Yotel Heathrow Terminal 4 feedback
 

Located one level below the Departure lounge for BA, KLM and Kenya Air it is the perfect location for a rest before the Africa leg of a trip.

Next to a restaurant/pub so convenient for food/drinks.

Follow the signs for the Hilton (where I stayed before) and Yotel then look for the light-purple lighting which is the entrance! My first expression - purple/pink light looked a bit like a seedy strip joint!

As you walk in, you register at one of two computer terminals. Very easy (I booked online and paid 56 pounds for an overnight in a single cabin).

Then 30 feet behind me is a small reception desk where the staff hands you a room key (card) and they then walk you to your cabin. The flooring is rubber so it is very quiet.

As you walk, you can see into the cabins through the door windows. Some are single, some are double. Some on top, some at the bottom (they are stacked).

I unlocked my door (a bit tricky because it is a sliding card lock unlike most hotels) and nearly choked - even my room was iluminated in that pink/purple color! I thanked the young lady and entered my cabin (there is room only for one person unless the other steps into the bathroom).

My first impression? I felt I could not stay there because of the color lighting. But I flipped a light switch and the cabin turned white! Normal light! It felt a lot better and the cabin reminded me of a sleeping car on Amtrak - just nicer and a bit roomier.

Nice shower with a large rain-style showerhead, nice toilet. A pull down table, a big mirror and a little standalone barstool style seat.

My bed was elevated (I had a top unit) and I used to stool to crawl into bed! Nice flatscreen TV at the foot of the bed.

No WiFi! But there was an ethernet cable that did not work. I used the phone in the room and called reception who promptly enabled the internet and it worked!

After a nice shower (soap provided) I went out to the restaurant for dinner and to buy bottled water, then I settled in for a few hours sleep.

I closed the shades on my door window, crawled into bed, watch soccer for a while and drifted into sleep in the very comfortable bed with while linen and duvet. Cabin temperature was fine and I slept very well, except when people near me were trying to unlock their doors through the night!

The cabin is not completely soundproof but not any worse than a normal hotel room. I stayed at the Hilton last year and the room was so noisy I asked to change rooms!

Checkout was automatic.

Overall, the cabins are great value for money. Things are as advertised. Do not expect a large room and do not expect fresh air and big windows.

A lot cheaper than the Hilton, closer to the terminal and much easier to check in and such.

I will stay there again to/from Africa. Just wish they would change the pink lighting!

And I could take two carry-on items on the Kenya Air flight! It appears Heathrow changed their policy.

Eben

Thanks for such a detailed review, I somehow imagined the cabin to be bigger. Your description is great though, because being a little on the claustrophobic side, I think I should stick with a hotel room or the lounge that you pay for in T4.

I didn't quite get the stacked part though, are the units like the ones in Japan where you actually more or less have to crawl into some? Are the units stacked, some on the top, some on the bottom, or are the beds stacked if it's a double?

We stayed at the Novotel, had a dayroom, since we arrived about 10AM, and left 5 PM. Cost was 50£. We had to take a taxi to get there. I think a yotel would be second choice for me.

BTW, this would be helpful posted on the airline and Europe forums also. ((*))

Thanks for the review, I've been anxious to hear opinions on the yotel.

LyndaS - if you go to the Yotel website, they have a 360 degree viewer that will show you what they mean by an upper or lower bed.

Essentially, if you imagine a set of bunk beds. Only, the lower bed is accessed from one room only, and the upper bed is accessed from the other room.

We stayed at the Yotel at LHR last week during an 8 hour layover. My first impression was "absolutely clean". The bed was sparkling white and comfortable, the bathroom/shower, while not the most private, was again very, very clean. My only complaint about it was the shower didn't have a great separation wall and I sort of flooded part of the bathroom, using up our limited towels. The room stayed nice and dark and we were able to sleep, shower and change clothes before re-entering the dreaded Terminal 3. Yes, we did have to go through security again, but it wasn't any worse than on our return, when we stayed in Terminal 3 for both flights and still had to go through security again. Would definitely use Yotel again.

The Jury's Inn at Heathrow is a deal-48 pounds for a triple room on the internet or 59 pounds as a walk in.

There is also a Yotel in the Amsterdam airport.