Heathrow overnight transit options with a 5 year old?
Jul 16, 2012, 3:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2
Heathrow overnight transit options with a 5 year old?
In two weeks, my 5-year-old and I are scheduled to fly in to LHR via American, Terminal 3, arriving 10 45pm, and leaving the next morning also via American (but operated by British Air) out of Terminal 5, at 9 30am.
Concerns:
1) I do not carry a credit card. I could arrange for a prepaid charge card, but am otherwise limited to my debit cards or cash.
2) I can't find anything on the airport site about whether the inter-terminal shuttles shut down at some point, or run 24 hours.
What are my options for the two of us to get some rest, but still get to the check in counter on time in the morning? The cheaper the better.
Many thanks in advance.
Concerns:
1) I do not carry a credit card. I could arrange for a prepaid charge card, but am otherwise limited to my debit cards or cash.
2) I can't find anything on the airport site about whether the inter-terminal shuttles shut down at some point, or run 24 hours.
What are my options for the two of us to get some rest, but still get to the check in counter on time in the morning? The cheaper the better.
Many thanks in advance.
Jul 16, 2012, 6:34 pm
#2
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In two weeks, my 5-year-old and I are scheduled to fly in to LHR via American, Terminal 3, arriving 10 45pm, and leaving the next morning also via American (but operated by British Air) out of Terminal 5, at 9 30am.
Concerns:
1) I do not carry a credit card. I could arrange for a prepaid charge card, but am otherwise limited to my debit cards or cash.
2) I can't find anything on the airport site about whether the inter-terminal shuttles shut down at some point, or run 24 hours.
What are my options for the two of us to get some rest, but still get to the check in counter on time in the morning? The cheaper the better.
Many thanks in advance.
Concerns:
1) I do not carry a credit card. I could arrange for a prepaid charge card, but am otherwise limited to my debit cards or cash.
2) I can't find anything on the airport site about whether the inter-terminal shuttles shut down at some point, or run 24 hours.
What are my options for the two of us to get some rest, but still get to the check in counter on time in the morning? The cheaper the better.
Many thanks in advance.
You can't stay overnight at the airport.
There are two hotels at the airport, but they will likely be expensive. There are lots of hotels on the perimeter of the airport.
Given that you want to keep your costs down, I'd suggest this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...bed-night.html
If you want more options, try doing a search using "LHR hotels" or "LHR layover". There are multiple threads on this topic.
Jul 16, 2012, 7:58 pm
#3
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Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
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I'd pick the Yotel in T4 for this. Book arriving at, say, 12:00am and leaving at 7am. It is a bit inconvenient to get from T4 to T5, probably taking a free public bus is better than two train rides.
Jul 17, 2012, 7:05 am
#4
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The hoppas do shut down at night but they stop pretty late seemingly midnight
http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach...20Gatefold.pdf
If you arrive later than this, call your hotel to arrange a minicab, or check on local buses. do not get a taxi - you'll be hit with surcharges
LHR hotels can be pretty reasonable if booked in advance and pre-paid - £40 or £50 for a night is not uncommon. Try the Holiday Inns, Park Inn and Sheratons (but avoid Holiday Inn M4 - it's the one furthest away).
in the morning, minimum check-in at LHR T5 is 45 minutes (and you need to have entered security by T-35 if you already have your boarding pass). Given the hoppas start around 5 am again, getting there won't be a problem. Just allow a bit extra time for traffic.
http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach...20Gatefold.pdf
If you arrive later than this, call your hotel to arrange a minicab, or check on local buses. do not get a taxi - you'll be hit with surcharges
LHR hotels can be pretty reasonable if booked in advance and pre-paid - £40 or £50 for a night is not uncommon. Try the Holiday Inns, Park Inn and Sheratons (but avoid Holiday Inn M4 - it's the one furthest away).
in the morning, minimum check-in at LHR T5 is 45 minutes (and you need to have entered security by T-35 if you already have your boarding pass). Given the hoppas start around 5 am again, getting there won't be a problem. Just allow a bit extra time for traffic.
Jul 17, 2012, 7:57 am
#5
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I'm not sure where you are going or coming from but be careful using your debit card for hotels, cars etc. Many hotels will put a hold on the debit/credit card. This hold can be quite high and you will not have access to that money until the hold is removed. The hold can take as long as 30 days to go away.
If you cannot do a prepaid hotel stay then definitely do a prepaid card of some sort. Just be careful because many prepaid cards cannot be used out of the US.
If you cannot do a prepaid hotel stay then definitely do a prepaid card of some sort. Just be careful because many prepaid cards cannot be used out of the US.
Jul 17, 2012, 9:02 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2
I appreciate all the answers. Thank you. Just a bit of follow-up.
Sorry I wasn't more informative. I'm flying from Chicago (ORD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH), via Heathrow. Debit cards are from the US and the UAE. Prepaid charge card would be from the US.
How does a prepaid hotel stay work? Do hotels normally accept prepaid cards? Would I need a prepaid card that had been paid up to some huge amount? In case it's not obvious, I don't do a lot of traveling involving hotel stays.
If you cannot do a prepaid hotel stay then definitely do a prepaid card of some sort. Just be careful because many prepaid cards cannot be used out of the US.
Jul 17, 2012, 9:08 am
#7
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The Premier Inn 'flexible' rate can be reserved in advance and doesn't require prepayment. This rate is of course higher than the prepaid 'saver' rate, by £20-50 depending on dates/availability
Payment is made on check-in and you can pay in cash if desired. They don't put a hold on the card - you just pay for what you've booked plus dinner/breakfast if desired. You can also 'pay as you go' for meals.
They are perfectly comfortable and serviceable for an overnight stay.
www.premierinn.com.
Prepaid and debit cards should be fine so long as they have a Visa or MC logo.
Payment is made on check-in and you can pay in cash if desired. They don't put a hold on the card - you just pay for what you've booked plus dinner/breakfast if desired. You can also 'pay as you go' for meals.
They are perfectly comfortable and serviceable for an overnight stay.
www.premierinn.com.
Prepaid and debit cards should be fine so long as they have a Visa or MC logo.
Jul 17, 2012, 9:12 am
#8
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A pre-paid hotel stay means you pay when you book the room.
The problem is that some hotels also request a credit card (or debit card) on arrival for incidentals, such as use of the phone or minibar.
That said, a number of airport hotels seem to have the ability to lock these items out of action, as they frequently get big groups arriving off cancelled flights.
What I'd do is find a good pre-pay rate then before you book, get onto the hotel and ask what the situation is with this.
They may also settle for a cash deposit, but then you have to queue up in the morning to get it back and as they'll want GBP, you then have the headache of having to take that with you.
Edited to add - dunk has come up with a very good solution in my book.
You'll be too late for dinner anyway, and just get breakfast at terminal 5. Note you'll have to account for the hotel hoppa charge too, which will be £4 each way for you, and free for your son).
The problem is that some hotels also request a credit card (or debit card) on arrival for incidentals, such as use of the phone or minibar.
That said, a number of airport hotels seem to have the ability to lock these items out of action, as they frequently get big groups arriving off cancelled flights.
What I'd do is find a good pre-pay rate then before you book, get onto the hotel and ask what the situation is with this.
They may also settle for a cash deposit, but then you have to queue up in the morning to get it back and as they'll want GBP, you then have the headache of having to take that with you.
Edited to add - dunk has come up with a very good solution in my book.
You'll be too late for dinner anyway, and just get breakfast at terminal 5. Note you'll have to account for the hotel hoppa charge too, which will be £4 each way for you, and free for your son).
Last edited by Swiss Tony; Jul 17, 2012 at 9:17 am