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For once I am travelling via LHR T5, overnight in both directions.
Staying on the 30th August and 1st September.
Normally, I would just choose the Sofitel at T5, however we will be travelling with my partner’s parents who would strongly begrudge paying the money and would be apoplectic if we just paid the money for it as they are aware of the price.
In which case, what would be the best value hotel in the area of T5 for price and convenience for 7am flights, includingease of transportation to/from the hotel. I’m also minded to use Hilton points for the HGI at T2/3 if necessary.
We will be arriving around 7pm on the 30th from EDI and around 9:30pm on the 1st from CDG.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions provided.
Honestly there’s only one hotel in T5 and that’s the only one I’d stay in for a 7am departure but if you must stay elsewhere I guess you could twilight check in and use HGI T2/3 as you suggest the T4 hotels are a bit of a hassle when leaving that early as the tube isn’t frequent enough but there’s a cheap enough bus if you miss the tube.
I value convenience highly so would stay at the Sofitel. If you go for the HGI T2/3 it has a nice rooftop bar for drinks and snacks – it should still be light so you get great views over the airport and London skyline in the distance.
I know, joys of not being the only opinions to think about.
Had the Thistle in mind, and transferring with the Pods, but have not had good stays at previous Thistle Hotels in the past, not by choice staying there either.
I value convenience highly so would stay at the Sofitel. If you go for the HGI T2/3 it has a nice rooftop bar for drinks and snacks – it should still be light so you get great views over the airport and London skyline in the distance.
If it were just me and my partner then yes. My partner’s parents won’t countenance it due to cost, even if I’m paying. It’ll also be a check-in and sleep both nights due to the early starts the next morning.
They technically charge £8 per person per way for the pods so adds £64 a stay!?! I wouldn’t bother uber would be cheaper I know the public areas have had a decent refurb but think the rooms have just been given a lick of paint?
I guess bags will be through checked on both occasions too having read again so Premier Inn T5 is another reasonably priced alternative.
Renaissance can be reasonable if you’re eligible to use the XML booking code (list of employers online)
They technically charge £8 per person per way for the pods so adds £64 a stay!?! I wouldn’t bother uber would be cheaper I know the public areas have had a decent refurb but think the rooms have just been given a lick of paint?
I guess bags will be through checked on both occasions too having read again so Premier Inn T5 is another reasonably priced alternative.
Renaissance can be reasonable if you’re eligible to use the XML booking code (list of employers online)
No hold luggage as only away for a total of three nights which is a bonus. Travel from EDI to LHR and back to EDI on the 2nd is to then join a one night trip to the Paralympics won through Nestlé. So it will be different PNRs too for the luggage as a group booking with other winners.
Renaissance might be a great shout through work, will check that one out when I get home and see if my new employer will qualify, as I’m currently at AMS avoiding the mice in the KLM Lounge. They tend to avoid the quiet room and also because it is almost always empty.
The Hilton T2/3 is a shocking amount of cash and points, it can be more expensive than the Sofitel. The HGI at Hatton Cross, while one of the furthest from T5, is actually very conveniently located about 10-15 minutes away on the tube. When you factor in traffic and costs, it makes more sense than getting taxis or buses. It’s also usually very reasonably priced, although if any of you have mobility issues, just be aware there is no lift from the platform.
I stayed at the Thistle last week, the rooms have been tidied up so it’s not a bad option now IMO, the bar/restaurant is fine for a drink or a bite, my room was clean and it has AC, fast wifi etc.
What I’d say about the pods is that from what I saw, no one is checking at the point you use the gate. So if you got the code for one room and your partners parents happened to fall through the gate with you then I’m almost certain no one is going to say anything.
That said if you’ve no luggage then either there or the Premier Inn T5 aren’t a bad option for using the 423 bus, just wouldn’t rely on it with bags early in the morning. Perhaps ride the bus there and the pods back when you’ll appreciate the convenience for your early start,
I’d also check the HGI at Hatton Cross as you can take the tube
Premier Inn plus room, save yourself some money, extremely easy to use the frequent buses
I feel your pain. Travelling with people whose budget is bigger or smaller than your own is hard.
Several years back I had trouble with a no-show bus from an airport hotel, and the hotel couldn’t find a taxi as an alternative. I never want to repeat that experience, but have heard plenty of similar stories.
With your own car, it’s possible to stay off terminal without the stress. In your case, I would stay somewhere on the tube or train network. Or, better, put up with the consequences and book the Sofitel. If you must stay off site, I would consider an overnight car rental to avoid the stress of a bus/taxi transfer.
