InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Hi lhr ariel

I see mention on the Tripadvisor website about a free ( red ) bus service to the hotel. Means one does not need to use the paid shuttle services like the Hotel Hoppa. Does anyone out there have any more information on this service? We will arrive We night at LHR and stay for one night.

These are the standard London buses, which are free inside the Heathrow perimiter zone.

You need to make your way to the Central Bus Terminal, catch an appropriate bus which goes past the hotel and then know when to ring the bell and get off. I'm sure the hotel can tell you which number bus to catch and how late at night the buses stop running.

Make sure you check the rates using the link below!!

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/c/2/content/dec/teaser/pc/0/en/lp/autumn_offers.html?cm_mmc=DCE-_-PCSPRING040809-_-EMEN-_-BOOK

dan :)

From T5, use the 423 bus.

From the Central bus station (T1/T2/T3), you can use various buses : 105, 111, 140, 222, 285, 555.

At least one of these routes runs 24 hours a day (the 285 runs every 30 minutes from midnight until around 6 a.m., then every 10-20 minutes for the rest of the time, even on Sundays). Most London Buses have a display and announcement for the next stop, get off at 'Harlington Corner' which is just outside the hotel. To get the free travel, just tell the driver where you're going as you board (or get on without saying anything or paying, most drivers will assume you're travelling to somewhere in the 'Freeflow' area).

There's a useful map on the tfl website showing the bus routes, where the hotels are, and how far the free area extends to (I can't find a similar one for T5 I'm afraid, but as mentioned in the post above the 423 serves the Ariel from T5 around every 20-30 minutes between 05:00 and midnight)

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/heathrowairportcentralterminals123-13970.pdf

Really a BIG thank you to all for such quick and helpful responses. We are on the way to the airport in Mauritius and will be at LHR tomorrow night. I am loaded with good information and really appreciate everyone's help. What a great crowd. Thank you^

Just a quick update. Arrived back at LHR after a one night stay at the HI Ariel. The Bus service ( free ) worked fantastic. Lines #105, 111 and 140 operate 24 hours in both directions, both stops are right across the hotel. No charge, therefor saved 16 Pounds or nearly 30 USD, enough to pay for a highly overpriced bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale at the hotel. Transfer from Central Bus Station to T4 was easy via Heathrow Connect train, needed 15 minutes waiting but everything worked out extremely well.
So, once more : Thanks!!!
The property itself was nothing to get excited about. I had read all the Tripadvisor comments and they were quite enthusiastic. We found the ( upgraded ) room quite small, very basic, but it sufficed for a 7 hour stay.

Just a quick update. Arrived back at LHR after a one night stay at the HI Ariel. The Bus service ( free ) worked fantastic. Lines #105, 111 and 140 operate 24 hours in both directions, both stops are right across the hotel. No charge, therefor saved 16 Pounds or nearly 30 USD, enough to pay for a highly overpriced bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale at the hotel. Transfer from Central Bus Station to T4 was easy via Heathrow Connect train, needed 15 minutes waiting but everything worked out extremely well.
So, once more : Thanks!!!
The property itself was nothing to get excited about. I had read all the Tripadvisor comments and they were quite enthusiastic. We found the ( upgraded ) room quite small, very basic, but it sufficed for a 7 hour stay.

Your observations on the room are wholly correct I am afraid. The restaurant is over priced, but you can often get the breakfast at a good inclusive deal. Fine as you say, for a short stay.

The property itself was nothing to get excited about. I had read all the Tripadvisor comments and they were quite enthusiastic. We found the ( upgraded ) room quite small, very basic, but it sufficed for a 7 hour stay.

Not sure what you mean by "very basic". The exec rooms I've been put into were absolutely fine, just about the standard UK-HI offer. It's a question of expectation I suppose.

And the front-facing rooms are great for plane (and bus!) spotters: but you MUST avoid the miniscule inward facing rooms.

The pleasure of being able to avoid the horrible shuttle-bus is a bonus.

