Heathrow Airport To / From Heathrow Hotel Transportation

[HBDave]

I'm planning at staying at a Heathrow Airport Hotel on Bath Rd for one night before a cruise out of Southampton. I'm trying to determine the best method to get from the Airport to the Hotel and back to the Airport in the morning to use a Princess Transfer to Southampton. We will have three suitcases with us, so I don't think public / city buses will work. I'm aware of the Hotel Hoppa Buses, but have heard stories of them being very late or not showing up on schedule, etc. Also I was considering a Taxi, but have been told they tend to not like the short trips and that it could be a problem. I'm looking for any first hand experiences and suggestions. Is a Taxi, Hotel Hoppa Bus or some other form of transportation best for our situation? Thank You for your suggestions / input. 

[Teechur]

Your hotel can provide a "car service" for you, but it will be more expensive than a taxi.

I believe a taxi will take you.

[CruiseCrew123]

If you stay at or near the Thistle you can get the driverless pod . If not there will be plenty of Ubers around , plus the airport bus 

[markeb]

Suggest posting this on the British Isles/Western Europe board https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/ and I suspect this will be moved there shortly.

 

You'll almost certainly get better feedback there.

 

What time to you get into Heathrow? Are you planning on doing anything in London? There are transport options directly to Southampton which could make much more sense.

[HBDave]

5 minutes ago, markeb said:

Suggest posting this on the British Isles/Western Europe board https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/ and I suspect this will be moved there shortly.

 

You'll almost certainly get better feedback there.

 

What time to you get into Heathrow? Are you planning on doing anything in London? There are transport options directly to Southampton which could make much more sense.

We're arriving late afternoon into Heathrow and boarding the cruise the next day. So we're not planning on visiting London on this trip. I did consider booking a Hotel in Southampton and taking the National Express Bus or a Private Car.upon our arrival. It's a long trip the the US West Coast, so we we're thinking it might be nice to rest for the night in Heathrow and save the drive to Southampton until the next morning.

[markeb]

1 minute ago, HBDave said:

We're arriving late afternoon into Heathrow and boarding the cruise the next day. So we're not planning on visiting London on this trip. I did consider booking a Hotel in Southampton and taking the National Express Bus or a Private Car.upon our arrival. It's a long trip the the US West Coast, so we we're thinking it might be nice to rest for the night in Heathrow and save the drive to Southampton until the next morning.

 

Tough call, but you'd simplify your logistics, and even though you'd be exhausted, you'd be there. Most of the Brits on the UK board would point towards just getting there...

[ECCruise]

Hoppa.

Used it many times without a problem.  Designed to do exactly what you want to do.

[Island2Dweller]

There are only a few hotels actually located near terminals at Heathrow.  One at T5.  One at T2 and a few at T4.  Unless your flight arrives into the same terminal, these are not going to be quick to get to.  All other "airport hotels" are outside the airport boundary. You can chew a lot of time (and some cost - there are no free hotel shuttles) simply getting to an "airport hotel".  You then face the same the next day if you want to use National Express. 

Unlikely as it sounds, I think your lower hassle option is to go direct to Southampton on arrival.

[bigbenboys]

2 minutes ago, Island2Dweller said:

There are only a few hotels actually located near terminals at Heathrow.  One at T5.  One at T2 and a few at T4.  Unless your flight arrives into the same terminal, these are not going to be quick to get to.  All other "airport hotels" are outside the airport boundary. You can chew a lot of time (and some cost - there are no free hotel shuttles) simply getting to an "airport hotel".  You then face the same the next day if you want to use National Express. 

Unlikely as it sounds, I think your lower hassle option is to go direct to Southampton on arrival.

I agree, stay at one of the hotels attached to the airport.

[ldubs]

Heathrow has the Hotel Hoppa shuttle bus service for hotels surrounding the airport.    Last time I used it the cost was £5.  They don't give change.  

[CruiseCrew123]

The only hotel really in the airport terminal is the Sofitel in Terminal 5 . Most of the others are on the perimeter road and will need transport 

Edited July 16, 2023 by CruiseCrew123

[Nachosdelux]

Friends don't let friends take the Hoppa.  Uber to hotel, or head to Southampton upon arrival.

[gumshoe958]

A taxi is your best option with luggage. True, they’d much rather have an £80 fare into central London but I think Bath Road is close enough for them to be allowed to jump the normal queue to return to the rank at the airport. So you’ll be fine.

There are thousands of hotel rooms on Bath Road and people have to get there somehow so the cab drivers are perfectly used to it, even if they don’t particularly like it.

 

And yes, avoid the Hoppa if possible!

