Seniors Looking For Hotel Near/At Heathrow for an Overnight Flight

I am a fan of the Sofitel in terminal 5. Easy to get to; easy to find food; close to transportation for the next morning heading to terminal 3. I have not stayed at an airport hotel in terminal 3 - just have not had the opportunity. Though the Sofitel is not a budget hotel, the ease of use and location has always persuaded me this is a better choice than somewhere at a distance - less hassle overall, IMO. And, I use my BA miles there when I have 'em. It could be a hotel in terminal 3 would be an equally fine choice - let's hear from others.

If you are going to stay at Heathrow (which is sensible given your flight times), you may as well stay in a terminal hotel, and to the best of my knowledge the Hilton Garden Inn T2/T3 is the only one - the rest are a bus or taxi ride.

You can access T3 via a covered walkway, so it's very easy: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lhrhegi-hilton-garden-inn-london-heathrow-terminals-2-and-3/

I'm another fan of the Sofitel in T5. I use it whenever I travel to Europe via Heathrow, which is just about always.

We also like the Sofitel, a 3-minute walk from the arrivals area at T5.

for your AA flight from T# the next day, you will have to transfer terminals one way or another. The bus is for airside transfers between connecting flights, and you might use that if you want but you would have to go through security in T# and then exit to reach the hotel.

The usual landside transfer between terminals 5 and 3 is fast, easy and free using the Heathrow Express, Elizabeth line, or Tube. If you stay in T5 at the Sofitel, you would do that the next morning. Or you could do the transfer upon arrival and stay at the T2/3 Hilton Garden.

I have stayed at both the Sofitel and the Hilton Garden Inn at T2/3 numerous times.

For your flights, I'm also going to suggest the Sofitel at Terminal 5. It's more like a 5 minute walk from the time you exit customs to the time you reach the reception desk. But it's all indoors. And easy.

The Hilton Garden Inn is closer to T2 than T3. If arriviing late at night, it's easier to just go to the Sofitel and deal with the transfer to T3 in the morning.

This way, there are no busses to catch.

Good advice from other contributors and apologies for misreading which terminal you were arriving at.

Heathrow overnight stay experts - can you expand / clarify? Here's a recent thread that says there is a Holiday Inn Express and also a Premier Inn with easy access at Heathrow; they are at terminal 4.
Can someone give a simple primer on terminal setup at Heathrow, and practicality of free transit between terminals? i.e. - how much of a hassle / time / expense, if any, is it to pick a hotel at a different terminal than I am arriving / leaving...? Thanks!
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england-reviews/review-of-holiday-inn-express-at-heathrow-terminal-4

Here is the official guide to transferring (landside) between terminals:

https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/airport-maps/travel-between-terminals

You really can't beat the convenience of the Sofitel for your arrival at T5 - a relatively short walk from the arrivals area/baggage claim and by far the nicest hotel in the immediate area.
After a pleasant overnight at the Sofitel, my suggestion would be to have the hotel arrange for one of the airport mini-cabs to get you over to T3 the next morning. The cost is minimal, and is worth it for the door to door service (IMHO) ... especially if you're horsing luggage around.

I've always stayed at the Premier Inn T4 and hopped on the Underground to get to and from whichever terminal I was using. The walk from T4 to the hotel takes at least 10 minutes, I think, but you're in an enclosed walkway. The rates at that hotel are usually quite reasonable; they're likely to be lower if you make your reservation early. I always opt for the flexible rate so I can cancel if I need to.

Another huge fan of Sofitel at LHR. I became ill while staying there and they were so incredible, bringing me foods and drinks that I could keep down. Their concierge was constantly checking on us. They went above and beyond for us and reduced the room rate 50% for the extra days I needed to stay there recovering.

Barbie, We stayed at the Crown Plaza (same building as the Holiday Inn Express at T4) two nights ago and used the Hotel Hoppa to get to T2 after it stopped at T3. [We travel through London multiple times a year and have tried many of the airport hotels as well as the Hilton Paddington (or Hotel Indigo)+Heathrow Express for times when we just need a place to stay for one night before an early flight home.] While the Hotel Hoppa works and you're sitting the whole time, it's time consuming. Even though I knew we had plenty of time, I was feeling a bit anxious every time the bus had to slow down to inch past another bus or stop in traffic. The Hilton at T4 sends out someone to help patrons load luggage. At Holiday Inn Express/Crown Plaza, you'd be loading your own. I agree with the others that the Sofitel sounds like a great fit for your layover.

If you are going to stay at Heathrow (which is sensible given your flight times), you may as well stay in a terminal hotel, and to the best of my knowledge the Hilton Garden Inn T2/T3 is the only one - the rest are a bus or taxi ride.

Actually, that's a bit inaccurate. I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Terminal 4, and it's just a quick stroll from Terminal 4 thru the covered walkway, which takes you right to the HIE (and also the Crowne Plaza Hotel). No taxi or bus needed.