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Sofitel Heathrow Review (London)

There are several walking distance hotel choices for London Heathrow at the various terminals. If you are departing or arriving from T5 ( the British Airways dedicated terminal) then the easiest choice is the Sofitel.  This Sofitel Heathrow review is based on a one night stay in return for a non- influenced review of my experience.

Arrival at the Sofitel Heathrow.

I arrived after a short hassle free journey from Paddington via the Heathrow Express (a 21 min journey in total). With free wifi, spacious seats and charging stations –  I was kind of wishing this was my flight rather than the train! Making my way from T5 to the Sofitel was easy and within a 10 minute walk I was at the Sofitel. It really is that easy.

Check in at the Sofitel Heathrow

Check in was very efficient and a short line of 6 people moved quickly. There were about 4 staff at desks checking in, with another staff member helpfully monitoring the queue.

The Room

I was upgraded to the luxury room with Club Millesime access. The room was spacious with possibly the biggest bed I have ever seen! Importantly, it was comfortable with plump pillows and a cosy duvet.

My only very slight grumble would be there were no charger sockets immediately next to the bed – these are at the desk. However, I think this is a personal preference though as a phone distraction near my bed would have probably made me stay up later!

Instead, I woke up nice and refreshed. The room was quiet and I couldn’t hear the busy airport outside or guests staying nearby. Plane enthusiasts of all ages will love how at the end of some corridors and from some rooms you can see the planes coming and going.

• The rooms are well equipped with an empty mini fridge – perfect to store your own purchases in and a thoughtful touch useful to families. Bottled water is included too.
• It’s always a welcome sight to see a kettle in a room, complete with Twinings tea. Milk is provided in the mini UHT pots.
• The wardrobe has an ironing board, iron etc.
• The bathroom has a bath with a TV on the wall, and the Sofitel own toiletries ESPA

For families with more than one child a junior suite (with a king size bed and double sofa bed) or two interconnecting rooms may be an option to consider.

The Sofitel Heathrow Hotel Facilities Overview

What is so impressive with this hotel is that it really doesn’t feel like an airport hotel in the slightest. The decor is modern and tasteful with plenty of space. There are 2 bars – with a slightly different vibe. Le Bar Parisien where you can enjoy fine cocktails cocktails; or  Sphere where guests can choose to sit at the bar for a buzz or sit down and find a quieter corner to catch up on some work or chat.

A blend of business travellers & family holidaymakers all mingle seamlessly around the complex.

Guests can also take advantage of the gym, spa and onsite barber, and newsagent/ gift shop.

Restaurants at the Sofitel Heathrow Airport

We dined at Vivre, where you can sit and watch the chefs prepare your meal in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.   Menu choices vary from Thai, Italian and firm favourites  such as fish and chips.

The children’s menu is equally appealing with younger guests able to choose from there or the main menu if they wish. For the starters, I chose the crispy squid and my husband opted for the Bang Bang chicken. We both opted for the Thai Green Curry which was delicious, with a slight Indian influence.

For a more formal meal La Belle Epoque offers French cuisine with world influences with a crimson plush drapes. This 3AA rosette is an elegant  fine dining restaurant at Heathrow. We ate the desserts from here which were exquisite.

I highly recommend the Banana Parfait and the Granny Smith apple mousse with ginger lime and ice cream! Divine!

For light bites there is the option of Tea 5 – a tea salon. Select from 31 teas from around the world.  The tea salon is open all day, every day for coffees, cold drinks, light meals and homemade pastries.

Club Millesime at Sofitel London Heathrow

Club Millesime is a ground floor onsite lounge retreat for those with a certain level of the Accor Le Club membership or staying in premium rooms. The cocktail hour drinks and snacks are every popular and its busiest time, whereas breakfast or during the day is a much quieter period.

I enjoyed a light breakfast due to being still incredibly full from the sumptuous meal the night before, I had a small bowl of fruit and a cup of tea, However, there is a full range of hot items too. I think this is a great option of you are in a hurry and need to eat and go. Take away cups were available too.

Sofitel Heathrow Parking

Short stay parking is available in an underground car park.

Price

It is literally connected to T5 and is currently the only hotel to do so – so the price does reflect this. However, it is only slightly more expensive than the Hilton connected to T4.

Other hotels are off site and range between 15-35 mins away via Hoppa bus. To compare, an offsite Marriott which about 35 mins away by bus is on average £30 cheaper and an EASY budget hotel is on average £100 cheaper and about 25 minutes away. It really does depend on your budget, what facilities you need, and how early your start is the next morning, to decide if this is the right airport hotel for you.

Overview of the Sofitel Heathrow T5

If you are departing from Terminal 5 at London Heathrow, you cannot beat the convenience of being able to walk 5 minutes into the airport terminal. Rooms are equipped with all you might need for a short stay, in plump comfortable beds. As mentioned, it doesn’t feel like an airport hotel instead an inviting environment where you can comfortably rest and dine before your flight.

Here is my video of my short stay.

Keen to have a look at the airport hotels available?

Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary night in order to provide this unbiased review.

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