Questions on Heathrow to Gatwick..and Hotels
Mar 25th, 2003, 10:46 AM
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Questions on Heathrow to Gatwick..and Hotels
Hi...
We arrive at Heathrow at 8pm on a Saturday night, then depart from Gatwick the next day at noon.
What is the best way to transfer between airports (4 of us with cruise luggage!)?
How much does it cost?
How long will it take on a Saturday night?
Should we overnight at a hotel near Heathrow or Gatwick?
We don't need anything fancy - do you have any recommendations?
We prefer a hotel with a shuttle to the airport.
We would like to go into the city on Saturday night.
Is the underground the best way to go?
Does it run back to/from the airports late in the evening?
Is it safe?
Any other comments/recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Thanks - Crowsie
We arrive at Heathrow at 8pm on a Saturday night, then depart from Gatwick the next day at noon.
What is the best way to transfer between airports (4 of us with cruise luggage!)?
How much does it cost?
How long will it take on a Saturday night?
Should we overnight at a hotel near Heathrow or Gatwick?
We don't need anything fancy - do you have any recommendations?
We prefer a hotel with a shuttle to the airport.
We would like to go into the city on Saturday night.
Is the underground the best way to go?
Does it run back to/from the airports late in the evening?
Is it safe?
Any other comments/recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Thanks - Crowsie
Mar 25th, 2003, 10:55 AM
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There are lots of threads on transfers from Heathrow to London. Here's an abbreviated version.
1. Book a car service - it will be a good value for 4 people. Tell them you need a "people mover" (ie a minivan) because of your numbers & luggage. The car service will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. The two common recommendations are Skinners Cars and Swiss Cottage Cars (011 44 20 7731 2700). Call them before you leave and give them your flight number. A regular car to central London might be 25-35 pounds, a people-mover will be a little more expensive. A cab would be 50-60 pounds. The Heathrow Express train is about 13-14 pounds per person, I'm not sure about the tube (maybe 4 pounds per person?).
2. If you want to go into London on Saturday night, don't stay at a hotel at either airport. Stay in London - perhaps near Victoria Station (where you can take the Gatwick Express to Gatwick the next day). I've never stayed in this neighbourhood, but I just read a recommendation for a Holiday Inn Express in Pimlico (the neighbourhood around Victoria Station).
1. Book a car service - it will be a good value for 4 people. Tell them you need a "people mover" (ie a minivan) because of your numbers & luggage. The car service will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. The two common recommendations are Skinners Cars and Swiss Cottage Cars (011 44 20 7731 2700). Call them before you leave and give them your flight number. A regular car to central London might be 25-35 pounds, a people-mover will be a little more expensive. A cab would be 50-60 pounds. The Heathrow Express train is about 13-14 pounds per person, I'm not sure about the tube (maybe 4 pounds per person?).
2. If you want to go into London on Saturday night, don't stay at a hotel at either airport. Stay in London - perhaps near Victoria Station (where you can take the Gatwick Express to Gatwick the next day). I've never stayed in this neighbourhood, but I just read a recommendation for a Holiday Inn Express in Pimlico (the neighbourhood around Victoria Station).
Mar 25th, 2003, 10:55 AM
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Well- you really have a couple of good options.
Go into London upon arrival and stay in a hotel near Victoria. Then in the morning simply take the Gatwick express train from Victoria station right to the terminal at LGW. It takes 30 minutes. That way you save the round trip into London from either airport. This would be my first choice.
Option 2 would be to take the Speedlink direct coach directly from LHR to LGW and check into your airport hotel (there are several). Then go into London but that would be VERY late - after landing at LHR, 45 mins to get through immigration and retrieve luggage and 45 to 90 mins to LGW then time to get to the hotel then 30+ mins to London - you would be lucky to be in London before midnight.
So go straight into London - either by a car service or the Paddington Express and a taxi to Victoria. Stay the night and leave for LGW by 10:30 AM.
Go into London upon arrival and stay in a hotel near Victoria. Then in the morning simply take the Gatwick express train from Victoria station right to the terminal at LGW. It takes 30 minutes. That way you save the round trip into London from either airport. This would be my first choice.
Option 2 would be to take the Speedlink direct coach directly from LHR to LGW and check into your airport hotel (there are several). Then go into London but that would be VERY late - after landing at LHR, 45 mins to get through immigration and retrieve luggage and 45 to 90 mins to LGW then time to get to the hotel then 30+ mins to London - you would be lucky to be in London before midnight.
So go straight into London - either by a car service or the Paddington Express and a taxi to Victoria. Stay the night and leave for LGW by 10:30 AM.
