Quick Look: Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5

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Sometimes I get to take a look at a hotel but don’t really get to fully experience it (like on a one night stay where I check in late and leave early the next morning) and it feels a little unfair to call whatever I write about that property a ”review”. Instead I’m calling these type of posts “a quick look” to differentiate them from my full on reviews and to let you know what to expect.

I visited the Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5 as part of my plan to earn some quick IHG rewards points before the summer Accelerate promotion ended. I spent a little bit of time at the property but I didn’t end up spending the night (that is something you need to bear in mind when drawing any of your own conclusions from this post).

I may not have spent the night but I knew I was going to be writing this post so I made sure to take a few pictures to show you what the property offers.

Location

The map really says it all…..

….the property is very close to Heathrow Terminal 5 and shouldn’t take more than 5 – 10 minutes on the Hoppa Bus.

Check-In

I arrived at around 5pm and had the reception area to myself:

A receptionist appeared pretty quickly and check-in was super quick. The hotel had all my details ready, printed out and waiting for me so all I had to do was make sure that it was all correct (it was) and I was checked in. It couldn’t have take more than 3 or 4 minutes.

It probably helped that I did little to hide the fact that I didn’t need any pleasantries – I just wanted my key and to be on my way.

The Room

I booked this property as a cash and points (booking because that’s what one of my Accelerate challenges demanded) so what you’re about to see is what you get for 5,000 points & $70.

The room was on the top floor of the hotel (3^rd) and down the type of hallway that anyone who has ever stayed at a Holiday Inn will recognize:

The room was laid out as you’d expect – a short hallway that leads to the sleeping area with a bathroom off to one side:

The bed was a UK King (at 5ft wide this is slightly narrower than a US King)…..

…..and was pretty comfortable – yes, I tried it out and watched a bit of TV J

Only one side of the bed had power outlets (standard UK outlets)….

……which isn’t great but is decidedly better than a few hotels I’ve visited recently that didn’t have any.

At the foot of the bed was a small desk complete with office chair and mirror…..

There were no power outlets on the desk but I think I remember seeing one at floor level.

As you will have seen from the picture with the bed, to the right of the desk was a cabinet on which the TV stood and in which there was a small refrigerator:

I’ve heard people complain when the in-room fridge doesn’t come with a full mini-bar (I don’t understand those people) but I’m more than happy when a property gives me somewhere to store my 50 cent water/soda as opposed to providing me with a plethora of vastly overpriced items I’m never going to purchase.

The view out of the window wasn’t exactly exhilarating…..but then I was in a 3-floor airport hotel at the end of a runway so I wasn’t expecting much:

At the opposite side of the room to the window was a closet/wardrobe and a small carpeted ledge (presumably for a suitcase) with some drawers under it:

As well as hanging space the closet also offered a pretty standard in-room safe……

….which probably wouldn’t fit anything wider than a 13” device.

There was another very thin cabinet in the room which, when opened, revealed the rest of the room’s amenities:

The room came with an easy-to-use thermostat (some of them can be horribly complicated for no apparent reason) and a electronic do not disturb/make up room sign:

The bathroom was a good size for an airport hotel……

…and offered a shower over a bath……

……as well as the usual toiletries:

Dining

The restaurant wasn’t open during my visit but the staff were happy enough to allow me to take a few photos once they checked I was a resident.

The restaurant and bar area are immediately on the right as you enter the hotel……

….and I can’t say that the bar did much for me. It was a bit sterile….even for a Holiday Inn!

The restaurant area looked perfectly ok with a couple of seating options…..

……and a food bar….which is where breakfast is probably served:

One of the things I like about the Heathrow Holiday Inns (there are a few!) is that the rooms have the full food menu so you can see what’s on offer in the restaurant without having to leave your room.

This helps avoid the walk of disappointment that all road warriors have done at some point in their lives – the walk from your room to the restaurant full of hope of finding something you want to eat only to find that they don’t have anything you want at all…..and back to the room you go.

As it happens the Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5 seems to offer a pretty decent selection of food (click images to enlarge in new window):

There are a few wines and beers to choose from…..

…and there’s even a kid’s menu:

The Rest Of The Property

There wasn’t that much of it but it was clean and well maintained.

To the left of reception was a sitting area with a large flatscreen TV and a few tables and chairs….some more comfortable than others.

The reception area itself was bright….

…..and opposite reception was a small workstation area with a number of power outlets and an iMac:

Lastly, I think there’s mean to be a gym in the basement of the hotel…..

…but I didn’t find anything but store rooms when I went to take a look. If anyone else has found it let me know!

Other Info

• The Heathrow Hopper bus stops right outside and it’s not far to Heathrow T5 from the property….so it’s reasonably convenient.

• The hotel charges residents £10/$13 for overnight parking…..and I know this because I was charged for parking despite the fact I never used the car park! (that’s all sorted now).

• Details of the new Fall IHG Accelerate promotion are now available so don’t forget to check that out to see if you can pick up any easy IHG points.

Bottom Line

The room I had was perfectly acceptable for an overnight stay before/after a flight. It was a reasonable size, clean and the bed seemed comfortable enough…if perhaps a little on the soft side.

The Hooper Bus is convenient and it shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to get to the airport from the hotel.

A few aircraft flew overhead while I was in the room (I know because I was looking out of the window at the time) and the room was surprisingly quiet – quite a feat considering the hotel’s location.

All in all this is a pretty standard Holiday Inn but one that looks to be well maintained and not fraying at the edges. You wouldn’t spend your holiday here….but I’m guessing you weren’t planning to so that’s ok.