Hotels near Heathrow Terminal 5: walk, take the pod or catch the bus?

Terminal 5 sits on its own, away from the central terminals, so a hotel at the wrong end of the airport means a transfer. Four hotels serve it, and each gets you there in a different way. The right one depends on what time you fly.

The four options

	Sofitel	Thistle	Premier Inn	Hilton
How you reach Terminal 5	Covered walkway, under 5 min	Driverless pod, about 5 min	Bus 423 or Hotel Hoppa	Hotel Hoppa, about 10 min
Transfer cost	Free	£8.75 per person each way	£1.75 on bus 423, or about £7 on Hoppa	About £7 per person each way
Transfer hours	Always	04:00 to 00:15	Check the first and last bus	04:00 to midnight
Parking	On site, charged	On site	£25 a night	Check with the hotel
Price level	Highest	Lower	Lowest	Mid

Prices and times change, so check them before you travel.

Sofitel: walk to the terminal

The Sofitel is joined to Terminal 5 by a covered walkway, and you reach the terminal in under five minutes with nothing to book and no timetable to meet. It is a large hotel with several restaurants and bars, a spa and a 24-hour gym, and it is usually the most expensive stay at Terminal 5.

Choose it if your flight is before 07:00 or you land near midnight. For a mid-morning flight, a cheaper hotel does the same job.

Thistle: the pod

A driverless pod runs from beside the Thistle to the Terminal 5 car park in about five minutes. It costs £8.75 per person for each journey, so a family of four pays £35 each way. It runs daily from 04:00 to 00:15, and it stops in the car park, so there is still a short walk and a lift ride to check-in.

Choose it if you want something close to a connected hotel for less, and your flight is not before about 05:30.

Premier Inn: cheapest to reach

The Premier Inn is on the Bath Road, less than two miles from Terminal 5. The 423 bus runs about every 15 minutes and costs £1.75, payable by card on the bus. The Hotel Hoppa is the alternative at about £7 per person. For a family the 423 is a large saving.

Choose it if price matters most and your flight is mid-morning or later. Check the first and last 423 buses before you rely on it.

Hilton: the full-service hotel on a bus

The Hilton has an indoor pool, spa and fitness centre. The Hotel Hoppa links it with Terminal 5 between 04:00 and midnight, about a ten-minute ride. Its buffet breakfast at the Gallery starts at 06:30, which is too late for an early flight.

Choose it if you want a pool and spa near Terminal 5 and your flight is later in the day.

Which should you pick?

• Flight before 07:00: the Sofitel.
• Flight from 07:00 to mid-morning: the Thistle pod.
• Cheapest night: the Premier Inn.
• A treat with a pool: the Hilton.