Heathrow Hotel options - for one night only....
Aug 3, 2018, 10:36 am
#76
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 355
I'm going to gatecrash this thread as I I think LHR has been covered. Suddenly find myself at Manchester Airport in about 10 days time, late train in and either the first BA flight or the BE flight to SEN in the morning.
Which hotel? I won't get the train station until midnight, so one I can get to from Manchester Airport Station to hotel to airport easily? What's the FT hotel of choice?
Which hotel? I won't get the train station until midnight, so one I can get to from Manchester Airport Station to hotel to airport easily? What's the FT hotel of choice?
Aug 3, 2018, 12:30 pm
#77
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,699
The Thistle is about a mile in old money, and takes about 20 minutes or so. The Hilton T5 is rather further, over 1.5 miles, and takes a good 35 minutes, however one reason I would be walking it would be stop in en route at the Punch Bowl pub, for some of the most affordable and genuine Thai food in West London. The Holiday Inn is opposite this pub, so under 30 minutes. I don't regard the Travelodge as walkable, the layout of roads and rather boring logistics warehouses makes it all just unpleasant.
Aug 3, 2018, 12:46 pm
#78
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,921
I'm going to gatecrash this thread as I I think LHR has been covered. Suddenly find myself at Manchester Airport in about 10 days time, late train in and either the first BA flight or the BE flight to SEN in the morning.
Which hotel? I won't get the train station until midnight, so one I can get to from Manchester Airport Station to hotel to airport easily? What's the FT hotel of choice?
Which hotel? I won't get the train station until midnight, so one I can get to from Manchester Airport Station to hotel to airport easily? What's the FT hotel of choice?
Aug 3, 2018, 4:40 pm
#79
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 151
There is another route to the Hilton T5 - 'The Equalizer' route - which is a bit more of a straight line from T5 and takes you on the paths under the M25 so you get to the Hilton from the south side - arguably a few minutes more quickly [but you miss out out on the Thai food]. Google Maps now shows the less direct route over the 'non-pedestrian' bridge - but it did not used to. And The Equalizer route is a good bit of fun too. Especially if you think you could be, or are, The Equalizer. Also: if you are fond of a brisk walk at 5am in the morning from either hotel to T5, the cars can be a bit brisk at that time in the morning too - especially on the section between the logistics warehouses and the roundabout near the 'non-pedestrian' bridge: Good to have your wits about you. Especially if you are a bit sleepy. :-)
Last edited by abitwild; Aug 3, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Aug 3, 2018, 4:56 pm
#80
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Berks
Programs: BA, A3, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 215
Many times I’ve walked from the Premier Inn T5 at 5am when missing the first 423, and not wanting to wait half an hour for the next one.
The non pedestrian is fine, although I’d rather be carrying a backpack than rolling a small case. Less pleasant is the queue of black cabs waiting for the first fares of be morning with their drivers either asleep on the back seat or watering the shrubs. And walking in via the bus entrance is a bit grim too, in summary the walk gets less enjoyable the closer you are to T5! However it is a novel way to arrive so worth doing once for the experience I suppose
The non pedestrian is fine, although I’d rather be carrying a backpack than rolling a small case. Less pleasant is the queue of black cabs waiting for the first fares of be morning with their drivers either asleep on the back seat or watering the shrubs. And walking in via the bus entrance is a bit grim too, in summary the walk gets less enjoyable the closer you are to T5! However it is a novel way to arrive so worth doing once for the experience I suppose
Aug 3, 2018, 5:05 pm
#81
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,921
There is another route to the Hilton T5 - 'The Equalizer' route - which is a bit more of a straight line from T5 and takes you on the paths under the M25 so you get to the Hilton from the south side - arguably a few minutes quicker [but you miss out out on the Thai food]. Google Maps now shows the more direct route over the 'non-pedestrian' bridge - but it did not use to. And The Equalizer route is a good bit of fun. :-) Also: if you are fond of a brisk walk at 5am in the morning from either hotel to T5, the cars can be a bit brisk at that time in morning - especially on the section between the logistics warehouses and the roundabout near the 'non-pedestrian bridge' - good to have your wits about you. Especially if you are a bit sleepy. :-)
Aug 3, 2018, 5:53 pm
#82
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 151
Absolutely for Mr. Todiwala's Kitchen! However... the Punch Bowl [now it is Bong Thai? or maybe I am getting mixed up with the pub across the road in my old age?!] is in the perfect place between airport and hotel. Twenty minutes' walk: and you're there. And you've escaped the entire airport [airport hotel] environment: You don't even realise that there is an airport behind you. You know you're not in Northumberland, or Gloucestershire, but you'd more than likely wager you weren't so close to Heathrow either. Probably 
Last edited by abitwild; Aug 3, 2018 at 6:42 pm
Aug 4, 2018, 1:14 am
#83
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BG
Programs: BAEC Silver, TK Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 827
Ive done the Ultra Primark experience though and that’s the night bus!!! I have been known to get a night bus from Stratford to Canning Town around 2am changing to a bus for central London at 2.15am, even at thst time a bus every few mins arrive at Aldwych an hour or so later and board for the 90 min N9 experience.. Pre night tube this would certainly be that arriving at T5 around 4.45am just as check in was opening. With my travel card this was free and then I’d fly Business Class to Mexico via the USA astounding my parents.
