When making my way from Slovakia to Japan after my winter vacation back in January, I had a one-night layover at London Heathrow airport after my flight from Vienna.
Out of the many hotels around Heathrow, I settled for Ibis London Heathrow located to the north of the airport. Besides its convenient location, it was also reasonably priced at less than 50 dollars when booked in advance through Hotels.com.
Getting to and from the Airport to the Ibis London Heathrow
The hotel can be easily reached from all Heathrow terminals using free public buses that operate around the airport.
If you are arriving at terminal 1, terminal 2, or terminal 3, you will have to walk to the Heathrow Central Bus Station. From there, you can get on bus no. 105, 111, 140, or N9 and get off at Harlington Corner. The buses are free of charge up until that stop – and so, just say Harlington Corner to the driver when getting on.
If you are arriving at terminal 5, you can take bus no. 423, or N9 and get off at Harlington Corner.
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The hotel is just a short walk from the bus stop.
The one thing to be careful about is that on your way back, make sure you turn right after leaving the hotel and go to Harlington Corner. Sometimes, Google Maps might send you the other way to Oxford Avenue bus stop where you can catch the same buses, but you will have to pay as it is the first stop out of the Heathrow Free Travel Zone.
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Check-In and the Lobby
After entering through the main entrance, there was a hallway leading along the restaurant and bar towards the reception counter. Since there was no queue at the counter, the friendly staff checked me in within a minute or two, and I was ready to go to my room on the second floor.
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Not before having a quick look around the reception area, though.
Besides featuring the check-in space, on the reception desk, there was also a computer for use by the guests and complimentary coffee and tea.
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The lobby itself was fairly spacious, and also featured some sofas for the guests to relax on. Separately, there was an ATM, and a pair of vending machines selling drinks, snacks, and amenities.
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Finally, there was a restaurant combined with a bar. And, while I didn’t eat there and as such can’t comment on the quality of the food, I liked the restaurant’s atmosphere and so I spent a couple of hours working there.
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The restaurant also serves as a breakfast room. As I was leaving very early, I didn’t have the breakfast, but below is a photo I managed to snap before heading out of the hotel to catch my flight.
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Ibis London Heathrow Standard Double Room
Heading up to the second floor, I followed the signs towards my room, 254.
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To the left of the room entrance, there was a simple but sufficient bathroom. The one thing to note here – though – is the lack of any amenities besides soap and shampoo.
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Further down, there was a large bed with two comfortable pillows. As for the mattress itself – in spite of a “Sleep Like a Rockstar” flyer on the bed – I would have preferred a slightly harder one.
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Across from the bed, there was a TV, and further down in the corner of the room, there was a closet.
Finally, along the window (which didn’t offer any exciting views) was a simple work desk with a tea and coffee set.
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Ibis London Heathrow Summary
If you are looking for a place to stay on a budget near London Heathrow airport, I can only recommend the Ibis. Beside being easily accessible from the terminal 24/7 at no cost, the hotel’s rooms are more than sufficient for a quick overnight stay before an early morning flight.
As an added bonus, the lobby and restaurant were a pleasant place to work from and to spend time in.
