Sofitel Heathrow

Anyone done a parking package? I plan on staying the night prior to flying and leaving my car there whilst I'm away. Do you park at the actual hotel or somewhere else?

I would use Business Parking at LHR T5, very fast and efficient service plus reductions for booking in advance.

Don't waste the extra £s on the T5 business parking just use the T5 long stay (old Pink elephant), transfers are only a couple of minutes longer.I don't like the Sofitel over priced and over rated, they do not make it clear where you will be parking on the packages,but would assume in the T5 short stay.Also look at the T4 Hilton parking inclusive rates, they have a free shuttle to T5 every 1/2 hour.The Radisson Edwardian on Bath road had some really cheap parking packages last year,paid Hoppa to T5 is ever 1/2 hour.

Thanks! I'm actually flying out of T3 but thought the Sofitel had a good rep? The Hilton package price is much the same to be honest and after a bad experience at Hilton Gatwick, I was kind of avoiding that brand. I'll look at the Radisson prices.

The Sofitel is fiendishly expensive for what it is -4 (not particularly exciting) drinks and a few hours in their tiny basement car park equated to almost £45. Scandalous.
Have a look at the Holiday Extras site as they often have good park and stay deals.
DL

The Sofitel is fiendishly expensive for what it is

+1, the rooms are well appointed though IMO.

I prefer the T4 Hilton, but the long tunnel is a bore to walk through.

Thanks for all the replies. I've taken a look around and will go by price I think. Not much difference in convenience it seems; either get the underground to T3 from T5 if staying at the Sofitel, Hoppa if I stay at the Radisson, or long tunnel if staying at the Hilton. All of the above are around the £140 mark with parking for 9 sdays.

...either get the underground to T3 from T5

You need to get the Heathrow Express to get from T3 to T5 (free) and not the underground which you would have to pay for (£4 cash or £ 1.4 with paygo oyster)

Thanks Tonty, just remembered it was a train of some sort

The Hilton package price is much the same to be honest and after a bad experience at Hilton Gatwick, I was kind of avoiding that brand.

Dont let the lgw hilton put you off staying at the lhr hilton, they are worlds apart in comparison.

cheers

alex

[mitchja]

Recently stayed at the Sofitel before flying to SFO at the end of December and can recommend it (although I didn't use the bars or restaurants whilst I was there)

Much much better than the LHR T4 Hilton (which I don't like and wont go back to). The Sofitel will now probably be my LHR hotel of choice, especially since I'm now using BA for my domestic connections.

The free LHR Express journey T5 > T3 takes about 25mins (20 minutes of that is navigating those stupid automatic lifts in T5 and walking from the central station to T3).

It's a 5 minute covered walk from T5 to the hotel lobby (unlike the T4 Hilton and having to walk miles down that long, cold and drafty tunnel). I got a reasonable 'Smart' rate as well which meant it wasn't much more than any of the LHR Bath road hotels. Worked at at around £100 for room only. It would have cost be even less for an advance purchase rate.

Whilst on the subject, I have a forced choice between Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza at Heathrow. My natural reaction is to go for Crowne but I may be incorrect looking at the Trip Advisor reviews?

[honey lamb]

Whilst on the subject, I have a forced choice between Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza at Heathrow. My natural reaction is to go for Crowne but I may be incorrect looking at the Trip Advisor reviews?

Which Holiday Inn. There's more than one at LHR - in fact there's either three or four

Both are much of a muchness. HI has a good Indian within walking disatnce which swings it for this household http://www.achari.co.uk/.

Whilst on the subject, I have a forced choice between Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza at Heathrow. My natural reaction is to go for Crowne but I may be incorrect looking at the Trip Advisor reviews?

Which Holiday Inn. There's more than one at LHR - in fact there's either three or four

I can choose any IC hotel. I am an a-club (accor) collector so have very little knowledge of UK hotels outside that brand.