Mar 25th, 2003, 11:01 AM
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Given your late arrival at Heathrow, and your need to pass immigration/customs, I wonder if your best bet wouldn't be to zip to London Paddington on the Heathrow Express (takes 15 mins) and overnight in London, either in Paddington or near Victoria station. Or with four of you, maybe a cab service (others can help you here, I've never done this.) You'd get to your hotel by 9:30 p.m ish, at a rough estimate. The next day, you could transfer from London Victoria to Gatwick on the Gatwick Express, leaves every 15 to 30 minutes if I remember correctly, and takes 30 minutes.
If you go direct to Gatwick from Heathrow, transfers to Gatwick take around 70 minutes, and that plus customs clearance plus finding your hotel in Gatwick area means a rather late arrival in the Gatwick area for you, closer to 10:30 p.mish, rough estimate. I think you need to work out which timing scenario and route you want to take first, then fill in the hotel details, etc.
If you go direct to Gatwick from Heathrow, transfers to Gatwick take around 70 minutes, and that plus customs clearance plus finding your hotel in Gatwick area means a rather late arrival in the Gatwick area for you, closer to 10:30 p.mish, rough estimate. I think you need to work out which timing scenario and route you want to take first, then fill in the hotel details, etc.
Mar 25th, 2003, 11:13 AM
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WOW!
You folks are the greatest!
We hadn't intended to get to London, as our cruise ship disembarks in Venice, but we had a mix up with our flight.
I'm sorry I won't have more time to spend in the city!
It sounds like a hotel by Victoria Station is the way to go...
Any other recommendations of reasonable hotels to stay in?
Thanks again!
Crowsie
You folks are the greatest!
We hadn't intended to get to London, as our cruise ship disembarks in Venice, but we had a mix up with our flight.
I'm sorry I won't have more time to spend in the city!
It sounds like a hotel by Victoria Station is the way to go...
Any other recommendations of reasonable hotels to stay in?
Thanks again!
Crowsie
Mar 25th, 2003, 11:39 AM
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Thare are MANY - but a good combination of reasonable and location for you would be the Holiday Inn. It is right outside the station (less than a block).
I wouldn't normally recommend it - I like more "atmosphere" - but with your luggage, the late arrival, and convenience to Victoria you really can't beat it.
I wouldn't normally recommend it - I like more "atmosphere" - but with your luggage, the late arrival, and convenience to Victoria you really can't beat it.
Mar 25th, 2003, 11:48 AM
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Kate mentions the Holiday Inn Express which someone recently mentioned as clean, good value. I stayed at the Lime Tree Hotel wwwlimetreehotel.co.uk If you do a search here for hotels AND victoria you'll get a bunch of other recos.
One last warning, make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to check into Gatwick. It's very busy there. Also, if possible, try to get your boarding passes for LGW/VCE leg before the day of flight. The lines for just checking bags are shorter & quicker than those for ticketing. Have a great trip.
One last warning, make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to check into Gatwick. It's very busy there. Also, if possible, try to get your boarding passes for LGW/VCE leg before the day of flight. The lines for just checking bags are shorter & quicker than those for ticketing. Have a great trip.
Mar 25th, 2003, 05:20 PM
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As others have said, definitely stay near Victoria Station. After you've checked into your hotel, take the tube from there to wherever you decide to go before calling it a night--or with four of you, sharing the cost of a cab for what would undoubtedly be a short ride wouldn't be too bad. My Rick Steves guidebook for London is a bit outdated (2001 edition), but here are some of his budget-priced hotel recommendations for the area around Victoria Station.
Lime Tree Hotel: (mentioned by others above). "Spacious and thoughtfully decorated rooms and a fun-loving breakfast room. The place has character."
Winchester Hotel: "Family run and perhaps the best value with 18 fine rooms, no claustrophobia, and a wise and caring management. Credit cards *not* accepted."
Woodville House: "Dollhouse tight, showers down the hall, well run, well worn, a good value with lots of travel tips."
Quality Hotel Eccleston: "Big, modern, well located, and a fine value for no-nonsense comfort."
Astors Hotel: "Helpful staff and 22 decent rooms, some with high ceilings."
Georgian House Hotel: "50 pleasant rooms and a cheaper annex that attracts backpackers."
Lime Tree Hotel: (mentioned by others above). "Spacious and thoughtfully decorated rooms and a fun-loving breakfast room. The place has character."
Winchester Hotel: "Family run and perhaps the best value with 18 fine rooms, no claustrophobia, and a wise and caring management. Credit cards *not* accepted."
Woodville House: "Dollhouse tight, showers down the hall, well run, well worn, a good value with lots of travel tips."
Quality Hotel Eccleston: "Big, modern, well located, and a fine value for no-nonsense comfort."
Astors Hotel: "Helpful staff and 22 decent rooms, some with high ceilings."
Georgian House Hotel: "50 pleasant rooms and a cheaper annex that attracts backpackers."
