anabolism

I stay at the Hilton Heathrow T4 fairly often, and almost always am flying in or out of T3 or T5. I've tried the hotel car (which can be billed to the room), a taxi (cash), Uber, and the free train service (walk to T4, take one train to T3, then if going to T5 walk across the platform and take the other train). In my experience, all options take the same amount of time, which is not trivial. One time, the train that was supposed to run next from T3 to T5 was cancelled and it was a considerable wait for the next one. But only once. I've also stayed at the Hilton T5 and taken the Hoppa bus, which is not fun and also takes a long time. I haven't tried the free city bus or the groundside Heathrow inter-terminal bus. Since the options seem to take the same amount of time, I use the train.

I've occasionally had a room where the AC couldn't cool it. I think the basic facilities in the rooms are not kept up as they should. I've had shower doors get wedged, shower faucet control knobs fall off, and similar issues. But all in all, it's a decent hotel, and I like the breakfast.

As an aside, I always ask for an exterior room. Otherwise I'll wake up and open the drapes, giving people perhaps an unexpected treat as I don't sleep in anything. Once I was staying with a friend and we were given a room with windows into the restaurant; as a test, I stayed in the room while my friend went into the restaurant, and could see me in the room clearly.

anabolism

When you say the ground floor, you mean right where you walk into the hotel, to the side of the bell desk? I ask because from what I gather, the temporary lounge was in the meeting space under the restaurant, beside the gym/pool, adjacent to the back doors that open into the grassy area with pond that's behind the hotel. Since the hotel is on a hill, really both floors can be considered ground floors.

arlflyer

I stumbled into the hotel after hacking through the bushes from where the free local bus dumps off, so who knows if I went in the proper entrance. But I think from what you describe, yes, that's it. I walked into the hotel and was looking right at the desk. After checking in (was starving), took an immediate right (maybe 135 degree turn, to be precise), and the lounge was there.

That being said, I was there around the early teens of January, and it definitely wasn't in a conference room as shown in the 9 January pictures by gav0106 (post #734 ). Yet it did pretty much look like old pictures such as in this blog post (https://onemileatatime.boardingarea....eathrow-hotel/), at least in terms of layout. So maybe they were transitioning into a renovation at the time and had it selectively open? Or maybe that "refurbishment" was very superficial? The furniture seemed new...

Thoroughly confused now, but it did the job.

corporate-wage-slave

For T5, the Transport for London bus is quicker than any other option, you can reasonably allow 20 minutes from hotel to T5 and it may take a bit less, the bus ride itself is about 10 minutes. Bus 482 or 490, it's free. Live tracker of the bus stop (on arrival level close to the Hilton bridge):
https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/stop/49000010...row-terminal-4
In the other direction (T5 to Hilton T4) you can save the schlep down the bridgeway to Hilton T4 by taking the bus one more stop to Starlight Way, which is under the bridge. Enter the Hilton via the goods entrance over the road, up through the car park and then up again to the entrance. The bus stop in the Hilton to T5 direction is on the other side of the Premier Inn so by that stage you may as well walk to the T4 building.

For T3 I agree you best use the train (and later this year the Elizabeth line though there won't be an increase in services initially). Because it's on a timetable, just leave Hilton T4 10 minutes before the advertised departure for a comfortable connection. For T2 it may be better to use the tube instead due to the proximity of the tube station to T2.

BotB

Stayed one night here just over a week ago, last minute (same day) booking using points. (32k) Needed to fly from T2 stupidly early and so didn't want to leave home quite as early as would have been necessary so this worked well for me. I chose it over the T5 Hilton and others as I think it has breakfast earlier than any other Hilton chain hotel at LHR. (starts at 05:00) so I could get up, have a proper breakfast and then head over to the terminal. (using my car, public transport at that time of the morning is a pain I find at LHR).

So, parked in the hotel car park (plenty of spaces still for a Saturday night) and that together with a drink at the bar ensured I has some charges on the room so received 2k points for the stay in the current promotion and also 10k points as it was a 5th stay so triggered the bonus...which meant the room only cost me 20k points (and £20 for parking plus the drink). ^

As I was arriving after 10 PM, I checked-in online and selected a room so I would at least get one! Arrived and was upgraded to an exec room on 4th floor and to my preferences. ^ Room was fine for the short stay I would be there. Nice bathrobe, slippers and A/C worked. Could get the car parking sorted before heading to the room so on exit I only had to put the ticket in the machine and not have to bother with paying down by the car park, etc...

Bar was busy up until closing at 1 AM when I decided I better get some sleep!

Room was quiet and shower was great for pressure and hot water.

Restaurant staff were very good and attentive at such a stupid early time of the day...excellent cappuccino made and that made my day start a lot better!

On check out everything done quickly and soon on my way. The England women's football team bus was at the entrance and a few players getting on board as they had apparently stayed the same night. I soon saw at least some of them on my Austrian flight to Vienna as apparently they couldn't fly direct to Bosnia so had to connect through Vienna...(so I learned while standing with them in the queue at the airport later on)...

