Sleep and shower at Heathrow?
 

I am arriving at Terminal 3 from SF and leaving eight hours later from Terminal 1 to fly to Joburg. I would prefer to stay in the airport. Is there anywhere I can sleep and take a shower?

You don't mention when you are flying, but at some point, Yotel will be in Heathrow. I thought Yotel was to be available "summer 2007", but unfortunately, no updates on their website.

http://www.yotel.com/

There's a shower in the SAS lounge. If you're a *Gold, you have access.

Are you in transit or will you have to clear immigration.?

Thanks, Yotel is in terminal #4. Is that convenient to terminal 1 which I am leaving from? I will be needing a "place" Sept 23. I do not belong to any "club" that I can use their facilities. Any other ideas?

There is a shower in terminal 4.

Near gate #9, as much as I can remember.

Zinfanatic,

Are you sure Yotel is in Heathrow at all? I don't think they are yet. I could be wrong (hope I am for my own purposes too) but I didn't want you to be disappointed.

The tube makes a stop at terminials 1,2,3 (same stop for all three terminals) and then a stop at terminal 4. I don't think distance would be an issue - and you got eight hours.

I hope you find something because I could use the information too! :)

The Yotel opening at T4 keeps getting later and vaguer: the last press release said "this year".

Some earlier posters seem to misunderstand how security works. You will have access only to:

- the arrivals lounges your airline and class of fare might entitle you to at T3 (where I think only Virgin and American offer arrivals lounges, and only for their premium class passengers)
- whatever's outside the security area at T1, 2, 3 and 4
- faciliities in the departure area (but not the arrivals area) of T1

So you can't get to SAS lounges or to lounges adjacent to T4 gates.

At present, unless you're in a posh Virgin or AA seat, this limits you to the Urban Retreat lounge after security (ie in the departure area) at T1, to the Diamond Lounge at T3 outside the security area (both of which cost £15 or so), and to public showers outside the security area at T4. Search the LHR website (under 'showers') for contact details, and (under 'maps')for a T4 map to show where the public showers are.

You DON'T get the tube from T1-3 to T4. Get the (free) Heathrow Express from the T1-3 stop to T4, then back again.

Flanneruk: Just looked the info up about the two lounges you mentioned. Since I will be leaving terminal 3 does that "allow" me to use the departure lounge in Terminal 3 as I am leaving the terminal? And can I really only use it for three hours as stated? It seems like the facility in Terminal 1 does not have showers. At least there is no mention of them. Thanks again for your help.

I think there are no showers but there are many comfortable places to sleep and I have always gotten a good rest there, unlike most other airports.

CubFanAlways, you must be feeling cheerful. My husband is.

zinfanatic:

You're not allowed into the T3 departures area. That's what I said in my post.

Urban Retreat has showers. That's what the Heathrow website says and that's what the Urban Retreat website says.

If they tell you 3 hours is your max, that's probably because 3 hours is your max.