Where to overnight betwen Heathrow and Chester
 

Our flight from Milan arrives at Heathrow at 3p.m. After clearing customs and collecting a hire vehicle, we will be headed to Chester for a five day stay with friends, returning the vehicle to Heathrow, then onto London for 5 days.

Australians happy to be driving this part of our extended European trip on the "right side of the road", nontheless appreciate the google distance time may not be achievable (M40).

So.....we would appreciate advice on a place to overnight after a couple of hours driving, where we could easily then continue our drive to Chester in daylight.

What about Stratford upon Avon?

Or Warwick, Kenilworth (also just off the M40).

Other options, Woodstock, Oxford...

.. except Oxford is a nightmare with a car and the OP is just looking for somewhere to break the journey overnight

<i>where we could easily then continue our drive to Chester in daylight.</i>

When are you travelling, depending on time of sunset could be any time between 4:00pm and 9:30pm.

The biggest problem though is that you will be driving - unless it's a weekend - straight into the Rush Hour and the direct route to Chester takes you past Birmingham.

I'd probably be tempted to just go to Windsor - or spend the night in London and take an early train to Chester picking up a car once there.

Agree Gordon...but it is an option :). Woodstock would definitely be better!!

Fantastic. Thank you all for considering options on my behalf. Woodstock it is!

Home Farmhouse is a B&B not far off the M40 in a village, Charlton, not hard to find and easier than negotiating town traffic. I've stayed there, the owners are lovely people, it's an upscale place but not expensive. Part of the Wolsey Lodge group.
http://homefarmhouse.co.uk/index.html
http://www.wolseylodges.com/Lodge/view.aspx?LodgeID=192

I should have mentioned Home Farmhouse above is past Oxford, closer to Banbury (and closer to the M40 than Woodstock). I think you could very comfortably get as far as Charlton.

What day of the week? As traffic would be VERY high on my list of considerations. Personally I think Stratford U Avon is a better option as you are about 1/2 way into your journey and it's an easy 10 minutes off Junction 15 of the M40. You can then easily continue onto the M42/m6 to Chester the next morning.

There are so many B&B's in the countryside near the M40 that I see no reason to drive in town traffic at all, including Stratford which is an unnecessary distance off the M40. All those towns in Warwickshire are bedroom communities for Birmingham and are best avoided if anywhere near commute times.

Salisbury could be a good choice or Shrewsbury - to me a vastly underrated city - one of my favorite English cities, sitting right near the Welsh border - on a nice river an ancient looking city, for Britain that is.

>>Salisbury could be a good choice . . .<<

Salisbury makes no sense whatsoever. It is in the wrong direction and is farther from Chester than is LHR.

I don't think Woodstock makes the most sense - quite a detour. But if you wanted to meander and not stick to the Motorway then it would be OK.

When is the trip - time of year could make a big difference.

Actually - since you won't be at all jet lagged one option is to drive all the way to Chester. It is about 3.5-4 hours from LHR.

MME I would respectfully beg to differ SUA is 10 minutes from Junction 15 and is not actually a bedroom community for Bham. It is a tourist destination in its own right. But I do see your point about travelling in towns during rush hour

Jainis it won't be 3 .5 hours at that time of night. The M25 will be murder ( especially that stretch BUT it is only 2 junctions to the M40) the M 6 is another matter, it's always horrible.
I think stopping off is a good idea, but of course agreeing on a place is the tricky bit ;)

Oh -I think stopping over is good too. Was just saying the drive is doable. But I didn't notice the 3PM bit and I agree at that time of day stopping closer to LHR than closer to Chester makes sense.

To be honest if it's anything like last night, 1 hour to go from junction 14 to junction 16 on the M25, I'd stay at LHR :(
back to the OP , am sure wherever you decide it will be fine.

Thank you all.