Aug 4, 2018, 3:36 am
#84
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: BA, Virgin, Lufthansa
Posts: 183
We stayed in the Staycity Apartments in Hayes and Harlington before flying out of Heathrow earlier this week and it was pretty nice.
Smack bang next to the train station (you’d need to change at T3), not sure what time TfL start running the service though
Smack bang next to the train station (you’d need to change at T3), not sure what time TfL start running the service though
Last edited by dajdavies; Aug 4, 2018 at 1:48 pm Reason: Jet lagged typos!
Aug 4, 2018, 10:55 am
#85
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Kent, UK
Posts: 49
Any differences in opinion if flying BA out of Terminal 3 with a couple of cases per person?
Currently consider the Premier Inn at T4 or the Sofitel at T5, walking across to T4/5 and getting the train/tube to T3 but is there a better option?
Currently consider the Premier Inn at T4 or the Sofitel at T5, walking across to T4/5 and getting the train/tube to T3 but is there a better option?
Aug 4, 2018, 11:01 am
#86
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,699
Many of the names upthread will come up again, and it may change when the new T2 and T4 inbuilt hotels open, but the additional factor there is relatively easy access of the main Heathrow bus station, so the main Bath Road drag of hotels become easier for T3. These all have very regular fast and free bus services to Heathrow. The last hotel on that road in the free travel zone is Holiday Inn Ariel, so the Premier Inn, Moxy and Doubletree are a few stops into the paid-for zone, which is probably why these hotels are among the cheaper ones compared to their neighbours. In a way T5 is the more awkward terminal for hotels, T3 is in some respects easier.
Aug 4, 2018, 11:12 am
#88
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: BAEC Blue
Posts: 247
Anyone choose a hotel on the grounds of nostalgia?
I stayed at the Sheraton Skyline as a child before my one and only Concorde trip in the 80s. I use Heathrow about 3 times a year these days and, as I’m forced to stay over (it takes me 6 hours or so to get to Heathrow from darkest West Wales), I always spend the night before taking a stroll down memory lane at the Skyline.
I’m a mug, I know. There are cheaper and better and nearer hotels but the Skyline will always be special to me.
I stayed at the Sheraton Skyline as a child before my one and only Concorde trip in the 80s. I use Heathrow about 3 times a year these days and, as I’m forced to stay over (it takes me 6 hours or so to get to Heathrow from darkest West Wales), I always spend the night before taking a stroll down memory lane at the Skyline.
I’m a mug, I know. There are cheaper and better and nearer hotels but the Skyline will always be special to me.
Aug 4, 2018, 11:20 am
#90
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,699
For Renaissance to/from T2, just use the myriad free public buses to/from the Central Bus Station. At peak times there's something like 20 buses an hour and the journey time is 5 or 10 minutes. From the hotel is easier since the bus stop is just in front. To the hotel you want stop "Boltons Lane" after the petrol station.
