BACKGROUND
Hilton London Heathrow Airport opened in 1992 and is directly attached, via a walkway, to the terminal building. Constructed almost entirely from glass and steel, the hotel remains impressively contemporary.
In 2006, a £6 million refurbishment overhauled all the public areas and Executive bedrooms. Earlier this year, a programme to renovate all the guestrooms began. The vast majority of this upgrade has been completed — at the time of my stay, there were just three rooms to go.
WHAT'S IT LIKE?
A five-storey, modern cube with a giant hollow centre of an atrium that houses an open-plan restaurant, bar, lounge and reception.
In the middle of this space are three glass elevators that on each floor stop at overhead walkways that extend left and right to the guestrooms, while overlooking the atrium on either side.
Arriving at the hotel via the covered walkway from Terminal 4 — or indeed, by car —you enter the lobby on the first floor. At the far end of this space is a spiral staircase that leads down to meeting facilities and a fitness centre on the ground floor.
WHERE IS IT?
A six-minute walk from the T4 departures hall via a pedestrian walkway. I arrived via the Piccadilly Line and it took about 12 minutes to get to the hotel, via the terminal, from the Tube station.
ROOM FACILITIES
The hotel has 398 rooms, of which 88 are Executive rooms (81 King Executive rooms and seven Twin Executive rooms). I was staying in a recently refurbished King Executive room on the third floor.
Sound-proof windows meant the room was very quiet, with practically no noise coming from the traffic (both in the air and on the road) outside.
Furnishings were modern, including a very comfortable king-size bed. A lamp, reading light and one standard UK plug socket were on either side of the bed. A smart black cube alarm clock sat on one side too.
King Executive room
The room also included a 42-inch high-definition television, a safe, a minibar, two free bottles of water, a kettle for tea and coffee, free internet access, a work desk, a green chair with a reading lamp above, and an iron and ironing board.
The bathroom contained a mist-proof mirror and a walk-in shower, with both a rain shower and a traditional showerhead, but no bathtub. Shampoo, conditioner and body lotion were Peter Thomas Ross products.
Lastly, the air-conditioning could be manually turned on/off and altered.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS
There are four restaurants/bars in the open-plan atrium on the first floor behind reception.
Aromi serves Italian food "with modern influences" and is open from 0500 to 2300 every day except for Sunday, when it opens from 0500 until 1100; Zen Oriental serves modern Chinese and oriental cuisine from both à la carte and set menus; Oscar's is open from early morning until late evening, and features a "varied international menu"; and Dancers Bar is a lounge-like space serving cocktails, beers and soft drinks with food available from Oscar's, if required.
Round-the-clock room service is also available.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES
There are 30 meeting rooms, mostly on the ground floor, accommodating up to 300 guests. Each has a fridge stocked with soft drinks.
An Executive lounge, located on the first floor by the entrance door, is free to use for all guests staying in an Executive room. Anybody else wanting to gain access can do so for £25 per day. Inside are a couple of computers, a printer, complimentary snacks and drinks. Wifi is also free, as it is in all public areas.
LEISURE FACILITIES
A 12-metre swimming pool is at the far end of the lobby on the ground floor as part of the Living Well health club. Other facilities include a gym, sauna and steam room, and treatment rooms.
VERDICT
Airport hotels are never going to be in the most glamorous of locations; their convenience is what makes them an attractive proposition.
Hilton London Heathrow Airport is no different, but is an efficient cocoon away from the 24-hour hustle and bustle outside. The room was comfortable and the service polite and efficient.
FACT FILE
- HOW MANY ROOMS? 398, including 81 King Executive rooms and seven Twin Executive rooms.
- HIGHLIGHTS The huge atrium that is very much the hotel's focal point and contains its restaurants/bars and the sound-proofed bedroom.
- PRICE A flexible midweek stay in an Executive room in February costs £170.
- CONTACT Hilton London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 4, Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW6 3AF; tel +44 (0)20 8759 7755, hilton.com
Graham Smith
