Heathrow parking and pre flight hotel

madlyn

I have a 7.05am flight to catch in December of this year from Heathrow Terminal 2.
Never flown from Heathrow before, so do I book a hotel for the night before and parking in advance?
Book parking in advance and travel down early on the day of travel?
travel down early on the day of travel and just go and park my car?
I live in Leicestershire so the journey down is about 2 hours and getting up at 2am to travel would not bother me.
TIA for all advice given.

bagand96

If you'd decide to go for a hotel, plenty near Heathrow and booking so far out you should hopefully get a good rate. There's everything from Travelodges upto 5*.

Many are located along the Bath Road which is convenient. Hotels aren't allowed to run their own shuttle buses to the terminals, instead there's a series of "Hotel Hoppa" buses running various circular routes. Avoid these - they are expensive and often crowded at peak times. If you stay near Heathrow most hotels are on a normal red London bus route, frequent and cheap.

This website is great with a wealth of information about hotels around Heathrow. Including what bus routes run to the airport and even pubs and restaurants nearby https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_hotels.htm

Travel between terminals at Heathrow is free of charge so even if public transport gets you to a different terminal (i.e. T5) youll still be able to get to T2 as long as you plan enough time.

A lot of the hotels offer room and parking rates and it will also be worth looking at Holiday Extras or similar for those offers that can work out very reasonable. Some hotels will let you leave the car in their car park and keep your keys, others will have arrangements with third party off site car parks.

My go to is the Thistle Heathrow T5. It's not the most modern but is clean, convenient and usually reasonably priced. You leave your car in their car park and keep the keys. Buses available to both T5 and the central T2/T3 area. 

Boat_to_Bolivia

I'd have to factor in the cost of the hotel. Knowing I probably wouldn't sleep much and need to leave the hotel before 5am, would negate paying for hotel accommodation.

I'd rather set off from home at 2am, park up in your preferred car park in a timely manner before your departure. At that time in the morning, traffic shouldn't be an issue so a no brainer for me.

Neil49

Boat_to_Bolivia said:

I'd have to factor in the cost of the hotel. Knowing I probably wouldn't sleep much and need to leave the hotel before 5am, would negate paying for hotel accommodation.

I'd rather set off from home at 2am, park up in your preferred car park in a timely manner before your departure. At that time in the morning, traffic shouldn't be an issue so a no brainer for me.

We are flying out from Heathrow at around that time later this year and will be doing precisely what you recommend. 

diystarter7

Hi

Lol. that is pure planning in advance

We lived in the north of the uk when i was younger - parents used to leave early and take a 7am flight so bascially they did not go to bed.

Plesnty of hotels and and hotel galore

However, if I was you, I'd book in advance for both

https://www.google.com/search?q=terminal+2+hethrow+hotels&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB925GB925&oq=terminal+2+hethrow+hotels&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i13i512l2j0i22i30l6j0i8i13i30.6767j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


Thanks

madlyn

Boat_to_Bolivia said:

I'd have to factor in the cost of the hotel. Knowing I probably wouldn't sleep much and need to leave the hotel before 5am, would negate paying for hotel accommodation.

I'd rather set off from home at 2am, park up in your preferred car park in a timely manner before your departure. At that time in the morning, traffic shouldn't be an issue so a no brainer for me.

This is the way I'm swaying at the moment, especially with the carpark cost too.

Doshwaster

I'm a big fan of airport hotels before early morning flights. It may not always be the best money saving option is is usually is the hassle saving one. Loads of hotels along the Bath Road which keeps competition high and prices low. You can usually get a Travelodge/Pemier Inn/Ibis for around £50 a night.

CKhalvashi

I've gone out quite a bit over Covid from T2 on the early LOT flight. If you aren't coming from too far always it's preferable to leave home early morning, arrive about 2 hours before the flight and then sleep on the plane for an hour.

If it's more than about 2 hours to Heathrow then definitely I'd prefer to be there the night before. You're on the border of this timing so I'd go with leaving home at 1:30-2am on the morning of the flight but personal preference has to come into it also.

It should probably be pointed out that I'm an enormous cheapskate who will sleep in airports on transit if I can't find cheap, reasonable accommodation that's close enough and don't need to go into the city, most people generally aren't.