Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5

I’ve stayed many times & the location is great. Getting to/from hotel with pod system wasn’t easy this time as nobody was answering the intercom, it took 20mins trying & 2 calls to get through the gate. As the pod lets out into a secure car park you need the code to get through to hotel. To do this U use an intercom for them to let you through if you don’t have the code. Usually this is easy but this was the exception, it was a nightmare, standing in the freezing, torrential rain trying to contact the front desk wasn’t the best experience. Staff seem to have changed since it reopened after the Covid shutdown, they were blunt and not at all welcoming. Nothing like I have experienced on previous trips. Maybe a refresher on customer service would be useful, The guys that were at the desk were not the friendliest. I even spoke to the manager about a future booking, to add services on, to be told no then proceeded to walk away. When I arrived it wasn’t busy with 4 agents and 6 people checking in so I don’t know what the issue was with the intercom all they need to to is answer and buzz you through. This time I didn’t have the breakfast as I had an early flight @ 05:20 & breakfast is sadly not available at the time. On my last stay breakfast was good with a good selection of items from the standard full English items, selection of cereals, breads, pastries, fresh fruits and a selection of tea, coffee & fruit juices. So a great selection and plenty to choose from and to fill you up. There is also a good alternatives to meat like veggie sausage and such. It’s not a life changing breakfast but it will set you up for the day. It’s a buffet self service setting for the breakfast. My only wish is they were to have an earlier breakfast service too, perhaps not the full buffet as it would end up sitting there and would be a waste as the majority of people travelling would want the breakfast a little later. It would be good if able to order full breakfast instead for those that are travelling before the full buffet starts. The rooms are on the old side and are very tired. They could use some updating and maintenance to the rooms too. The hats not to say they were bad as they were perfectly serviceable and they were clean and tidy. It’s a shame they weren’t given a little face lift while they were shut down over Covid as it was a perfect opportunity. Perhaps it was used for Covid quarantining. Using the pod system is easy and fast but what the hotel is charging is not right so please be warned that the hotel do this. Heathrow doesn’t charge the people that use this system to get to their cars, However and it a big however they the hotel DOES CHARGE you a fee to use the system, seemingly the fee is for them to buzz you through the aforementioned gate. Now I have been staying here for years and it used to be that the hotel would buzz you through the gate and not charge, but things change & boy do they change. It’s now gone up to a complete rip-off of £6per person per trip. So if you are a couple using it, it it will cost you £24return. And if you want to get dinner at the airport after you have checked in you can make that £48. It’s nothing more than a money grab. If you are travelling as a couple or as a family it’s a no brainier in afraid it’s always going to be cheaper for a taxi, sadly it cost a lot more to do the environmentally responsible choice. Also the system only serves terminal five. So I would recommend if you are using T5 as always I had a comfortable and relaxed stay here and will be staying again and you can get a good decent breakfast before you travel too. Yes the rooms are a little tired but let face it it’s not like you are staying there for weeks on end, for the most part I would imagine most stay one to two nights. Be warned this hotel has NO LIFTS so if you have mobility issues I would recommend Rena room on the lower floor when you book. Avoid using pod system as now just a cash grab. Happy & Safe travels

Clean and comfortable room. Friendly staff. Super fast pod service to terminal 5. Ideal for a quick stopover before flying.

I stayed this time before my flight from Heathrow T5. I have fallen in love with the character of this hotel as it really is a very good value. A little dated but I love that about it and it's positioning is amazing for plane spotters. You have everything you need and this time a couple of shortbread biscuits in the room with the tea/coffee selection. Thank you Thistle especially Parik and Mechell and the lovely cleaner who is always outside brushing up the fallen leaves when I see her! I will be back.

Service and food are good 👍 Transportation is very easily if you’re arriving at terminal 5 then take the POD

Good and clean, but not easy to find hotline to help.

The internal rooms and environment were quite good and clean, but the location was not up to mark. Additionally, the design of the hotel is not that good because I found it difficult to find my room, the corridors were like some kind of maze. But on top of all, the breakfast was awesome, and it was offered for free.

Very last minute booking and arrived 30 mins after completing booking on easy to use app. Easy to check in and early morning departure . Nice dinner , reasonable choices. Quiet room. Near pods to T5 or get the 423 bus outside .

Nice clean room. Large hotel so very spread out. Drinks very expensive. Food reasonable and very good. Staff very nice. Used the pods to gwt to airport.free to go £7 to return per person

No any bus to this hotel from the airport you have to go and come back by taxi