Free Local Bus from Heathrow???

According to www.londontoolkit.com/lhr/hotel_hoppa_bus.htm, you can take either bus #105 or #111.

I am very familiar with this area of London. The 105 and 111 are part of the TFL and will cost you two pounds per person along with the hassle of using the bus. With luggage it's a pain. You'll be better off taking a minicab for about five pounds which will drop you off right at the front door. The regular London black cabs are only interested in taking people to central London for big money. Call 0208-577-8888. Can't recall the company name, they are stored in my phone as cab (London). I've used these guys about a couple of dozen times and they are reliable and fairly cheap. Only 50 pounds from near Heathrow to Gatwick. By the way, near your hotel are a couple of decent pubs, the White Hart on Bath Road, and if you do take the bus, the Queen's Head or Jolly Gardener on Cranford Lane and High Street. Cheers.

The words Free and Heathrow are rarely seen in the same sentence.

The only way that the bus is free is if you book your hotel through certain local hotel booking agencies, they ramp up the price and give you a free one way pass to show to the driver ( you still have to pay on the return ).

I'd be inclined to take the bus to the hotel and put up with the discomfort and then ask the hotel to arrange a low cost mini cab to take you back to the airport.

Mini cab companies in London are very variable. The best are fantastic and the worst are, literally, a danger to your life. If you find a good one make sure you keep the number. London mini cabs are like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates. At least with the bus you know you will get there eventually and in one piece and at an agreed price.

A quote from the London Toolkit site:

A curious policy is being operated by the owner of Heathrow Airport - BAA. The Official Hoppa Bus charges £4 to each hotel. At the same time BAA subsidises all public buses so that any journey from the terminals to anywhere on the perimeter roads is completely free.

In many cases these buses stop within 100m or even closer to the hotel entrance.

If you are staying at the Quality Inn, Marriott Slough/Windsor or Comfort Inn the local buses frequencies may make them attractive in their own right.

So if you are able to carry your luggage a short distance, you may want to take advantage. For terminals 1.2.3 make your way to the central bus station which is clearly signposted in the middle of all 3 terminals. Unlike the Hotel Hoppa these buses don't go to each terminal.

Buses are free as long as you get off on the Bath Road, the northern perimeter road. All of these buses go onto local towns, the maximum fare is £2.00.

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'll try to take the 105/111 and hope its free like londontoolkit says! I won't have too much luggage so this should be fine.