Hi,
I need to get from my hotel near Earl's Court to Heathrow before the Tube starts in the morning. (We have to be there by 5 am.)
We've always used the Tube but our flight was moved up to an early hour.
Can anyone recommend a reliable taxi service for trips to the airport. I found several on the Internet but I like to get recommendations.
I am not interested in shuttle services.
Thanks!

You will spend far more on a taxi than on any other form of transportation. Book a car service. It will be your cheapest and most reliable option. www.justairports.com

Thanks. Anybody has another suggestion? We have used car services in other countries and have been pleased with the results.

90% of anyone on Fodors will recommend justairports - they are reasonable, reliable, and looooong established. There are several other good car services - but most cost a lot more than justairports

Agree - we always use justairports

Why not move out to Heathrow the day before your flight for your last night and stay in one of the hotels on the airport. They will all have courtesy buses to run you into the terminal.

Rubicond,

The hotel courtesy buses, for the most part, are long gone. Most Heathrow area hotels now use the hotel hoppa which has a per person charge of around £4. Exceptions are the hotels attached to or in terminals, I believe only terminals 4 and 5, Hilton at 4, Sofitel at 5 and 1 or 2 others.

So, Taitul, this isn't a bad suggestion but check on hotel transport to your terminal. Personally, I would stay where you are. At that time of the morning and given you're on the west side of London the trip shouldn't take long. The car service will suggest a pick-up time, they usually are aware of any road works, closings, etc.

I am aware of the arrangements at LHR for getting into the terminals from hotels. Regardless of what car services are aware of on the roads surrounding or on the way to the airport, there's nothing that they can do about it, other than pick you up early. Accidents that close roads on the morning will not be factored into pick up times and mean you get there later and who knows how much later.

If the OP makes his way out to LHR on public transport the late afternoon/early evening on the day prior to flying, he'll be at LHR on the right side of the traffic for such an early flight and maybe even get a bit longer in bed. The saving on transport on the early morning trip will also probably pay for dinner the night before.

A night in a hotel at the airport or in London should be roughly the same cost.

Well, if you're aware of the arrangements, I think you should be clearer than stating that "they will all have coutesy buses to run you..."

The Hotel Hoppa is not a courtesy and you are subject to its schedule.

Here is who we used when we visited London, there were 3 of us LHR to Earl's Court (we stayed at K+K Hotel George). I pre-booked and opted to pay when we arrived at hotel. They are reliable and I have recommended to others who were pleased with their services. They had the cheapest rate when I was looking 2 yrs. ago. They offer live support on website and you can chat w/ someone too. Not sure about very early pickups as you are looking for.

You could weigh the cost of a car service vs staying at airport hotel the night before.

Sorry, I forgot to give you the link:

https://www.247airporttransfer.co.uk/

<<he'll be at LHR on the right side of the traffic for such an early flight and maybe even get a bit longer in bed.>>

There isn't any traffic at the hour that the car service will be needed in order to get to LHR by 5am, which I would say should pick up at 4.15 am - 4.30am. I don't believe there is any saving in time nor money by staying at LHR the night before. You would have to take the LHR Hoppa at about the same time as the car service. I would check that the Hoppa service starts early enough, as there might be several stops before reaching the terminal.

No - staying at LHR really won't make things much easier at all. There are no free hotel shuttles. The Hotel Hoppa runs are a set schedule so one doesn't get a choice of departure time. Plus it will stop at approx 3 other hotels on its loop. Early in the AM a car service will zip out to LHR in no time (there is virtually no traffic at 4AM). At most staying at LHR will save maybe 20 minutes -- you'd still have to get up at zero dark thirty.

Staying at our hotel the last night and taking a car service is our preferred option. That early in the morning we should get to Heathrow in no time.
Thanks Fodorites for your advice.