Heathrow Hotel
 

Any suggestions of hotels close to the airport. I see the Sofitel is connected to terminal 5 (the only hotel which is connected to T5), but it is more money than I care to spend, $400. We will arrive late and leave early. Any suggestions. I see the Hilton (there may be 2 hotels there) & Premier Inn. I think the Hilton may have a bus to Terminal 2 or 3. Ideally we would probably like to drop our car and then go to the hotel and then of course back to Terminal 5 in the AM. Of course we could stay at a hotel nearby and then drop the car in the AM. Not sure yet if we will be coming from Blenheim or HIghclere Castle that day.
Thank you,

There are many hotels along the Bath Road and all are totally convenient to T-2 and T-3 and almost as convenient to T-5. There are fewer hotels really close to T-5 but even the one close to T2,3 would work. No hotels have their own shuttle buses. It is either the Hotel Hoppa paid bus - each route circulates to 4 to 5 hotels near each other. Or a very short cab ride. I would just look on booking.com using Heathrow as the area and you can look on a map to see exactly where each hotels is. I've stayed in every price range . . . at two different Premier Inn's, the Sofitel, Thistle, Hilton Garden Inn, Ibis, Radisson, Holiday Inn and maybe some others I can't recall - every one was adequate for a one night stay.

Yes, I think they mentioned the Hoppa bus. do you think it is best to drop the car first, check in and then back to the airport in the AM? Or would you park the car at the hotel and then drop it in the AM. I suppose it depends on if there is a cost to park the car at the hotel.

Almost all hotels charge to park. But even if they didn't what I'd probably do is drive to the hotel and drop the luggage, maybe even check in, then one person take car to drop it off at the rental car lot. You'd only need to keep the car if you wanted to drive somewhere after checking in to have dinner - but since many of the hotels do have restaurants/cafes that shouldn't be necessary.

A few hotels are a 10 or 15 minute walk from say Hertz/Enterprise - totally doable w/o luggage -- as long as it isn't pouring rain ;) But Not knowing where you are going to finally book, either take the rental agency's shuttle to the terminal and the Hoppa to the hotel or just call a cab from the rental agency. It will be a very short ride to just about any of the nearby hotels.

That amount seems high for the Sofitel. It should be around $200 not $400. Where did you see $400? It is worth the money if $200 is more acceptable to you. So easy to just walk out and be in the terminal!

If you are going to take the Hoppa, check the schedules on their website and pick a place that you are not sitting on the bus for 45 minutes while they go to other hotels.

$400 isn’t that much at the Sofitel - depending on the date. I’ve seen it in the range of £350 and as low as £150-ish. More often closer to the upper end. Just the few times I’ve looked recently it seems to be running pretty high

Right now, and through mid-February, it looks to be around $200. A bit more or a bit less depending on the day. I think the past weeks might have been higher, I wanted to stay on December 12 and they were sold out.

thanks for your help. I will look at the Sofitel again. Who know if we will even get to go.

I’m generally a budget traveller, but when it comes to airport hotels I am willing to spend more for convenience. Flying out of Heathrow T5 I prefer Sofitel, which is connected to the terminal building by a covered overhead walkway with golf cart-like shuttles for their guests. Sofitel also has a small car park in front of the hotel where I have paid to leave my car during trips.

For those leaving from T2 or T3 the new Hilton Garden Inn is connected to the terminals, and an easy walk to the check in desks.

Considering how much your entire trip is costing and obviously I’ve no idea how much that is, I would suck it up and pay for the convenience of the Sofitel on the last night.

The Atrium Hotel Heathrow is almost opposite Hatton Cross tube station which would make an easy transfer to T5.
However if you have to drop your rental car at Hertz or Avis, it’s too far to walk back to the hotel, if it’s Sixt then it’s perfect.