[DavidGordon10]

This hotel is new and is “in” T2, actually within the curve made by the roads to and from the terminal. I am staying in the hotel next Friday (4 October).

Does anyone know at what level in T2 is the walkway to the hotel? Is there direct access from the T2 car park?

I have just come through departures at T2 and looked out for any signs to the hotel – but saw none. Tried Googling it, no luck, just adverts.

[Gold-2K]

Arrivals level, walk straight through the car park and it’s signposted.

[esselle]

Yes, straight through the carpark on arrivals level.
I stayed there a month or so ago and it is nicely done. Bar and restaurant are fine and reasonably priced; there is nothing of note landside in T2 so best to eat and drink in the hotel.

[mkcol74]

Don’t forget the roof terrace bar, if you want to do some spotting.

[SwissExPat]

I stayed there last month… It is quite difficult to find… and the entrance via the car park is the opposite of “awe-inspiring”.

[DavidGordon10]

Many thanks to everyone, I am heading through T2 arrivals tonight, so I will try and find it. DG

[mkcol74]

@DavidGordon10 How easy was it to find in the end?

[DavidGordon10]

I’m here now. It was easy to find.

The hotel is pretty good, by airport hotel standards, let down by only two things:

1. Understaffed at reception, and at the reception to the restaurant. Queues should not be allowed to build up at either.

2. Dire lifts. A bank of only four – I waiting for about five minutes while two lifts did not shift from floor 13, and the third was stuck at floor 5. When the sole functioning lift arrived, it was packed. Decent lifts are not a very advanced technology.

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mkcol74, MartynSinclair, GivingupBA

[BPP]

Hi All
Is this hotel any use for T3, Might be a bit of a walk??

BPP

[alainboy56]

I have stayed there once and was rather underwhelmed with the whole experience. It is a rather çheap ‘franchise effort, I believe possibly with Aurora Group
Its easy to describe it as just being ‘a bed for the night’ before an early morning flight. However I noticed that the rack rates were not very reasonable.
As it is in the LHR Central Area and attached to T2 via the car park, it is also convenient for T3 too.
If one cannot find their way on the surface, go to the central bus station and down to the underground/rail areas and take the walkway/tunnel to T3.

[esselle]

What does “rather cheap franchise effort” mean? Of course it’s a franchise, that is how the majority of the industry works. And Aurora do run a variety of brands in the sector.

I guess equally that their pricing plan is quite well thought through. The price of convenience of course.

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GivingupBA, mkcol74

[alainboy56]

@esselle forgive my rather colloquial english, but 1) I do understand that it is a franchise, and 2) By cheap, I meant the finishes, and as ‘Interior Finishes’ of the highest possible level in Palaces for Presidents of countries and Royal Princes et al are my forte, when I say cheap, that is exactly what I mean.
I also did not like the Reception, it seems, if I recall, to be added onto an ALOFT style pick and pay coffee stand — what do they SPG call it ??? RE:FUEL.

Believe me, I have used this expression on other so called ‘Luxury properties’. For example the first time I stepped inside the lobby of the Jumairah Beach Hotel in front of Burj al Arab Hotel in Dubai 15 or more years ago, when that was considered a 6* hotel in the ‘publicity crazed mind’ of the leader of Dubai, I immediately noticed Egyptian marble which cost then (not much more now) US$25/m2.
If I were to see a certain white Italian marble costing more than US$500/m2 or Brazilian/Namibian blue quarzites of US$750/m2, then I’ll not use the word cheap.

Dont get me wrong, there are ways of supporting the bottom line by appearing to give opulence for a reasonable budget, but that hotel property has been let down badly by the Interior Decoration Designer, and I guess it was probably developed (is it AURORA)? on a ‘build it and find a Lessee during/after’ strategy.

Perhaps, as you say, and regarding the rack rates, they are only interested in the convenient ‘captive’ airport trade.
However, at the T4 property, they have managed to achieve ‘a look’, and Esselle if you want an example of exactly what I am saying, if you ever do pass by the T4 Hilton, look up at the roof soffite and you’ll see ‘STRAMIT’ cementitious straw panels, being used openly on a 4* hotel, cheap? Yes, but used in such an ‘invisible and indiscernable’ manner, and on a quite opulent looking 4* Airport hotel at that.

So perhaps you now understand why I may I used the word cheap, it’s my profession.

[AFlyingDutchman]

[quote quote=971961]Believe me, I have used this expression on other so called ‘Luxury properties’[/quote]

Hilton Garden Inn is a brand within the Hilton Familiy that falls within their Focus Service brands (Hampton, Home2, etc.) and is not meant to be in anyway Luxury. I am in Hotel Development, so and there are big differences in the fit out of all large Chains different brands to ensure they stay within their market. Hampton’s are great for an overnight, have good beds from what I recall, good Shower and a simple restaurant. Some have room service, but not all. If you expect more, then book a full fledged Hilton or a Doubletree by Hilton. Hilton Garden Inn’s to my knowledge never mask themsleves as a luxury product.

As for rate, of course the convenience of the location says it all.

1 user thanked author for this post.

esselle

[AFlyingDutchman]

[quote quote=971967]Hampton’s are great for an overnight, have good beds from what I recall, good Shower and a simple restaurant. Some have room service, but not all[/quote]

Sorry I meant to say Hilton Garden Inn’s here, not Hampton’s although Hampton’s likewise guarantee a great bed and power shower, they do not have room service. Some Garden Inn’s do. Sorry for my error, typing too quickly after all my coffee.

[alainboy56]

@AFlying Dutchman == thanks for the info but I never intended to describe it as, or believed it to be a luxury brand, but estelle criticised my expression ‘cheap franchise effort’ – I didn’t like it or rate it and that’s all.

Anyway let’s all move on with our lives.

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