's a perfectly viable plan.

 

I think that the two main things to look out for are:

1. Which airline is operating your LHR-USA flight, and which terminal will it depart from?
2. Where are you going to stay?

 

These two are inter-related, because of the possibility that by November, more of the AA-operated flights will have moved back to Terminal 3. It would be a bit frustrating if you've worked out a low-stress plan that is then interfered with by a terminal move. The two obvious on-airport hotel choices are the Sofitel at Terminal 5 and the Hilton Garden Inn in the Central Terminal Area, walkable to Terminal 3 - everything else either is, or might as well be, off-airport.

 

In addition, don't rule out staying at/next to Paddington station, which doesn't take very long to get to if you're prepared to fork out for the Heathrow Express.

 

And another thought would be to take a later LHR-USA flight, and then actually stay in central London proper and make (half) an evening of it, although the arrival time of the TLV-LHR flight and the time difference between Israel and the UK may mean that this is actually more effort than it's worth.

[hallasm]

I have often done a 8 to 12 hours layover. Find a suitable hotel  with shuttle close to the airport. 

[Globaliser]

12 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Find a suitable hotel with shuttle close to the airport.

 

Except (I think) that we are now back to the usual situation that there are no hotels with shuttles at LHR.

[hallasm]

24 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

Except (I think) that we are now back to the usual situation that there are no hotels with shuttles at LHR.

Maybe not a specific hotel shuttle - I did have the Hotel Hoppa bus in mind.

[Globaliser]

41 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Maybe not a specific hotel shuttle - I did have the Hotel Hoppa bus in mind.

 

Understood, thanks.

 

I was also thinking about the Hotel Hoppa when I suggested that staying at Paddington might also be an idea. I reckon that in some circumstances, you could have travelled to Paddington and got checked in at the Hilton there before the Hotel Hoppa has even turned up at your Heathrow terminal to take you to a supposedly near-airport hotel.

[hallasm]

1 minute ago, Globaliser said:

I suggested that staying at Paddington might also be an idea

In fact the cost of Heathrow Express is similar to the Hotel Hoppa if purchased 90 days in advance - one-way ticket from just £5.50.

[Zach1213]

I do this fairly regularly - take the daytime flight from the US to LHR, get there at 10-11pm, get some sleep, and continue on to somewhere else in the morning or early afternoon. It's quite handy. 

 

If you are using Terminal 5, the Sofitel (as mentioned earlier) really can't be beat as far as convenience goes. Even if you are using one of the other terminals, it's quite handy. Prices are sometimes a bit on the high side, and sometimes shockingly low. Take a look. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Zach1213

[Rick&Jeannie]

We have used the Hoppa a couple of times now.  We were at the Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel.  Very close to Terminal 3.

[travelplus]

On 6/27/2022 at 6:59 AM, Globaliser said:

 

If you've got the time for this, then it's a perfectly viable plan.

 

I think that the two main things to look out for are:

1. Which airline is operating your LHR-USA flight, and which terminal will it depart from?
2. Where are you going to stay?

 

These two are inter-related, because of the possibility that by November, more of the AA-operated flights will have moved back to Terminal 3. It would be a bit frustrating if you've worked out a low-stress plan that is then interfered with by a terminal move. The two obvious on-airport hotel choices are the Sofitel at Terminal 5 and the Hilton Garden Inn in the Central Terminal Area, walkable to Terminal 3 - everything else either is, or might as well be, off-airport.

 

In addition, don't rule out staying at/next to Paddington station, which doesn't take very long to get to if you're prepared to fork out for the Heathrow Express.

 

And another thought would be to take a later LHR-USA flight, and then actually stay in central London proper and make (half) an evening of it, although the arrival time of the TLV-LHR flight and the time difference between Israel and the UK may mean that this is actually more effort than it's worth.

Spend time in London!

[6rugrats]

Make sure BA will keep your bags.  For many airlines with a stop this long, you'd have to pick them up and recheck.

[Globaliser]

10 minutes ago, 6rugrats said:

Make sure BA will keep your bags.  For many airlines with a stop this long, you'd have to pick them up and recheck.

 

No issues in this respect, as the OP's planning a sub-24 hour connection.