One night in London post cruise

[MELSMOM47]

We return to Gatwick from Bergen on May 23rd after a 15 day cruise. We will have spent a few days pre cruise in London but since we don’t leave until early evening on the 24th out of Heathrow I am wondering if we should book that one night in the city or stay out by the airport and just taxi in for the morning/afternoon. Any advise?  Thanks. 

[markeb]

What time will you get to London? Will you have been to Windsor pre cruise?

 

There really isn't much to do at Heathrow, so if you're there for a full day, it's likely to get pretty boring. However, it's pretty close to Windsor, and if you don't go to Windsor pre-cruise, then it would make a nice visit post cruise. The Heathrow hotels "might" be more open to a long extended checkout (or worth looking at just paying for the second night if you really mean evening...).

 

If you're wanting to spend your day in London itself, I'd be much more inclined to just stay there and enjoy London. Staying at Heathrow to taxi/Tube/Express into London will take a decent chunk of your not very long time.

[gumshoe958]

Agreed. Stay in London, have a nice meal, maybe catch a show, see some sights the next morning and head out to Heathrow after lunch.

[John Bull]

Ditto Markeb's post.🙂

 

Assuming you'll be going from LGW to LHR by train (then tube?) you have to change trains - and stations - in central London, so if you want to re-visit London it makes sense to stop-off overnight en-route.

 

Heathrow back to central London is about40 minutes each-way by tube. OK for a day, not for two half-days.

And it's a soul-less desert of bland hotels, surrounded by parking lots

But check the maps - some hotels listed as "Heathrow" are actually close to Windsor (Windsor is about 8 miles from Heathrow) and an easy taxi ride. Well-worth a visit for the town, for the river, for Eton College and of course Windsor Castle, 

Hotels in the centre of  Windsor itself are of course much more convenient but quite expensive - Windsor or near Windsor is a matter of personal choice and how much you want to spend.

 

Hotels in the UK will usually hold guests' luggage after check-out time, so wherever you choose to stay your luggage won't need to be a problem 

 

JB 🙂

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by John Bull

[Twickenham]

I didn't even stay at LHR on an overnight connection. Definitely stay somewhere in town, preferably convenient to either the tube or train to LHR.