I've checked online and see Covent Garden is the closest tube stop to Waldorf Hilton. Will be moving a student into LSE. We'll have 2 large suitcases on wheels which are easy to navigate around. Is the hotel very close (like a block or so) from the tube station? Are there too many stairs to deal with and no elevators? I have never taken a tube from Heathrow to hotel. Will I be better off booking a car? Significant price savings, so please advise.

Thanks.

Covent Garden actually does have elevators that everyone must use, if I recall correctly (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I don't!). It looks like it would be a pretty good walk from the station to the hotel, but you sound as though you're up for it. If not, it would be a pretty cheap cab ride.

Personally, I wouldn't book the car. Covent Garden is on Piccadilly, so it's a straight shot from Heathrow.

It's actually not that far from the tube station, maybe 5 blocks.

When you get out of the Covent Garden station, turn immediately right going towards Covent Garden complex. Stay on the left side (there is actual pavement instead of the cobblestones on the sides) - 2 short blocks. Follow the pavement around left to go around the Covent Garden building complex (you'll be walking past a lot of store fronts and the Royal Opera House). The first street on the left after passing the Opera House is Culverhay (which turns into Russell St). Turn here (can only turn left), cross 1 street (Wellington) and turn right onto the second street (Catherine street). The Theatre Royal Drury is on the corner of the intersection. Catherine runs directly into Aldywych (2 blocks). Turn left onto Aldwych and the hotel entrance is about 50 feet on the left.

It is flat until you hit Catherine street. Then it is downhill. It is an easy walk as long as your luggage rolls well.
There are usually a lot of bike taxis waiting by the exit of the tube station. They may be willing to take you with your luggage provided they are not too heavy. You can find car taxis on Culverhay St but then, you'll only be 4 blocks from the hotel by then.

I walked to the station from the hotel with a small but heavy rolling case (12 kg). It took me less than 10 min despite going uphill.

By car service:

40 pounds from Heathrow to central London with JustAirports...for two of us, this worked out less than the cost of the Heathrow Express.

True. But if you're already getting a travelcard for zones 1 & 2, the Piccadilly line from Heathrow costs an extra £3 one way during peak hours, and £1.10 off peak. Hard to beat that.

Yes, But why would anyone dream for a nanosecond of using the HEX to get to Covent Garden?

The walk from Covent Garden is short. But:
- there's a short flight of steps from the tube platform to the lifts
- At weekends, and most evenings, the walk to Aldwych is really, really, really congested
- there are a LOT of streets to cross.

None of which usually matters. And won't if you've got two light cases between two of you.

But if you've crammed 30 kg into each case (totally legal on North Atlantic flights, and totally normal for students moving here for a year), those stairs, the crowds and the bumps to the suitcases at each kerb will be a real pain - and can easily destroy the wheels.

I personally would NOT do that walk w/ two large and likely heavy suitcases. It is not far at all, but there is no way the bags are easy enough to navigate through a normally very congested CG tube station, up and down the curbs, across the streets, through the crowds around Covent Garden -- and possibly in the <u>rain</u> . . .

The Underground is the way to go. It is the terminal stop so there should be plenty of seats and space for your luggage when you get on. You get on the Piccadilly Line directly at LHR and stay on until Covent Garden. It is quite cost-effective and takes about an hour. You do have to navigate up some stairs to get to the Covent Garden elevators.

There are actually very FEW streets to cross, just Floral (crosses the straight-way from station to the Covent Garden building), Wellington, Catherine, and Tavistock (crosses Catherine before Aldwych). Some of the intersections have slide-offs where you could roll your luggage without bumping over curbs (not Tavistock which has a BIG curb).

If you decide to tube/walk, an incentive to keep the luggage lighter. Also most airlines will charge you extra for any luggage over 23kg. (My luggage as a student was much less than 23 kg each!)
As long as you take the route walking towards the Covent Garden building, much of the area is pedestrianized except for the odd car. It can get quite crowded on weekends and evenings with shows (lots theatres nearby) but the crowds actually make crossing the roads easier since the cars will stop for masses of people.

I know we are trying to help the OP - but sorry, dragging large suitcases from the tube station, around the market/Piazza and on to the Waldorf is not easy peasy -- it simply isn't.

The OP said they are large suitcases, and asked whether the hotel is w/i a block or 2. It would probably be the equivalent of about 4.5 city blocks, some on uneven pavement and some on narrow sidewalks.

meant to add - if I was pulling a 19 inch rollaboard, it would be much more doable - but it is definitely possible the wheels would be much the worse for wear.

I greatly appreciate everyone's response. A lot of great points were mentioned for both sides of taking cab from LHR or tube. I should mention that flight is arriving around 10 AM from Chicago on a weekday so by the time we get out of customs, etc., it could be 11 or so. Busy lunch time on the streets? Perhaps taking tube to Covent Garden and take cab to Waldorf may be a lesser expensive option than taking cab all the way from LHR.

I definitely do not want to be weaving luggage through twists and turns, crowds and possibly rain.

"<i>A lot of great points were mentioned for both sides of taking cab from LHR or tube.</i>"

I don't think anyone recommended a cab from LHR. That is a daft idea. There WAS mention of a car service -- justairports -- which is not a taxi. It must be prebooked and should be approx £30 or perhaps £35 from LHR to the door of your hotel if you pay cash. (A cab would cost £50 or possibly more)

You could of course take a cab the short distance from Covent Garden tube station to the hotel. But you'd still have a long walk to the tube station at LHR, and the steps up from the platform at Covent Garden.

If it was me - and especially w/ large bags, I'd book a car service. Yes - it will cost £10 more pp than the tube - but the driver will meet you as you exit arrivals, schlepp your bags to the car and drop you at the front door of the Hilton . . . .

The area around Covent garden is always crowded, and I agree it's not a good idea to drag your large suitcases on the packed sidewalks.

I think JustAirports (or any car service) is the best option given your situation.

If you take the tube to Covent Garden, I don't know how easy it is to get a black cab right away. I don't recall a taxi stand there but I could be wrong.

Janisj - when I said cab, I meant car service.

I think I will just book the car service. I've always done that in the past except when I took HEX to Hilton Paddington last time.

thanks again for your help.