[verizon]

32 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

The only hotel really in the airport terminal is the Sofitel in Terminal 5 . Most of the others are on the perimeter road and will need transport 

Yes I was staying in Sofitel last month because I have an early flight.

it is inside T5

10 minutes walk to the hotel 

Edited July 16, 2023 by verizon

[bnurick]

@HBDave I did the Celebrity charter bus from Port to the airport on the Silhouette transatlantic.  Next time I would do an Uber or Taxi.  Bad traffic.

[Kmangel]

We stayed at Premier Inn at the airport. We enjoyed the restaurant there for dinner and breakfast.  
 

Then we took the National Express bus to Southhampton.  No muss no fuss.  We booked our seats on the bus on line but there were several unoccupied seats going to Southampton.  I wouldn’t chance it though as on the return trip back to Heathrow there were no empty seats.  So glad we had reserved seats both coming and going to Southampton.

[nijh]

1 hour ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

The only hotel really in the airport terminal is the Sofitel in Terminal 5 . Most of the others are on the perimeter road and will need transport 

There is also the Hilton Garden Inn at T2, not sure what terminal OP is arriving at.

[zanderblue]

Avoid the Hoppa at all costs. Never run on schedule and they are expensive. 3 cases might be too much for the public bus, Sofitel is attached to T5 terminal, there is a hotel at T3, but I can’t remember what it’s called.

[HBDave]

Additional Information....

 

We're coming into Terminal 3 on Delta.

[Jadn13]

Taxi line to and  Uber From

I have done this research. 
 

With 3 people your best bet is a Taxi and the airport will have plenty.

The next morning Uber will be your cheapest and easiest option. 

[verizon]

32 minutes ago, HBDave said:

Additional Information....

 

We're coming into Terminal 3 on Delta.

The train from T3 to T5 is FREE.

First and for most find out where the Bus to Southhampton pick up point and make the decision from there.

Edited July 16, 2023 by verizon

[TeaBag]

Do yourself a favour and keep going till you get to Southampton. National Express comes into T3 and the journey is not more than 2 hrs 16 mins.  The buses are comfortable and you can book your seat. You might even have a short snooze.  You will pat yourself on the back when you wake up in Southampton with nothing to do but have breakfast and get to the ship.  Bon Voyage

[chemmo]

3 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

Do yourself a favour and keep going till you get to Southampton. National Express comes into T3 and the journey is not more than 2 hrs 16 mins.  The buses are comfortable and you can book your seat. You might even have a short snooze.  You will pat yourself on the back when you wake up in Southampton with nothing to do but have breakfast and get to the ship.  Bon Voyage

Sometimes there is a point when travelling you are better just gritting your teeth and getting it all done in one go…Totally agree with TeaBag.

 

You will get to Southampton, have a good sleep and be a short taxi ride from your ship the next day, you probably won’t need to set an alarm…you can sleep in…

[Globaliser]

4 hours ago, HBDave said:

I'm planning at staying at a Heathrow Airport Hotel on Bath Rd for one night before a cruise out of Southampton. I'm trying to determine the best method to get from the Airport to the Hotel and back to the Airport in the morning to use a Cruise Line Transfer to Southampton.

 

1 hour ago, HBDave said:

We're coming into Terminal 3 on Delta.

 

There are, broadly, three options for the start of a cruise like this:

1. Transfer from airport to central London, stay one night, transfer to Southampton in the morning.
2. Transfer from airport to Southampton, stay one night, walk / transfer to the cruise terminal in the morning.
3. Transfer from airport to airport hotel, stay one night, transfer from airport hotel to airport, transfer from airport to Southampton.

 

In general, I reckon that option three only makes sense in limited circumstances, like an evening arrival at Heathrow, but is otherwise the least good of the three. If you're arriving on Delta, its schedules suggest that this is likely to be in the morning (perhaps quite early), or lunchtime or early afternoon at the latest.

 

But if you're going to do it, then I can't usefully add anything to what gumshoe958 has said.

[HBDave]

53 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

 

 

There are, broadly, three options for the start of a cruise like this:

1. Transfer from airport to central London, stay one night, transfer to Southampton in the morning.
2. Transfer from airport to Southampton, stay one night, walk / transfer to the cruise terminal in the morning.
3. Transfer from airport to airport hotel, stay one night, transfer from airport hotel to airport, transfer from airport to Southampton.

 

In general, I reckon that option three only makes sense in limited circumstances, like an evening arrival at Heathrow, but is otherwise the least good of the three. If you're arriving on Delta, its schedules suggest that this is likely to be in the morning (perhaps quite early), or lunchtime or early afternoon at the latest.

 

But if you're going to do it, then I can't usefully add anything to what gumshoe958 has said.

 

Thanks for all of the input.

 

OK, let's assume I do option 2 and transfer to Southampton upon arrival to Heathrow. What are some of the Private Cars with drivers that would offer a reliable service at a reasonable cost?