Our flight from Rome landed in London about 1:30 in the afternoon. We actually made plans to meet my cousin. He offered a bed at his place, but he lives a good 90 minute drive from Heathrow. With a 9:45 flight the next morning, that didn’t sound like fun. So we decided to stay at an airport hotel instead. I ended up selecting the Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5, using a “cash and points” HHonors award (20,000 points plus £65). It looked to be a short ride from T5 and easily accessible by bus, which made it perfect for what we needed.
Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5
- Poyle Road, Colnbrook SL3 0FF, United Kingdom
- http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-london-heathrow-airport-terminal-5-LHRATHI/index.html
- Features: free WiFi for HHonors members, meeting rooms, business center, fitness center, two on-site restaurants, coffee shop, and 2 bars, pool/sauna, parking (£16 per day)
Location
Approximately 3 1/2 miles from Terminal 5 and 5 miles from Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4, on the west side of the M25. Airport shuttles are not provided, but you can take the “Hotel Hoppa” bus (Route H57) from Terminals 4 or 5. From Terminals 1, 2, and 3, take the Heathrow Express to T5 (free), then take the Hotel Hoppa from there. Fare is £4.50 per person each way. An Uber from T5 is £8-10. Either way, the trip takes about 10 minutes.
Date of Stay: July 4, 2015
(No, the irony was not lost on me that we were spending American Independence Day in England.)
Review
We used the Hotel Hoppa to reach the hotel, and we arrived a little after 3:00. A pleasant desk clerk checked us in quickly, and we made our way up to our room on the 5th floor. The room, much like the one at the DoubleTree Heathrow Airport a week earlier, was large, with a separate desk area, along with a helpful, oversized nightstand to the left of the bed that was large enough to hold an overstuffed laptop bag.
I found the TV interesting, as it featured a personalized greeting on the main menu screen.
It’s a small item in the grand scheme of things, but I just found it to be a nice touch. At least they’re trying to give you a more personal experience.
Though I wouldn’t call it cavernous, the bathroom was decently sized. It featured a deep soaking tub and hand-held shower. I also appreciated that they didn’t skimp on the towels. Several were tucked away in the cabinet space under the sink.
The decor, as you can see, is quite basic. Sterile, almost, though the hotel attempts to add a modern vibe with the swanky desk chair and lavender mood lighting in the bathroom. The attempt doesn’t really work. Then again, I imagine decor ranks low for most airport hotel guests. After all, they’re designed for mostly short stays before a morning flight.
As far as the hotel itself, my cousin came and picked us up not long after we checked in, and we didn’t return until nearly after 11 P.M., so we didn’t get to sample any of the hotel’s services or amenities. There is an Indian restaurant on-site, “Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen”. I’m not a fan of Indian food in England – not spicy enough for my (admittedly warped) tastes – but the chef, Cyrus Todiwala, is the executive chef at one of the UK’s most acclaimed Indian restaurants, Cafe Spice Namaste, so it’s probably worth a try.
The other restaurant, “The Gallery”, serves contemporary British fare, and there are two bars on the property, one of which overlooks the nearby river. One useful amenity – if you plan on taking the Hotel Hoppa back to Heathrow, you can purchase tickets from the front desk, and charge them to your room if you’re low on cash.
Which brings me to perhaps my biggest gripe with the hotel – for a property that prominently lists “Terminal 5” in its name, it isn’t particularly close to T5. Sure, a 10-minute bus ride isn’t terrible, but when you have heavy bags to lug around, it’s still a pain. Also, unlike the DoubleTree in Cranford, there is very little surrounding the hotel in the largely industrial/commercial area of Poyle. There are a handful of shops and restaurants in Colnbrook, but it is a rather long walk, especially if the weather is bad.
Overall Impressions
Positives:
- Short Uber or bus ride to LHR T5; purchase Hotel Hoppa tickets at front desk
- Spacious rooms
- Multiple dining options
Negatives:
- Not much in the surrounding area, thus restricting you to the hotel’s pricey restaurants
- Not particularly close to airport given the “Terminal 5” moniker in the name
- Blah decor
A functional and fair airport hotel, though a bit lacking in convenience given the distance from the terminals. If you’re a Hilton partisan and desire something walking distance from the airport, consider the Hilton London Heathrow Airport, reviewed by Rocky last year, which is connected via walkway to T4.
Note: this post is part of my multi-part trip report series about my wife and I’s trip to Europe in June/July, 2015. Read the trip report introduction for an index and background about our trip.
