wasleys

We're doing some forward planning for a trip for two of us from UK to New Zealand next year. Thoughts are spending about three weeks there and flying via Air NZ direct flight. This type of journey is new to us and we're wondering about travel between home in Lincolnshire and LHR.

We're tending to discount rail travel mainly on grounds of hassle and would prefer to use our own car for the journey to London. Flight is expected to leave afternoon, return midday.

Current thinking is to drive south day before departure and spend overnight near airport. On return to spend afternoon/evening in hotel to get some sleep and then drive gently north late evening/small hours.

Comments on this approach would be welcome.

Also suggestions on hotels and where to leave car.

Thanks.

janisj

You know - I probably would not drive my own car. It has been several years since I parked at LHR but I just did a quick search and got rates from £11 to £20 per day (depending on how remote the car park and advance bookings).

So even just a 3 week trip will cost you about £250+ for parking. So if you wanted to drive each way - I'd just book a 1-day rental car for each trip.

Or you could do a 1-way rental to LHR, and then take the train home if you wanted to spend a day in Windsor or London before heading home.

Alec

Yes, what you are proposing is very popular and hotels near Heathrow and geared up for that type of business.
You can check prices through a market leader like http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/
They do 'no name' 4 star hotel near Heathrow with up to 15 days' parking for only £59 a room. Only after you've booked and paid will you be told the name of the hotel, but it's an excellent price. I'm sure you can extend your parking period by paying extra, and book another night on your return (though you'll probably have to pay quite a bit more).
You can also book hotel and parking separately using the same site - there are some bargain parking for 2007, like 3 weeks for £55 and free transfers. Transfer to and from airport hotels is usually by Hoppa bus, costing £4 a head each way.

janisj

Oh - of course. A Park/stay/fly package each end of the trip would work. (I do this all the time at SFO but for some reason never thought of it at LHR - duh)

If you stay one night at each end of the trip you can probably cadge free/reduced parking for the whole time.

wasleys

Thanks for helpful replies.

Michael

alanRow

Given the times of your flights, I wouldn't bother driving to Heathrow but get the train to London & Tube to Heathrow.

If you think the journey is too much for one day, then find a hotel in the centre of London & travel to Heathrow the following day - it's not as if you have to be at the airport at the crack of dawn

Otherwise you are going to vspend several hours each way sitting around whilst "enjoying" Heathrow.