WHAT'S IT LIKE? Opened in 1992, this was the only hotel to be directly attached to one of Heathrow's main terminal buildings until the Sofitel at T5 opened last year. Winner of the reader-voted Business Traveller award for Best Airport Hotel three years running in 2005, 2006 and 2007, the property is constructed almost entirely of glass and steel, and three years ago it underwent a £6 million refurbishment of the public areas and Executive bedrooms.
The main floor of the building is actually the first floor (the walkway connecting the hotel to the airport takes you straight here) while the ground floor has the meeting facilities and the fitness centre, which can be accessed by a spiral staircase towards the far end.
When you walk in, first impressions are of an airy, light-filled space created by a five-floor high, piazza-style atrium with water features and an open-plan dining area, lounge and reception. When the lights come on at dusk and candles are lit on all the tables it looks very atmospheric. Glass lifts in the centre take guests up to overhead walkways that look down over these public areas and connect to the bedrooms on both the left and right-hand side of the building.
WHERE IS IT? If you are flying in or out of London Heathrow's Terminal 4 this hotel is ideally placed. It is connected by an enclosed walkway that goes over the Southern Perimeter Road, and takes about six to ten minutes to get from lobby to check-in. The hotel also operates a free shuttle bus to T5 and the Heathrow Express serves Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 395 bedrooms including five suites and, on the fifth floor, 79 Executive rooms. While most of the property is non-smoking, there are still a few rooms left in which you can light up.
ROOM FACILITIES All the rooms are extremely well soundproofed so noise from planes overhead is not a problem. Standard amenities include pay TV, air conditioning, a safe,
a minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, wired internet access for £15 for 24 hours and a workdesk. Guest category rooms, measuring 24 sqm, sport lighter décor than the Executive rooms and older-style furniture.
Those staying in higher category rooms benefit from personalised check-in at the Executive lounge, an ergonomic chair, bathrobes and slippers, newly fitted bathrooms with walk-in rainshowers, flatscreen televisions and neutral décor in browns, creams and greys.
My suite had a living room and bedroom separated by heavy wooden sliding doors, two flatscreen TVs, a sofa, free mineral water, a fruit platter and chocolates on arrival, a glass coffee table with a selection of magazines, a full-length mirror, a sofa, an iron and ironing board, abstract prints on the walls, and a bathroom with Crabtree and Evelyn products, a bathtub, bidet and a beautiful raised walk-in shower with slate tiling and bench.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The king-size bed was extremely comfortable with thick, white cotton sheets. The extra space you get with the suite and the walk-in shower are added luxuries, and the free mineral water and the full-length mirror were welcome additional touches.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS There are four drinking and dining options at this Hilton and all are on the first-floor. While 24-hour room service is available, if guests do want to make the effort to go down for a bite, Zen Oriental (independently run) serves modern Chinese and oriental cuisine. Oscar's is open 24 hours and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and take-away snacks and coffees. Dancers Bar opposite is a chilled-out cocktail lounge offering nibbles and speciality beers, wines and mixed drinks, while the newly revamped Brasserie (open 12pm-3pm in the week and 6pm-10.30pm daily) has a high-quality hot and cold buffet, carvery, live cooking stations and a tempting à la carte menu.
Dishes on offer here include the excellent warm salad of artichoke, asparagus and broad beans (£10.95) or steamed razor clams (£13.75) to start, and for the mains, risotto with zucchini blossoms (£14.95), the chef’s signature dish of lobster thermidor (£32.95) or whole Dover sole grilled or pan-fried at the table (£34.50). Be warned – portions are generous so you may struggle to fit in a dessert as well. A good selection of wines are on offer, the service is well co-ordinated and the staff welcoming.
MEETING AND BUSINESS FACILTIES The peaceful Executive lounge has one PC with free internet access, newspapers, a printer and a coffee machine, and from 6.30am-10.30am serves a breakfast with hot and cold options. During the evening, from 6pm-10pm, drinks and tasty canapés are laid out on the bar area. The business centre (open 7am-7pm) also has a couple of computers, a fax and a printer and is available for all guests to use.
Most of the conference facilities are on the ground floor (there also two meeting rooms and an interview room on the first floor) and comprise 32 venues accommodating two to 360 people. Wireless internet is available in the lobby for £10 for 24 hours.
Some of the meeting rooms have sturdy ergonomic chairs, and after a light refurb in 2006, new carpets were put in. All boardrooms feature a fridge stocked with soft drinks, and for brainstorming sessions a Rubik's cube is on hand to put even the most agile minds to the test. While not all the facilities have natural daylight, the main breakout area near the pond outside is flooded with sunshine on fair days.
LEISURE FACILITIES There is a 12-metre swimming pool at the far end of the building on the ground floor that appears to be part of a pond outside but is actually separated by the floor-to-ceiling glass walls. With pot plants and loungers dotted around this makes it a relaxing place to unwind or do a few laps. After a soft refurbishment at the end of last year, the Living Well health club adjacent has a small gym, a sauna and steam room, and treatment rooms. Guests can make use of these facilities from 6am to 10pm during the week, and from 8am to 9pm at the weekend.
VERDICT The location of this Hilton couldn't be better if you are travelling from Heathrow airport's T4. The food at Brasserie is delicious and well worth trying, and the rooms provide everything you need to ensure a restful sleep before or after a flight.
PRICES Internet rates for a midweek stay in April started from £149 for a Hilton Guest room.
CONTACT Hilton London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 4, Heathrow airport, Hounslow, Middlesex; tel +44 (0)20 8759 7755; hilton.co.uk/heathrow
Jenny Southan
