Heathrow has four terminals spread across the airfield, and the hotels cluster around them. Terminals 2 and 3 sit together in the centre. Terminals 4 and 5 each stand on their own. The best hotel for you depends mostly on which terminal you fly from, how early you leave and how much you want to spend. This guide sorts the fifteen hotels we cover by those three questions.
Walking times, bus hours and room rates come from the hotels' own pages, Heathrow's pages and third-party listings. Rates are estimates, not live prices. Where sources disagree we say so, and you should confirm the detail with the hotel before you book.
Start with your terminal
Terminal 2 and Terminal 3
The two terminals are neighbours and you can walk between them indoors. A hotel that suits one usually suits the other.
- Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3: the one hotel you can walk to from Terminal 2 under cover, and a short walk from Terminal 3. Our pick for an early flight from Terminal 2.
- Aerotel London Heathrow: inside Terminal 3, on the ground floor of arrivals, and bookable by the hour as well as overnight. Our pick for Terminal 3, and the one to choose for a few hours' rest.
Terminal 4
Terminal 4 has more walkable hotels than any other. All four are on a covered route to the terminal:
- Holiday Inn Express London Heathrow T4: the shortest walk of the four, at a budget rate.
- Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4: a covered walk at a budget-hotel rate. The simplest answer for most people, and our pick for Terminal 4.
- Crowne Plaza London Heathrow T4: full service, joined to the terminal by a covered bridge. Worth it when you want a proper evening.
- Hilton London Heathrow Airport: full service, with its own covered walkway. A slightly longer walk than its neighbours.
Terminal 5
Terminal 5 is a different case. Only one hotel is joined to it.
- Sofitel London Heathrow: a covered walk of about five minutes. You pay for that, and it is worth it for an early flight or a late arrival. Our pick for Terminal 5.
- Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5: the Heathrow Pod, a driverless shuttle, runs from beside the hotel to Terminal 5 in about five minutes, from 04:00 to 00:15. The next best thing to walking at a much lower rate, though the pod is charged per person.
- Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 and Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5: both rely on the Hotel Hoppa bus. They suit flights from mid-morning and cost less than the Sofitel.
If you would rather take a bus
Several hotels sit a little further out on the Bath Road and rely on the Hotel Hoppa bus. It runs from about 04:00 to midnight, roughly every half hour, and costs £7 single or £13 return per person. A missed bus before an early flight costs real time, so check the first bus against your check-in time.
- Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel: a full hotel on the route to Terminals 2 and 3, for a good deal less than the walkable one.
- Radisson Red London Heathrow and Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport: modern, mid-priced hotels a short ride from Terminals 2, 3 and 5.
- ibis Styles London Heathrow Airport: a value hotel on the same route.
Budget options
The lowest room rates near Heathrow are at the bus hotels. Our estimates run from about £50 to £125 a night at the Premier Inn on the Bath Road and from about £65 to £140 at ibis Styles. Add £14 for two people to get to the terminal on a single Hotel Hoppa ticket.
- Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport T2 & T3 (Bath Road): the lowest-priced way to stay near the central terminals.
- Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4: the budget choice if you can walk.
- ibis Styles London Heathrow Airport (about £65 to £140 a night) and Holiday Inn Express London Heathrow T4 (about £80 to £170, and a walk to Terminal 4).
Always count the transfer. A cheaper room reached by bus can cost more in total once two bus fares are added, and a walkable hotel often wins for a very early flight.
Travelling with a pet
Few Heathrow hotels take pets. Our guide to pet-friendly hotels near Heathrow lists the four that say they do, with fees and what to ask.
Quick picks
- Flight before 07:00 from Terminal 2 or 3: Hilton Garden Inn, or Aerotel if you only need a few hours.
- Flight before 07:00 from Terminal 4: Premier Inn Terminal 4 or Holiday Inn Express.
- Flight before 07:00 from Terminal 5: Sofitel.
- Tight budget: the Premier Inn on the Bath Road for Terminals 2 and 3, or Premier Inn Terminal 4.
- A late arrival: pick a hotel you can walk to. The Hotel Hoppa stops at midnight and the pod at 00:15.
- A few hours between flights: Aerotel, which you can book by the hour.
Before you book
- Check which terminal you leave from, and whether the hotel is a walk or a bus.
- Compare the first bus or pod departure with your check-in time. Both can change.
- Ask whether a bus or pod ticket is per person. For a family the cost adds up.
- Read the cancellation terms. Early flights change.
- Look at recent guest reviews for noise, which matters near a flight path.
Our short lists work all of this out for your terminal and your trip, with what each costs in total. Choose your terminal:
Or start from your situation: early flight, late arrival, overnight connection, family trip or long layover.