texasbookworm

Next August we (mom, dad, and adult daughter) have an 8 am departure flight from LHR, so we will need to be at Terminal 3 by 5 am, I suppose.

The day before we will be driving from Dover, returning rental car at LHR, and spending the night as close as possible to LHR.

So where do you recommend we stay, and how do we get from that hotel (at about 4 or 4:30 am) to Terminal 3?

And to add to the mix, we have enough points for a free room at the Hilton in Terminal 4; would that be a feasible idea?

KTtravel

texasbookworm, according to the airport's website here is some info:

Terminal 1 or 3 to Terminal 4
Use the free Heathrow Connect rail shuttle for a quick, convenient transfer between terminals. Trains run every 15 minutes between Heathrow Central and Terminal 4, a three-minute journey.
Heathrow Central is between Terminals 1 and 3, which are a few minutes' walk away via underground walkways and signposted from the platforms. The Terminal 4 rail station is in the basement of the terminal and linked to check-in and arrivals by lifts and escalators.
Alternatively, the 555 bus runs every 19 minutes between the terminals. The transfer is free and buses stop close to the terminals.

dutyfree

My daughter is in graduate school in the UK and we have gone in and out of LHR alot in the past year. I highly recommend the Jury's Inn for price,location,room,etc. I have gotten it for as low as 48 pounds for a TRIPLE on the internet and 59 pounds for last minute. It has restaurants within,secured parking and if you want one last pub dinner you can drive or walk across the outside road to a darling truly English pub with great food and drink.
The rooms are a good size with TV,decent size bathrooms,etc.They are really nice at the desk with questions and help.

texasbookworm

dutyfree
So how is the best way to get from Jury's Inn to Terminal 3?

dutyfree

We usually rent from Budget or Avis and have just kept the car in the lot and returned it in the morning.They supposedly have some type of shuttle but have not used it.

janisj

the desks probably won't be open at 5AM, so I wouldn't plan on getting there quite that early. I'd just pick whichever hotel along the A4/Bath Road - there's everything from Premier Travel Inn to Jury's to 2 Sheraton's to - well you get the idea.

These hotels are closer to T-3 than is the Hilton at T-4.

janisj

Oh - meant to add -- the Hotel Hoppa buses start around 0420-0430 depending on which hotel you choose, so you won't have any problem getting to T-3 early.

Odin

From the Jurys Inn you can walk to Hatton Cross tube station and take the train to T3. You can also stay somewhere like the Continental Hotel in Hounslow and take the tube from Hounslow Central to T3. And if you want an English pub for a last meal I would recommend the Ostrich in Colnbrook village which is just beyond T5.

janisj

</i>From the Jurys Inn you can walk to Hatton Cross tube station and take the train to T3.</i>"

First tube trains from Hatton Cross or Hounslow Central arrive at T-3 at 05:20

WillTravel

Holiday Inn Ariel is fine for this purpose. I took the (free) public bus to the terminal, but I'm not sure how early it starts running. The bus is free because all the buses are free within a certain parameter of Heathrow.

stepsbeyond

Don't bother with the Hoppa bus. Four of you can travel just as cheaply in a taxi from a hotel like the Premiere Inn (reasonably priced, perfectly clean) or go to the Hilton, and the hotel desk will call the taxi for you. Standing around in the chill dark waiting for the Hoppa bus -- which then pokes along making many stops -- isn't worth it with luggage, nor is walking through tube stations, tunnels, etc. dragging luggage at that hour. Just spring for the 20 bucks it will cost you take a taxi.

texasbookworm

Do none of these hotels run shuttles, like at many airport area hotels around the world? A few of their websites mention that but with no details and none of you guys are mentioning such a thing.

janisj

texasbookworm: "<i>Do none of these hotels run shuttles</i>"

- no, none have shuttles.

KayF

There is also a Yotel inside Heathrow airport - like a pod hotel. Not sure which terminal it is in. We stayed at the one at Gatwick airport and thought it was incredibly convenient. www.yotel.com

We stayed at Jury's Inn once for an early departure and walked to Hatton Cross tube station. Jury's Inn was fine though there is nothing around it at all. It's about a 10 min flat walk to the station.

Kay

adamhornets

Jury's will probably offer the best balance between value, comfort and ease of getting to T3. There is a Hoppa bus but it's just as easy to take the tube from Hatton Cross as long as you don't have too much luggage. They will also book you a taxi or car service should you prefer.

If you do decide to stay there I would drop the family off at the hotel along with luggage and then head for the car rental drop off. A couple of them are just about walkable from Jury's and there are red London buses that run around the perimeter so you probably won't have to head back to the hotel via the actual airport but if you let us know which firm you are using then we may be able to offer more detailed instructions.

texasbookworm

Thank you all--this is exactly the sort of leads/info I can build on!

adamhornets--Don't know which car service yet but know we will have to factor that into the mix as we decide. Probably book that in the next couple of weeks (leaving that part up to DH!)

janisj--As always, thanks--Sometimes I wish I could just pick your brain directly as I make my plans! Your specific knowledge has been so helpful.

Kayf--Yotel is at Terminal 4

(Also preliminary searches of a couple hotels there turn up no available rooms for 3 adults--??!! Is that really so? Can Holiday Inn already be booked 9 months ahead OR have no rooms for 3 to begin with? I have found this the case rather often in my booking and planning for this trip; I wonder whether rooms for 3 adults are really that rare, or if I'm just looking so far ahead the websites aren't giving me correct info. This questions may be rather a rabbit trail, perhaps)

WillTravel

It might be worth getting two rooms. A triple is not necessarily cheaper, particularly if you get a great deal on a double.

WillTravel

I took a quick look at the Holiday Inn Ariel site, and you can book a triple, but with an extra 15-pound charge for the 3rd adult.

janisj

texasbookworm: No (!) - I need all the (few) brain cells I have left

You could book 2 rooms using priceline and likely be cheaper than a triple. Looks like the Marriott, Sheraton Heathrow and Crowne Plaza are all being won pretty regularly at about $55-$60.

biddingfortravel.com

Odin

"First tube trains from Hatton Cross or Hounslow Central arrive at T-3 at 05:20"

For an 8am flight that is fine - assuming the US airline allows online checkin 24 hours before hand.

According to the Hoppa timetable, the first bus H9 calls at the Jurys at 0515.

From Hatton Cross you can also take buses as well as tubes - for example bus 555 starts at 0404am although not frequent at this hour. And if all this is too much effort, you can always prebook a local taxi to pick you up from the hotel and drop you in front of T3. It would cost about £10-15.