Pre-flight hotel stay

[catherinesian]

Just can't make my mind up re pre-travel night @ hotel near Heathrow

Our flight isn't until 15:40 however we can get a room at the Travelodge nr Heathrow T5 for £28 for the night before our flight.

Both OH and I will be working the day before our flight so would be a case of getting home 5/6pm, final bits of last minute packing then get a lift to Heathrow (1hr).

Alternative is get a lift in the morning of the day to aim to get there around lunchtime, but that means early morning, stress of potential traffic issues. No headstart on time difference. But also no waiting around for hours at the airport.

If we book, it means we can have a nice lie in and stress free morning at the hotel then meander over late morning to the airport. Also means we would have a headstart on the time difference if we had a lie in

But would we be bored waiting for our flight? I am hoping to bag lounge passes either through an offer or my Amex card for the T5 lounge. But I still don't think there's much to actually do at the airport? (I haven't flown long haul for 10 years and with short haul you're never there as far in advance)

I can't make up my mind what would be the least stress. That is my main aim - my OH gets anxiety / stress related IBS and does not fly well and I get anxious on travelling too so I am really trying to make the whole experience as stress free as possible for both of us.

TIA

[joolsleeds]

If you want to avoid stress - go the night before!

We do this as it's less stress and starts the holiday a day sooner! The lounges are normally well equipped with wi-fi etc, so I doubt you'd get very bored!

[MarkJ]

We've got a 1510 flight from T3 on Virgin to Barbados in February and will be coming from Solihull - its about 1hour 30 mins to drive so are coming down on the day.

I see from your post you are in Hampshire - so lets assume you too have an hour and a half drive - if you leave at 10am you will have plenty of time and sleep in your own bed and not get bored at the airport

[SquishTheWhale]

I would always book an airport hotel for an important flight- ie one I really don't want to miss! I used to think it was fine to drive the morning of if the flight is after 12pm, but after a disasterous drive involving endless accidents, closed motorways and traffic jams and cutting it very close to missing a flight I don't like to risk it now.
For me £28 is a bargain to start your holiday a day early and eliminate stress! Just chill out, have a late brekkie and get checked in nice and early. Because boarding starts so early for long haul flights I find you're never waiting around too long in the airport.

[catherinesian]

Thank you all - I think we will go for it. I would have done it ages ago had the flight been before lunchtime but with such a late flight it made me question whether we needed it. You're right - for £28 it's worth it even if it makes the night before a bit of a rush after we get home from work.

[Burgmeister]

I know that we are further away so not a direct comparison to your own situation but we always book the night before. One year we were travelling up to Gatwick when the M3 was closed due to an embankment fire and we got diverted through the Surrey and Sussex countryside. Very glad we weren't trying to get to check in!

As said earlier, the cost of a hotel room can be very cheap these days and well worth it for the relief from potential stress that it can give.