Heathrow-Gatwick info sought?
 

My daughter and I are flying into Gatwick from the states;spending the night before going out of Heathrow to India next week. On our return, we will be coming into Heathrow from India and then leaving for the states out of Gatwick.
She has not been to London since she was 5 and wants to go into the city on the way over to India for the day we are there. What hotel is best or would you recommend for easy connections using the train or tube into the city from Heathrow? I am somewhat confused on this Hoppa bus and how one gets into town. Any suggestions?
I think that we will be staying in Crawley by Gatwick on the way home as the train is right next to the hotel and we can go down to Brighton. Thanks!

what time are your flights? That could make a difference re where you should stay. the Hoppa buses are just to go to/from LHR area hotels. They do not go into London.

If your flight out of LHR is mid morning ot later, I'd stay in central London. You;d take a train from LGW to London and then the tube, or a train, or a car service to LHR the next day.

The Heathrow & Gatwick Airport websites have lots of information on how to get into London & between each airport

But unless you are going to tell us the times & dates of your flights we can't give anymore information except that you need at least 5 hours between flights to make a successful connection with an allowance for "things going wrong"

We land in Gatwick at around 930am and leave from Heathrow the next day at 315pm. Coming back from India we land at 1100am(just missing our last flight back to the US) and so will have to wait until the next day for the flight to US at around 1100am. Thanks!

Your question is confusing us all. You say you want to see London on the way TO India (ie when you're staying in Crawley), but then ask about how to get into London FROM Hreathrow (ie on the way home)

The crucial thing you need to understand is that there are few hotels AT Heathrow, but loads a shortish Hoppa bus away - and you have to pay for that bus. Heathrow hotels are generally pricier than their equivalents in town, especially if you use Priceline.

While early morning or late evening flights might dictate otherwise, the general rule in your position is that it's cheapest and most convenient to arive at LHR, get the tube into town to a Priceline-selected hotel, stay there the night then, sightseeing done, get the Southern or London Capital Connect train to Gatwick the following day.

Sorry if I was confusing. We land at Gatwick and leave for India out of Heathrow. My thoughts were transferring to either Heathrow or downtown London on the WAY there.
Coming back to London from Delhi will be into Heathrow and out of Gatwick-I plan on taking the "express bus" out of Heathrow over to Gatwick and then on to my crew hotel for the return. Thanks for your info!