Layover Heathrow

If you decide to stay at the airport, the Premier Inn at T4 is a perfectly acceptable place usually available at a great price. It's walkable from the terminal through a covered walkway in about 15 minutes.

You will need to be at the airport at 8.15am, so I would stay at the airport. You have enough time for a few hours looking round and a meal in central London before heading back out.

We always stay at LHR at he Sofitel at Terminal 5 or at the Hilton Terminal 4. You do have enough time to go into London and I encourage you to do that! Immigration lines can be long but I hear they have recently improved. Take a train into the city and back to avoid traffic, especially in the morning if you stay overnight. It’s your call and comfort level whether to sleep in the city or out at LHR. Enjoy London; you’ll want to return.

I would definitely book a hotel at the airport. It'll be so much more convenient in the morning. My wife and I stayed at the Premier Inn at Terminal 4 last week. The walk from Terminal 4 to the hotel is an easy one which is through a tunnel. Unfortunately, our plane got in at 10:30 pm and our flight to Chicago left at 8:30 am so we didn't have time to feel the incredible energy of London. Check in at the airport hotel, take the Tube into the city, and enjoy London. Even for a short visit, it'll be worth it.

You can save money by staying at the Yotel in T3, but expect a cabin-sized room with no space to unpack.

Thanks everyone! I’m sure staying in the city is a better experience but in this situation staying at the airport just seems less stressful! Thanks for not making me feel lame thinking this!

I’ll be flying British Airways which I believe will be terminal 5. Does anyone know if that might be right? My gate/terminal details haven’t been given yet. Thanks!

British Airways is also at Terminal 3.

Check the flight status information on BA’s website to see which terminal today’s and yesterday‘s departures for your destination were and it will tell you from which terminal your flight most likely will be departing.

The Sofitel at T5 is very good, pricey but I got a pretty good rate on a non-refundable advance purchase -- worth the risk since it's tied to your flight schedule.

Normally I'd recommend an airport hotel but you could also stay in London if you can get up early and out to the airport in time. Depends on whether you want to bed down in the city or get yourself back to LHR after your fun-packed evening. Your tight timetable makes the very fast frequent Heathrow Express a good option. Advance tickets can be very cheap, and they don't commit you to a particular train, just a date. There are lots of hotels around Paddington where it goes, though that isn't the most convenient location for London sightseeing.