Best one to use is the 140. Double Decker, plenty of space if you have lugguge, 24hrs operation, runs on regular intervals of 10-15 minutes. It has a fairly simple route to and from the Central Bus station compared to some others which take the scenic route.

Best one to use is the 140. Double Decker, plenty of space if you have lugguge, 24hrs operation, runs on regular intervals of 10-15 minutes. It has a fairly simple route to and from the Central Bus station compared to some others which take the scenic route.
If I remember correctly, it was indeed the #140 that we caught at around 4:45 a.m. and since the lower level was completely crowded and smelling like a curry
restaurant, we climbed upstairs where the first row on the right side miraculously was available. Unfortunately the window was not cleaned and there was little we could see, but upstairs on these double decker buses is an experience, everyone should participate in, once in their lives at least.

Not sure what you mean by "very basic". The exec rooms I've been put into were absolutely fine, just about the standard UK-HI offer. It's a question of expectation I suppose.

And the front-facing rooms are great for plane (and bus!) spotters: but you MUST avoid the miniscule inward facing rooms.

The pleasure of being able to avoid the horrible shuttle-bus is a bonus.

When asking the front desk if one has been lucky to get an upgrade, only to receive an enthusiastic "as a Platinum member, of course", one can never be sure if the room assigned is an upgrade after all. We can only take their word. But my room on floor #3 was marked "executive room". Again, please consider we were there only for seven hours arriving after an 11 hr trip from MRU. We found the bed to be very low and barely an American queen size mattress and we only had two pillows. For the few minutes we were awake before drifting into a deep sleep all the noise in the corridor was heard loudly through the large opening between the entrance door's bottom and the floor. Internet access was not free and the TV screen was quite small. The toilet flushed in a quite peculiar way, it was hit or miss. The towels felt thin and not as rich as we are used to. BUT, we loved that the ( two ) windows opened and the aircraft noise then could be felt in the room, which is music to my ears. By the way, we had an outside facing room, opposite from the reception area, if you know what I mean, the other side of the hotel, not facing Harlington Corner. I was really looking forward to trying some British beer on tap, but the Russian speaking bartender woman claimed that there was something wrong with the tap. She could pour the Stella, the Beck's and the Heineken, but no British beer. What a shame. A Light and Bitter would have hit the spot, instead I had to order a Newcastle Brown Ale in a not so cold bottle at a highly inflated price. All in all, for my rate of about $ 125.00 a night it was an acceptable stay. Not sure if this would be my choice for a longer term. And certainly not sure what the U.K. standards are for a HI. I would assume not unlike the U.S. standards, hit or miss. Some top performers, some lousy ones. Yet, all the same brand. And sometimes the lower priced ones top the expensive ones. It was a shame I was in London only in transit, wish I could have been at this beautiful city a little longer. Next time, different hotel, for sure. Suggestions anyone?

..... I was really looking forward to trying some British beer on tap, but the Russian speaking bartender woman claimed that there was something wrong with the tap. She could pour the Stella, the Beck's and the Heineken, but no British beer. What a shame. .....

For future reference, it is rare indeed for hotel bars in the UK to have "a hand pump" - through which real beer is dispensed. Sadly, pubs that know how to properly keep beer seem to be becoming an endangered species also.

The good beer guide (www.camra.org.uk/gbg) is your indepensible campanion in any serach for a good pint (Imperial, 20oz, not 16) of real beer.

The pleasure of being able to avoid the horrible shuttle-bus is a bonus.

+1^

but not many people know about the public bus system, certainly not the foreigners! Only some members, who ask and are part of this wonderful group!!!!!!!!

For future reference, it is rare indeed for hotel bars in the UK to have "a hand pump" - through which real beer is dispensed. Sadly, pubs that know how to properly keep beer seem to be becoming an endangered species also.

The good beer guide (www.camra.org.uk/gbg) is your indepensible campanion in any serach for a good pint (Imperial, 20oz, not 16) of real beer.


Bookmarked for future reference. Thanks.