We recently had a similar dilemma and used the HIX T5 (towards Slough). It was cheap, we slept well, had great parking deal, and has fixed price (shared) Ubers at your specified time for £20 (and we were the only ones to take that Uber).
I’m with you Roberto. Though a bag drop the night before will be available for flights that early, and will reduce stress.
I feel the parents in laws’ pain as I’m budget-bound too. Could this be smoothed over by :
– checking if the S. hotel still appears in a deal on secretescapes
– checking if S has multiroom suites that might work out to share. Though probably they’re even more expensive!
– with a bit of luck the parents in law may not be enough into loyalty to know that in the Accor program points cost is directly a function of room cost. So tell them you got the room(s) on points.
Please let us know what turns out to be the solution.
Sofitel. Pay cash but tell the in-laws you used points.
I’ve paid about £170 for my last 2 Sofitel stays when I had an early T5 departure. If you join Accor and book direct you get a small discount and full flexibility.
I used to think this was expensive but when the Hilton T2/3 and the decidedly shabby DT at MAN can be more expensive nowadays (I’ve seen the former at £265 recently!), it doesn’t actually feel that painful any more!
There are buses every 10 mins or so from T4 to T5 which would be free for them if they have their old dears bus pass or £ 1.75 for you
The premier inn T4 has standard non refundable rooms from £50 or £ 60 for the Premier plus rooms.
For the 9pm arrival either bus in the reverse direction or free train or tube. True that means a change at either T2/3 for Lizzie or Hatton Cross for the tube but both are free for all of you and being a cross platform transfer is very easy.
^ Plus use the excellent Citymapper app for directions & live bus info. I personally don’t understand why people would pay double or more the rate of a Premier Plus room for little extra benefit (or indeed shabbier rooms from a nicer brand name)
I get panicky the more scope there is for disruption, it’s a huge deal for me.
So – get up and walk to T5 = minimal stress.
Travel between terminals by tube which is unlikely to be disrupted by the usual suspects like traffic = very minor stress.
Rely on bus/taxi which is subject to the vagaries of road conditions = sleepless night and feeling rubbish while travelling = max stress!
@executiveclubber – we often don’t agree, but I’m with you on this! While fully recognising the convenience of walking into the terminal, the Sofitel just isn’t that good. I can stay at the Premier Inn, have a remarkably decent 3 course dinner with wine at the Hilton next door and still have change. The restaurant at the Sofitel is fairly extortionate and not one I would choose, save for the fact it’s on site. While some have mentioned avoiding that cost by eating stuff from M&S in the room which isn’t, to my way of thinking, a very agreeable start to a premium cabin holiday.
The transport to T5 runs like clockwork having done this three times in the last nine months.
“ There are buses every 10 mins or so from T4 to T5 which would be free for them if they have their old dears bus pass or £ 1.75 for you”
the 490 and 482 run that early but not every 10 mins and last time I used them they were both running late. You need to be out and at the bus stop around 4:40am to be sure then you’ll have a choice of a couple or wait another 20 mins or so. They take about 15 mins to T5 bus stop.
Personally if you just have hand luggage then the Bath Road hotels are just as convenient as the T4 ones for a very early T5 departure.
I’ve paid about £170 for my last 2 Sofitel stays when I had an early T5 departure. If you join Accor and book direct you get a small discount and full flexibility.
I used to think this was expensive but when the Hilton T2/3 and the decidedly shabby DT at MAN can be more expensive nowadays (I’ve seen the former at £265 recently!), it doesn’t actually feel that painful any more!
Whenever I check the Sofitel it’s getting on for 300 quid ! Which is way too much for me. That is why I tried the Thistle and was pleasently surprised for the price and the pods are pretty much a zero risk option with no waiting time (I only live an hr away so too much travelling about on buses and I may as well just drive in the morning and put the cash towards decent parking…)
Sofitel is almost always about £160 booked in advance. You get Accor points and 10% from TCB to further ease the pain. Despite what @KDB says, it has two restaurants. One is mediocre; the other is excellent. It also has cheap parking. My wife would be very cross if we stayed anywhere else.
Much easier to do a dummy booking to give accurate prices. And today TCB is offering 10% for new customers and classic & silver members but only 3% for Gold+ members so it’s not a given that it’s always 10%
For 30th Aug they want £ 255 for cheapest, member rate, non refundable room excluding breakfast room,
For 1st September it’s £ 211 for the same room and conditions
So for two rooms on 2 nights thats £ 932
That’s definitly not worth the money!
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