Thistle pod to T5 update

[Philondon]

So I am at the Premier Inn T5 which I booked before reading about the pods from the Thistle Hotel over the road, to T5.

I thought I’d try my luck and wandered over to the Thistle and ask about the pods.

They said I could buy the ticket tonight for tomorrow which surprised me as I thought Rob said the code changed each day.

But….. then they asked if I was staying at the Thistle and I’m too honest…. or didn’t want complications early tomorrow morning so I said I’m staying at the Premier Inn over the road and I didn’t know the pods were running when I booked the room. The receptionist asked the manager if I could buy a pass for them and they said no.

Agh! The receptionists were really polite and so was I, but I added that I had to wake up so early tomorrow for my flight so they said the bus only takes 10 minutes.

I wonder what time the shifts change…..

[ChrisBCN]

Worth having a go in the morning if you really wanted to do the pods… If they ask if you are staying there, tell them ‘no, but I have several trips coming up and I would love to book my stays here once I’ve seen how the pods work’

[Aquarius12]

Please keep us updated on if you take the bus or pods & what you think. I have a booking in June for myself & 3 friends at T5 Premier Inn on a flexible booking. This week seeing that the pods were running I have now booked two rooms on a flexi booking at the Thistle. The thistle has breakfast included for £20 more a room than our Premier Inn Booking. So now we have two rooms at the Premier Inn (no breakfast) two rooms at Thistle with breakfast all on flexible bookings & need to make a decision on which to cancel. Flying BA Club Europe 11.30am so not sure if breakfast is really needed or could if we should just grab in the lounge? Thinking maybe should check pods continue to run closer to the time of our holiday

[John]

Aquarius12 wrote:

I have a booking in June for myself & 3 friends at T5 Premier Inn on a flexible booking. This week seeing that the pods were running I have now booked two rooms on a flexi booking at the Thistle. The thistle has breakfast included for £20 more a room than our Premier Inn Booking. So now we have two rooms at the Premier Inn (no breakfast) two rooms at Thistle with breakfast all on flexible bookings & need to make a decision on which to cancel. Flying BA Club Europe 11.30am so not sure if breakfast is really needed or could if we should just grab in the lounge? Thinking maybe should check pods continue to run closer to the time of our holiday

Isn’t Premier Inn breakfast also £10 each so it really depends on which hotel has the better rooms. But I would just eat in the lounge – you can access the lounge from 0500 anyway

For a 1130 flight you have plenty of time to even walk to T5, and if you really want to experience the pods just take them to the car park and back for free as many times as you like (or until some busybody comes and kicks you out – I took them 3 times then ran away though not sure if they were actually targeting me or just doing a routine patrol).

[Philondon]

The Premier Inn and Thistle are almost opposite each other on a small road. However, I decided not to risk it this morning. With the news stories of huge queues at the airport, plus, strangely, the entrance to the Thistle is quite far down the side of the building, I didn’t want to waste time if they refused again.

There are 2 TfL buses that go to Terminal 5. Unfortunately they are at different bus stops. One is opposite the entrance to the Premier Inn and the other is a minute walk behind the Premier Inn on the main road.

I’d planned to get a bus from the bus stop on the main road but I was early outside and checking Citymapper a bus was about to arrive outside the hotel.

For the non-Londoners reading this, TfL buses have recently jumped in price and now cost £1.65. You don’t need an Oyster card anymore, you just tap a contactless card, including Amex.

The driver was a bit over the top telling people to go upstairs with small cases, and not block the pathway with large cases. But the journey was only 5 minutes.

And amazingly there was barely a queue at the check-in desks. My partner was previously told if you have filled in the Verifly app then it will be quicker to check-in at section G. I later found out that the queue for Pret was longer than the queue to check-in at G. Anyway I’m typing this from Wetherspoon’s and for Wetherspoon’s the fry up is pretty good! Hot and not overcooked! LA here I come!

[John]

TfL buses have accepted contactless since 2013.