Where to wait a few hours at Heathrow
 

Looking for suggestions.

Niece, first time ever out of Canada, aged 21, is arriving on Air Canada at Heathrow T3 at 11.30. I am in a business meeting in nearby Slough not finishing until 14.00, I won't get there until around 14.30, when I can pick her up and take her home. What can I suggest she does for several hours ?

She has no lounge access etc, will be unused to jetlag, probably has heavy baggage (here for a month). Bet there are strong tailwinds that day and they get in early too !

Well, some people put their luggage on a cart and head down toward the Central Bus Terminal and Tube/Underground station at LHR and go to get on the computers that are in the "Information"/"munching" area right near the station entrance. It costs a few pounds per hour to get online there.

T3 Arrivals is a general mess and crowded on the main arrivals level and so waiting there may put her at unease. Some people walk over to T2 arrivals and wait there to kill some time. There are a few coffee shops in the various terminals where you could "milk" a cup of coffee/tea for as long as is necessary, but that gets boring quickly.

i'd advise her to take her time getting off the plane, not to rush and enjoy the immigration experience.

then upstairs in T3 (above the departure check-in, where the departure entry point is) are a number of larger places to sit and eat

assuming she has a phone to call/SMS you on ?

Yes, upstairs in T3 is far more comfortable than downstairs. I believe there's a nice coffee lounge with nice brown leather seats (I think that's the colour) to while away a few hours. There are internet computers on this level as well but they're not cheap.

So obvious I'd forgotten .....

The first requirement is to get UK money !

I think it depends on what interests you. Personally, I enjoy sitting at the slightly manic coffee places at arrivals in airports, when I'm killing time, as they're the best places for people watching.

Yes, but he's talking about his young niece who has never been out of the country who will be dealing w/ jetlag & hauling around heavy luggage.

There's a chance other flights (UA,AA) will be arriving around the same time as hers & since she won't have fast track, immigration & getting her luggage will eat up some time. Don't forget to tell her to get one of the free luggage carts to put it on.

Have her get some $$ from the ATM or currency exchange, and then find a decent place (the one w/ the leather seats upstairs?) to get a soda/cup of tea or coffee. Also there are some shops upstairs that she can wander through, although that probably won't take very long. But still 15minutes here, 15minutes there adds up.

Of course if WHMB is a good uncle, he'll tell her to go ahead & use the internet to surf, etc, and he'll reimburse her when he picks her up ;) :D

PS - I've never needed to, but is there a place in T3 that she can store her luggage so she can wander around w/o having to haul that, and then just pick it up when uncle arrives?

Cheers.

Yes, there's a left luggage operation in every terminal at LHR. The current charge is, I believe, £5.50 per 24 hours or part for each item, paid for on collection. Probably not a big amount to pay for the convenience of not lugging a bag around LHR for a few hours while she explores the various places where she can wait. And I'm sure that kind Uncle WHBM would reimburse that, too? ;)

God ! I hope she's not reading this ..... :)

Before I had lounge access, I used to go across to the Hilton in T4 (direct access from the terminal). It is a nice hotel with a huge lobby with a decent bar, restuarant and cafe. It feels a lot more human than the terminal.

This would, of course, involve her taking the Heathrow Express train from T3 to T4 which is a bit of a pain, but she has time to kill.

Hey! A young lady just sitting around waiting?

She could put bag(s) in Left Luggage ( in arrivals area)... and then work her way over to the (landside before security) departures area of Terminal 3. I'm sure she'll find someplace over there where she could spend time....the shopping is not as comprehensive as after security, but there is some.... and, of course, I'm sure her wonderful Uncle will reimburse her for anything she picks up at Lush that she forgot to bring and just HAS to have.

*grin*

There is a pay arrivals lounge in T2?? somewhere I think. I know I have used it once but that was errrr 4?? years ago. I'm sure Uncle WHBM will shell out so that she can have a nice hot shower, get some food and be introduced into the wonders of UK TV!

I wonder if you mean "The Island" which was landside in T3 (not T2) around 2000 or so. It was £25 to get in, but never really took off so they closed it down.

Some kind soul on the AC forum might have an arrivals lounge pass* that they can offer, especially if this is for use before the end of Feb (when the 2005 certs expire). This is open until I think 1pm and would allow her to get a shower and some breakfast.

*-I'm 95% sure that the MLL passes can be used for arrivals too...

Yup that sounds like it! I only used it once - but the showers were AMAZING>

AC Arrivals Lounge
 

If she's arriving on an Air Canada flight and has a Maple Leaf Lounge guest pass she can use the Air Canada Arrivals lounge. It's just outside near the cab stand at T3 and is open until about 14:30. I've only ever used it for a quick shower but I think you can get breakfast there too.

When's her flight? I've got a spare pass that expires Feb 28 she can have. Or you could post on the AC forum and see if there's a status member on her flight who'd be willing to 'guest' her in.

Edited to add: I didn't see the MLL info posted above. I guess I qualify as a "kind soul".