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Heathrow 5 Hotels – My guide
Staying at a hotel near Heathrow Terminal 5 is a popular option. I wrote this quick guide to Heathrow 5 Hotels. To help you avoid the common pitfalls. I’ll also talk about booking Heathrow hotels and Parking together. Save money. Save time. Don’t get stressed!
**Best hotel at Heathrow Terminal 5:** The **Sofitel Heathrow T5** is the *only* hotel within walking distance of Terminal 5 (5-minute covered walkway).
**Why stay at the Sofitel:** No taxis required, saving around **£60 in transport costs** and significant time for early-morning flights.
**Other Heathrow 5 Hotels:** All require taxis (£30+ each way) as **hotel shuttle buses are not permitted** at Heathrow.
**Heathrow hotel and parking packages:** Most hotels offer **hotel + parking deals**, which can be cheaper than booking separately.
**Best Heathrow parking:** **P Parking** operates official car parks at Heathrow and all major UK airports, with strong customer reviews.
**Fastest way to central London:** **Heathrow Express** reaches Paddington in **15 minutes**, with advance tickets from **£10** and free travel for children under 16.
**Heathrow taxis – what to avoid:** Black taxis can cost **£150 to central London**; Uber has consistently poor customer ratings.
**Recommended Heathrow taxi service:** **Welcome Picks** — pre-booked transfers with vetted drivers and excellent Trustpilot ratings.
There is only one hotel I recommend for Heathrow Terminal 5. I’ll explain why in a second. That is the Sofitel. My review of the Sofitel is here.
The Sofitel is the only hotel within walking distance of Heathrow Terminal 5. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Terminal, under a covered walkway. The hotel is 4*. It has a 24 hour fitness centre and a modern design. The Sofitel is normally more expensive than the hotels further away, but it’s worth it.
All of other hotels require a taxi to get to Heathrow Terminal 5. And they won’t be cheap! Heathrow doesn’t allow hotels to operate shuttle buses to the terminals. So you need to book a taxi.
I’ve never paid less than £30 for a taxi to the airport terminals. It’s easy to pay more. If you park your car at the hotel, then you need to take a taxi both ways. £60 in total. For this reason, I would always stay at the Sofitel. You’ll save £60 in transport, and save lots of time.
The Ibis is located on Bath Road. There are around 15 major hotels on Bath Road. The hotels here serve all the terminals. These hotels include the Renaissance Heathrow, Radisson Blu Heathrow and the Holiday Inn. They all require a taxi to the airport in the morning.
Heathrow hotel and parking
Almost every Heathrow hotel offers airport parking. Which is obviously a convenient option. Especially if you have an early morning flight.
Most hotels have special packages. For accomodation and parking booked together. This will be cheaper than paying for parking when you arrive at the front desk. It definitely pays to shop around.
I nearly always use P Parking for airport parking. They have car parks at every major UK airport. They also have a 4.1* rating with Tripadvisor. Not perfect, but very good. I’ve never had an issue with them.
Official Heathrow parking have a 1.2* rating on Trustpilot.
For comparison, the Elizabeth Line costs £15.50 to Central London. It takes Longer than the Heathrow Express and kids between 11 and 16 need to pay.
Taxis to Heathrow – stopped getting conned!
For taxis to Heathrow terminals, don’t use a Black Taxi. It costs £150 to Central London.
I wouldn’t use an Uber either. Uber have a 1.5* rating on Trustpilot (it goes down every time I look at it!).
Welcome Picks are a highly regarded taxi company. I always book airport taxis with them. They have a 4.9* rating on Trustpilot. They operate worldwide. They’re reliable and well priced, with curated drivers.
The downside is that you need to pre-book. You can’t book a taxi straight away. Unlike an Uber or a Black Taxi.
