One night in London…easy access to Heathrow but lively.

[BigDahliaFan]

Flying in to LHR, got an afternoon, evening and most of next day then flying out again. Will have cases. Thinking of staying in Paddington for ease of to from Heathrow. But it’s not the most fun part….

any recommendations of areas with more life, walkable to life….but not a pain with cases from Heathrow.

bump

Do you def want London? Windsor in easy reach and lots to see.
Not just the Castle-although def worth a look but lots to see. You can take a boat tour on the Thames, walk to Eton and explore windsor.

Lots of restaurants and shops but unless you are 17 then not much of a clubbing scene. There are bars and comedy as well as lots of microbreweries and fabulous pubs.

Earls Court/Gloucester Road/South Ken area - only about 45 minutes by Tube, direct.

What's wrong with Paddington? It's in the bloody middle of London! Drop cases at hotel, nice shops to pootle round, couple of tube stops, or even a stroll, from Oxford St, theatres, Soho, bars, clubs.

Anywhere on the Elizabeth line. Ealing, Paddington, bond st, Tottenham Court Road.

Little Venice is right outside Paddington station, and it's lovely! Pretty, with lots of restaurants & bars. So easy

TCR to Heathrow on the Liz line. Then you're right in the middle of Soho.

Anywhere nr Paddington or Piccadilly line is easy for LHR.
Stay at Paddington/lots of little hotels in they area/north of Hyde park.
Easy to get all around from there by bus/tube.
When you say fun….what sort of fun?
You’re going to have cases all day on second day - doesn’t sound like my idea of fun 😂 will you check them somewhere or take them around with you all day?

Most hotels will keep luggage for you after you check out, you’d just have to factor in enough time to pick them up before returning to LHR.

Paddington would be absolutely fine if that’s most convenient for you. You can easily get anywhere in Central London on bus/tube or cab from there. Leave cases at hotel on 2nd day and collect when you head to airport. Would be perfectly easy.

London has excellent public transport!

The Elizabeth line and Piccadilly line will get you from and back to Heathrow in less than an hour from most places in central London so don't worry too much about staying near particular stations and instead choose what you want to be nearest for fun.

You say you want more life - what is that to you? Tourist sightseeing? Theatres? Nightclubs?

As others have said, nothing wrong with it but why Paddington in particular?

Personally I reckon the tube can be a bit of a PITA with proper suitcases, depending on station, but it's generally easier on the Elizabeth line and that does give you some good options in central London.

Thanks all.

What I'm trying to avoid is lugging suitcases around the tube unless it's an easy tube from heathrow.

And yes, will be leaving bags at hotel on the Saturday to pick up to go back to airport. So if we are poddling round central london on the saturday don't want necessarily to be schlepping back to paddington to pick them up. But maybe it's not such a schlepp as I remember....

You can get the bus to Soho in about 10 minutes from Paddington.

Not being a Londoner I might be missing something but unless staying in or routing via Paddington is absolutely essential surely the easier option for getting from Heathrow to at least parts of Soho, with suit cases might be:

Heathrow ->Elizabeth Line-> Tottenham Court Road..

I actually think for this purpose, Paddington is your most practical solution. From Heathrow you will be taking either the Elizabeth line or Heathrow express into London. Both options go to Paddington, where there is step-free access with lifts so managing your luggage will be easy.

Heathrow express easiest option, takes 10-15 minutes from Paddington to Heathrow.

The tube is easy with suitcases on the Elizabeth Line, anywhere in central London near TCR or Bond St or even Farringdon.

Don't stay round Paddington, it's really not very nice.

That is my memory of it....but it's a few years since I stayed there - usually stay near the South Bank, in the City or near Soho.

But it's only one night and it is more about dumping bags and then we'll be heading off into the centre I suspect.

Soho (TCR station has an exit onto Dean St) is only 2 stops from Paddington now on the Elizabeth Line.

Farringdon - great restaurants, buzzy, cool.

Gloucester rd - direct tube to Heathrow, millennium hotel is (well was before covid not been since) nice

Who are you flying with?
Do airportr- transformational!

or leave bags at left luggage

Paddington is great, it is so close and easy for Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Marylebone High St, Mayfair. Much nicer than Soho.