I’ll be stopping at Heathrow next week en route to India. My Virgin Atlantic itinerary changed, leaving me with a full-day layover (8am until 6pm) - doesn’t line up with regular hotel hours. There’s an hourly hotel in Terminal 3, but it’s booked up that day. Are there other hotels in/near the airport that offer flexible hours? Or maybe lounges that are available to regular travelers (i.e., not business class or high medallion)? Other ideas? My husband, adult son, and I would like to be somewhere that we can hang out, change clothes and possibly shower since we’ll have another 9-hour flight to Delhi ahead of us!
Posted by
Freedonia
18231 posts
Virgin Atlantic uses Terminal 3.
Here's a page from Heathrow's website about lounges and hotels:
Posted by
Washington DC
29852 posts
Others have mentioned booking a "day room" at a hotel in this situation. I've never done it and don't know which hotels at Heathrow would be good ones to check. I can tell you that the Premier Inn at T4 is normally very reasonably priced, though rates do creep up for late bookings like yours.
Posted by
Salt Lake City
3190 posts
DayUse offers day rooms at hotels in the immediate vicinity of Heathrow airport - typically in 6 to 9 hour blocks - that might be a cost-effective option for you.
Haven't used one there but we've used similar day room services at other international airports and they're great - nice to be able to shower, take a nap, or generally decompress when faced with a long layover.
Posted by
Chicago
1100 posts
Looks like there are numerous websites that can potentially book a day room for use.
Not sure how the pricing works.
While the cost of the room itself is on par (or less) than the cost of 3 people paying for
lounge access, you'd need to add in the cost of UKETA's for all of you. But the ability
to get away from the airport for a while might be worth it - a lounge is still going to
potentially be busy, queueing for showers, etc.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
3108 posts
Twi suggestions
one, the Hilton, you can go on their website and see if you can get a room at the Hilton Garden Inn, which is at the airport and walkable. To do that put in your check in and check out day is the same day it will tell you if there’s a room and how much it will cost.
Second is dayuse.com. I have used this several times. I always pick a hotel that let you pay on arrival in case there’s anything wrong, but I’ve never had a problem getting a room for a pretty reasonable rare at a hotel hotel near the airport to go take a shower, take a short nap, etc..
Posted by
Singapore
1067 posts
I can second dayuse - i have never had a problem with them. Beats hanging around the airport.
Posted by
Preston UK
1716 posts
Just on the off chance, if you want to leave airside at Heathrow you will need to be eligible to enter the UK without a visa in order to be be able to get an ETA.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
6006 posts
Lounges are available to regular travelers for a fee. Once you pay the fee, you have access to drinks and food and, often, showers and rest areas. I have found that paying the $50-70 for several hours gets me my money's worth. I actually enjoy the process of lounge shopping.
Otherwise, when I have had long layovers at Heathrow, I have used the opportunity to get some fresh air. For example, I love to go to Harrod's food hall for snacks and then I have a few times gone to a salon for a nice haircut. Notably, Hampton Court is not too far from Heathrow and would be a lovely way to get some fresh air.
Posted by
Salt Lake City
3190 posts
For info, the DayUse website I noted previously is showing two hotels at T3: an Aerotel and a Hilton Garden Inn. The HGI offers a block from 9 AM to 6 PM for about USD $130.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thanks so much for the information - especially (although not directly related to my question) the info about ETA. There was no such requirement when I went to the UK last year. And since this UK visit just involves a layover en route to India, it never crossed my mind to check into new requirements. This info spared me a lot of potential heartache and hassle! I applied today and the ETA was approved almost immediately. Aerotel isn’t available during our time at Heathrow and the day stays are too far away. But I found a good rate with early check-in at the Premier Inn near Terminal 4, so I’m going with that - we’ll just use it for the day and check out before night-time.
Posted by
Los Angeles
5458 posts
As mentioned you can also get a day pass at an airline lounge using whatever leverage you may have from a credit card or freqy flyer program
Posted by
Chicago
1100 posts
Terminal 4 is a bit out of the way at LHR, so you will want to pay attention re how to get
there from T3.
Your best bet is Elizabeth Line, it goes direct, but don't take a train that goes to T5.
If you take the Piccadilly Line, you have to go backwards to Hatton Cross to catch a tube
that goes to T4.
Posted by
San Francisco area
2001 posts
To take the Elizabeth line to T4 get free tickets from the ticket machines. Use those tickets to get into the station and at T4 to exit.