hotel and parking or just parking - Heathrow

[TeriHatchetJob]

So, your flight leaves at about 4pm on a Sunday in the summer hols. Heathrow is about 2 1/2 hrs on a good run. Would you drive down and park (pre-arranged of course) on the Sunday morning - hoping there are no hold ups on the roads, or would you have a Heathrow hotel the night before. No worries on the road front but would have to kill quite a few hours before you could book your luggage in. Kids are teenagers..............Opinions please.

I'd go in the morning, I only stay overnight if we have a 4am or 7am check in time.

Is the flight long haul with a 3 hour before departure check in? If so, that means being at the car park at LHR by about 12.30, so you would need to leave yours by 10am. That doesn't sound too bad?

If you do the hotel thing you usually have to check out by 10am or pay extra for a late check out. That then means lots of hanging around at Heathrow. If you don't mind the hanging around, then I would do the hotel thing... but then I'm one of those people who has to get to the airport about a gazillion hours before check in plus I like airports and people watching.

I stayed at the hotel at T5 one Xmas eve, all on my lonesome, as I had a flight on Xmas day evening. I didn't want to wake up all on my own at home (DH was in SA which is where I was flying to) nor did I want family there stressing me out, plus it was cheaper than a cab on Xmas day

It was brilliant! Calm, relaxed, peaceful and loads of time for people watching.

Thanks both. It's to New York so about 6 hours so probably only need to be there 2 hours before. I do only normally use a hotel if its a stupid o'clock in the morning flight Groove but my fear is getting stuck on a queue on the motorway for a few hours. that would really muck things up. Think I'm erring towards a hotel, late check out and people watching............

I would check your airline's recommended check in time... the last time I flew out of T3 with Virgin to the US, they advised check in 3 hours before. Even though I was only doing a bag drop as I had checked in online I still had to be there 3 hours before and I'm glad I was as the queues were horrendous and so was getting through security. T5 nowhere near as bad - I breezed through last time.

Oh and PS, hope you have a fab trip!

I'd drive down - you'd be leaving at 10, so plenty of time before to check the road situation and leave early if necessary.

If you really want to stay though, the Etap at Beaconsfield services is dirt cheap, 15 min from T5, and you'd be able to relax in Starbucks for brekkie before leaving the services

Thank you LulaP.... and CMOT... thanks for that recommendation. Etap? not sure what it is - a chain of hotels? Can i find it on google?