dalm

Many hotels do offer free shuttle service to and from the airport....at least in the US. I did not know that there was always a charge for this service in the UK. I am familiar with the previously discussed transportation options from LHR into downtown London. Thanks.

craz

well the CC is no where LHR its in the City I dont know for sure but maybe a 1/2 drive w/o traffic. Not too many Hotels that are a 1/2 drive from the airport will offer a free shuttle

the airport Hotels by LHR are served by reg bus lines that dont cost anything as long as you dont cross over into the paying zone. They are reg buses so its doable with carry-ons only.Otherwsie theres the Hotel Hopper vans that do charge but do drop off and pick-up from the front doors of the hotel. they dropped you off at The Central Bus area at LHR which was across from Terms 1-2-3 so from T4 I used to have to jump on the HEX . Since T5 opened I havent been over there so I dont know what the story is , if it has changed or is still the same

NJUPINTHEAIR

I know of no hotel other than at or near an airport that provides shuttle service free of charge.

I would very much like to know of one in the USA or anywhere else that provides such a benefit without a similar proximity I noted above. Inasmuch as your question pertained to a hotel in the downtown core of a city far removed from the airport, that type of hotel should be one that you can advance now, be it in the US or elsewhere.

Kindly enlighten me.

dalm

No enlightenment from me. Guess I was just wrong. Thanks for pointing out the error of my ways. I'll have to remember the adage (probably paraphrased): If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.

craz

although I agree with You there are a few that can be found, but they are generally the Exception rather then the Rule

back in Dec I booked myself into the new CY (CourtYard) in Coral Gables since they had a free shuttle to/from MIA Id say a 15 min+ ride. which also allowed me to rent from a local Enterprise and pay less then 1/2 of what MIA wanted and no airport Fee me to Death Fees Stayed there the night I arrived and the night before I flew out

I was very surprised to see that especially with any # of MR Hotels around MIA including 1 or 2 CYs. I called up and they said just call when you get your bags I did and they sent the van to get me

I dont know if that Hampton Inn MidTown SAV is still offering a free shuttle that was appx 25-30 mins drive from the Airport

dalm

You're right, craz - that's where I remember seeing shuttle service that went quite a ways from the airport. I was checking out the Courtyard and Marriott in the Dadeland areas of Miami for an associate coming into town. Just checked again and see that it's listed as 9 miles from the airport (about a 20-25 minute drive with no traffic).

craz

but as I posted its a very rare Exception! heck I keep running into Hotels with 'Airport' in their name, only to be told Sorry we have no free shuttle to the Airport

Yet to find 1 thats located in the middle of the City to offer a free ride, so i agree with NJ so far on this issue

NJUPINTHEAIR

Well, 9 miles is a bit far and since you had that in mind, DALM, I will gladly concede your belief that it is possible.

However, that is truly the exception, and even the more so, since European cities are not spread out like American ones where you might under some circumstances find such a shuttle.

Remember this, if they mention a shuttle -- do not assume it is free. If it does not state that it is, 99 times out of 100 it isn't!

Also I remember reading on Tripadvisor that a certain couple I think booked the Chancery Court since they read that kitchen facilites were available.

Well, the wording states that not all rooms have this amenity, and the only one that does is the Lord Chancellor's Suite -- the very one that Bill Marriott stayed in when he opened the place.

Now, they posted that they were deceived by Marriott -- Cry me a River.

I am not putting you in that Category, because at least you had the good sense to ask such a question, but for heaven's sake, the expected that all rooms had kitchen facilities!!

And, they were not mere rubes, either, as they paid for a 7 night stay with Marriott points.

Now, I don't know about you, but if someone is amassing those number of points -- even over a number of years, as they claimed -- you get to have some facility with the terms and conditons of hotels. So their complaint that they believed that all rooms had kitchen facilities, just was not believable to yours truly.

Cheetah_SA

I used the Chancery Court's car service to LHR and it cost 80 pounds. Not cheap. But also not that much more than a black cab and it was a very posh Jaguar XJS.

Occasionally hotels offer rates that include an airport transfer though I've mainly seen that in Asian cities, never in the UK.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Now that you mention it, I do recall a package rate for a 1 way transfer from/to FCO with respect to the Grand Flora in Rome -- but you certainly have that cost factored into the package.

DawgmanOH

Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills. 10.4 miles from airport. Free shuttle from airport. I'm sure there are farther ones at other airports, but that is definitely one far from the airport and has a free shuttle.

Swiss Tony

OK, so it says on the door and on the desk that children under the age of 16 are not allowed in the lounge.

So why on my recent stays has the lounge had as many under 16's as adults in there?

Not a problem - I have kids of my own - but of they're going to publish a policy then I think they should enforce it too...

Any comments?

Cheetah_SA

I agree that they should enforce their own rules so that customers know what to expect. And given that honour bar alcohol is available on a help-yourself basis I would have thought there would be some laws involved.

I have never seen youngsters there myself. Was this at all times or just breakfast?

Swiss Tony

Noticed it creeping in last week both at breakfast and in the evening - debatable as to whether the kid would be 14 or 16 type thing, but yesterday evening there was a family in the lounge for close on 2hrs with kids that would be about 12 and this morning at breakfast some 6-8 yr olds.

Indeed the lounge was hopeless last night. By 8.30pm the dessert buffet looked pathetic. They had even taken the menu card away, so I have my suspicions that a number of people had decided just to dine there rather than eat out.

Seems easy enough to sort out - you check in with kids, they don't put you on the 3rd floor.

Re the legal bit, suspect in the UK it's fine so long as they're accompanied - thinking about BA lounges - which the kids were.

Cheetah_SA

More in this thread. In particular this post.