Overall a good stay and served the purpose well. I'd stay again.

anabolism

(bolding added) So, to take the bus from the Hilton T4 to Heathrow T5, exit the hotel, walk through the bridge to Heathrow T4, and then go outside the terminal on the arrivals level?

To take the bus from Heathrow T5 to the Hilton T4, go outside (on arrivals level) and take the bus to Starlight Way, and then walk in the hotel via the service entrance or perhaps the back door by the pond?

corporate-wage-slave

Yes. When you get to T4 there is a lift right by the end of the bridge, which goes down to HEX, but if you get off on the Arrivals floor instead, exit the building, then without crossing any roads there are 2 bus stops in front of you. The last one is for T5 (the first one is the other direction, Hatton Cross). Annoyingly these bus stops are right by the lift door, but the exit there is marked as a fire exit only so you have to walk a little bit into the arrivals area, leave by the public exit and then walk back again. But it's only a short distance.

Nearly: the buses that go to T4 continue on towards Hatton Cross, so you can just stay on the bus one more stop to Starlight Way, and it saves you the bridge walk. You can get off at T4 if you really like the bridge! The back door would be further, not that I've tried it from the bus stop. Just cross over the road, the service entrance is unmarked but obvious, just look for a gap in the trees.

anabolism

Terrific, thank you ^

dwcatty

Thanks to all for the detailed information on transferring terminals. We had a 1 night stay on a connecting award redemption that brought us in to Gatwick at 9 pm and departed LHR the following morning. I booked a car with Blackberry cars that delivered us to the front door of the Hilton. A painless transfer and well worth the 55 pounds.

On departure we exited the front door of the hotel and followed the clear signage to T4. The walkway has no steps so the roller bags were easy to pull. As soon as we entered T4 we saw the lift to go down to the train, and it too was well signed.

There are two trains (left, right) with clear signage AND a person directing us to the proper platform. The electronic sign said train departing in 15 minutes and it arrived in 10, waited 5 minutes and departed right on schedule. There is a single exit for T2 and T3, and again clear signage directing you to the terminal.

All in all it is a simple process to follow. As I redeemed points for the stay (29k) and prepaid Blackberry for the car I never had to exchange currency during my 12 hours in England. The pictures and directions upthread were helpful and accurate.

As for the hotel, it had a very comfortable bed, we had no issues with the water or steam, the wake up call was right on time and breakfast in the ground floor executive lounge was adequate. We were there less than 9 hours but it made for a restful overnight break between our connecting flights. We had a positive experience all the way around and are glad we decided to stay here for the convenience.

anabolism

I believe you meant T4, not T5.

dwcatty

Yes, thanks, I corrected my post.

BotB

Stayed recently at the end of Sept. 2018 for one night between flights. Paid cash and had booked in advance a week or so. Upgrade given to exec room on check-in so had bathrobes and water in the room. (no slippers though).

The hotel was convenient to our travel plans and the fact that I had a car with me. The hotel gives in / out privileges to the car park if you ask (they simply charge the car park to the bill and give you a new ticket to exit and then you can keep getting new tickets when you come and go...) Most other LHR hotels won't do this for you. It is also quite convenient for any parking / flights from/to T3 (yes, you need to use the LHR Express or other modes to get from/to T3 to here but still better than the T5 LHR Hilton or Sofitel for that matter, with a car at least).

We ate at the Asian restaurant here and it was one of the reasons I chose this hotel over others as well (the convenience of not having to worry about evening meal choice or food styles once my partner did arrive as there are a few options here). I have heard great reviews of the Asian restaurant and it lived up to them and then some. A great place to eat if you happen to get here before it closes in the evening. The prices were a bit elevated but still acceptable and the food was excellent, as was the sterling service.

We did visit the lounge for a few minutes so my wife could get a tea and the place was still heaving at the end of the drinks and food period in the evening but we still managed to find a place to sit and get a drink.

We didn't eat breakfast here in the morning as the "zero dark thirty" timing of our flight meant we would be already airside in T3 by the time the restaurant opens here (which is still very early at 5 AM IIRC).

The car park is big enough to always find a space and I tend to park over by the area where the bus stop is indicated on the map in the posts upthread, it is always less busy and just a few extra meters but still secure within the car park fencing and where I think staff park.

Check out was quick and efficient and I'd definitely recommend the hotel still and look forward to our next stay (when the conditions are right).

Safe travels.

anabolism

Surprised you didn't have slippers. Housekeeping seems to like to tuck them on a shelf in the closet, so they can be hard to find. You can always call the front desk or housekeeping and they'll deliver them to your room.

pauleeepaul

One and the same i presume

BotB

I was surprised as well and did look in all the places I could think of but didn't find any...I did think about phoning and asking for some but I always carry a spare set with me when travelling so didn't bother (and I knew the next hotel where we were travelling to definitely had them so I'd be able to replace them). Thanks for mentioning it though.

Indeed!