night before flight....

What time is your flight home? You will need to be at Heathrow at least 3 hours before your flight. If you are flying out early (say before 10:00 am), then you might want to stay near the airport or at Windsor. If you stay at Windsor, prebook a car service or use Windsor taxi to get back to the airport for your flight out. If you are departing after 10:00 am you would have time to use the tube to get to Heathrow. The Paddington area would be very convienent, so would Earl's Court. From Paddington the journey is about 45 min. to one hour. Just be aware that rush hour on the Picadilly line can very VERY crowded so if you are using the tube between 6:30 am and 9:00am give yourself plenty of time and realize luggage could be a tight fit. There is also the Heathrow Express trains- 15 min. journey from Paddington station- but much more expensive than the tube.

We fly out at 2 pm. Thanks

I think Windsor is still your best bet to be able to do a little sight seeing. You could pre-book a car service (check with Just Airports or similar) to pick you up in Windsor around 10:30. That should give you plenty of time to wander around the town a bit in the morning.

I'll second Toni's suggestions, and add that if I was leaving from London for Heathrow, I'd spend the money for the Heathrow Express or the Heathrow Connect. As she said, the Piccadilly Line is extremely crowded in the morning rush, which in my experience usually means no place to sit and little, if any, room to stand in the aisle. Remember, too, there are no dedicated luggage bins on the Tube. Not a comfortable way to get to the airport just to save a few dollars. Depending on where you stay, the cost of using the Express or the Connect trains might be offset by the taxi fare to get you to the right Tube station.

To offer another opinion, I would stay in London the night before and go see a show or go out to dinner or take a pub walk or take the candlelight tour at Sir John Soane's museum (only offered first Tuesday of month) or something else. There are lots of options for a late afternoon/evening in London. On the morning of your departure, you have time to go out early and take a walk or get a coffee before you head to the airport. I would stay on the Piccadilly line near either Gloucester Road or Earls Court. While the Piccadilly line is crowded in the morning in London, you won't be leaving until at least 10am and it won't be bad travelling from Gloucester Road to Heathrow. It takes about 45 minutes and it is direct. This would be my first choice. Your train from York will come into Kings Cross and from that station you can just get on the tube and take a direct trip to this area.

I would suggest taking an early train to London, then going to Paddington station to take the train to Windsor. You can tour Windsor Castle, walk to Eton, have a good meal at a pub, have a good relaxing last day in England. Then in the morning you won't have to rush....you should be at the airport by 11am...the taxi ride to Heathrow is a 15 minute ride.

We flew from Munic to London on Easter of last year and missed our flight from London to Seattle due to a fire in one of the towers. So we had to spend an extra day in London, which was awesome! The airport gave us two room, one for my parents and one for myself.I forgot what the hotel was called but it was very close to the airport. The next morning we were asked if we would like a 3 hour tour of London in a limo. We were like, How much? He said 98 pounds for all 3. We were like SURE!!! so we had an awesome 3 hour tour of London in a limo and went everywhere, I would suggest doing that.

I would spend the night in London as compared to Windsor, you have time to see a show, have a nice dinner, do some walking through London in the evening and the next morning. To get maximum walking time, I would look for a hotel as close to Piccadilly Circus/West End as i could get. Taxi back to Paddington and hightail it back to Heathrow.

Thanks for all the hints, I'm thinking Windsor may be the right thing. We are staying for a week in London earlier in the trip.
Any lodging ideas, not to crazy expensive.

We have stayed at The Castle Hotel. Across the street from the castle and right in the middle of town. Don't remember how expensive, but I don't think it was "crazy" Lots of good pubs in the immediate area for dinner. Also, if you have time once you arrive, do a cruise on the Thames. You can catch the boat at the bridge over to Eaton. Nice quiet way to spend an hour and you get to see a different view of the castle and some English countryside, too. Fun shopping at the train station and immediate area- almost like a market. I really enjoy Windsor!!!

Thanks Toni, If it's the Macdonald castle hotel then It would be over 500 dollars for one night ! eep! Looks beautiful though.

We are staying in Winsor the night before our flight (thanks, Robin!)and booked at the Frances Lodge B&B, highly rated on Tripadvisor. Room is 90 pounds with a nice breakfast.

Lola, you are so welcome!!

Kris- they must have done a major re-model or something- it was nowhere near that expensive a few years ago.

The Clarence Hotel or Alma Lodge Guest House both within a 5 minute walk to town city.

Thanks everyone!