The best, but not the cheapest, hotel option for Heathrow T5
This review has been a long time coming. I’ve stayed at the Sofitel a lot over the years, but – like a lot of travellers – I’ve been on rushed visits, arriving late and then departing early. A recent connection in Heathrow and a longer layover than usual allowed me to write up a full review of this giant 605-room hotel.
Where is the Sofitel located?
Heathrow is surrounded by hotels, but most are off-site and require a taxi or bus. The Sofitel is one of the few that is accessible on foot, and without setting foot outside the main terminal building. For travellers who are coming in after long flights, or those connecting on to early morning departures, this is a valuable time saver.
To access the hotel, make your way to the T5 arrivals level (Level 0) or if you’ve landed in Heathrow T5 just head through customs. The hotel is signposted, but as the signage in the arrivals area is quite busy, you might miss it.
- If you’ve landed at T5, head out of customs walk straight ahead and turn right just before the M&S store. If you have reached WH Smith on your left hand side then you’ve gone too far.
- If you’ve found a different route into T5, then walk along the plaza with the shops on your right-hand side until you reach M&S.
To get to the Sofitel follow the exist signage opposite M&S that walks you towards a bank of lifts straight ahead of you. Signage in the lift will tell you the right floor for the Sofitel, then exit the lift turning left. Walk along the corridor, which will then make a right hand turn. In two minutes you’ll be at a bank of lifts, and some escalators. Head down, and then turn right to find the hotel reception.
How far is the Sofitel from T5?
The Sofitel is approximately a five-minute walk from T5 arrivals to reception. If you’re dragging a case behind you, it’s just about long enough to be annoying, but it’s still significantly easier and faster than finding your way to an off-site hotel.
The Sofitel is huge: 605 bedrooms, and it can host up to 1,300 in its conference and meeting rooms. It does a decent job of wayfinding with signage across the hotel that points you to reception, or the many places to eat and drink.
How much does the Sofitel cost?
You should be able to book a standard double room for £160 – £170. In January, we booked a single-night visit in May, and it was £169.73 (We booked this via Avios Hotels as they had a 20 points per £1 offer on). Scanning some dates over the next few months, pricing is coming out at £165 via the hotel aggregators.
The pricing is reasonable, given how busy Heathrow is. It’s comparable in price to the Radisson at Manchester Airport. Both hotels are walkable from the main terminals.
If you need to stay at Heathrow on a budget, there will be cheaper options. However, to give you another comparison, we stayed at the Hilton in T4 (also walkable from the terminal), and the cost was £137.
What are the rooms like at the Sofitel T5?
The design of the rooms, and in fact the design of the whole hotel, is a little bit old. That’s not to say it’s scruffy or dirty; it’s just very marbley and woody. The reality is that no one is staying at this hotel for a week long vacation, it’s not a destination hotel. It’s functional, mostly, and attractive in it’s own, 1980s way.
The twin room we stayed in is exactly the same as every other twin room we’ve booked at this hotel. It’s just about big enough, it’s comfortable and it feels very dark. If you’re recovering from jet-leg then the lack of lighting, and the blackout curtains, may be helpful.
Facilities inside the room
There are tea and coffee-making facilities, an ice bucket, and a fridge that comes with two bottles of water. The TV is modern. There’s a large storage unit to hold a suitcase on it, plus a generously sized desk for working or making up. A large mirror sits behind that desk, which is great if you’re getting ready, but it does mean if you sit up in bed, you’ll see yourself.
Around the desk are a tonne of plugs and connectivity, which is the opposite of the beds. There are no regular power sockets on either side of the bed and no USB sockets. That means you’ll have to charge your phone over the other side of the room.
The room also has a very relaxing seat and footstool, plus a side table. On top of that, the hotel offers free Wi-Fi throughout.
One thing you might be concerned about with an airport hotel is the noise, either from outside or from the constant rotation of guests. Sofitel claims that their windows are “soundproof”, and I can confirm that I have never been disturbed by any external noise. I also find the rooms to be well insulated from the corridor, and we’ve never heard any noise from the neighbouring rooms.
What’s the bathroom like?
The bathrooms at the Sofitel T5 are a decent size, with both a bath (three quarters sized) and a large shower. The design cues here are the same as the main bedroom, so it’s clean, has everything you need but it’s dated. There’s a phone next to the toilet, for those mid-ablution phone calls.
I’ve spent many early mornings in these Sofitel bathrooms, and I can’t complain. There are toiletries (Balmain) where you need them, the water pressure is good, and the mirror is huge. Unlike the bedroom, the lighting here is good. The bathrooms come with just enough towels.
The bathroom comes with two small water glasses and an electric shaver point.
The gym at the Sofitel
As I had a few extra hours in this hotel I went to the gym. At 6:30am it was dead, and in the 45-minutes I was in there I only saw one other person.
The Gym is one long room, with running machines as you enter the space and then free-weights and weight machines towards the back. Towels are provided, as is a water machine. Compared to most hotels, this was a solid gym with enough machines and kit to cater for most people.
It’s also a 24 hour gym, although under 16’s aren’t allowed.
Food and drink at the Sofitel
The Sofitel is punching above its weight when it comes to places to eat and drink, especially for an airport hotel. The options include:
- Tea 5, a coffee and pastry shop open from 7am to 4:30pm
- Vivre, a general restaurant open for breakfast (from 5:30am to 10:30am) and dinner (5:30pm – 10:30pm)
- La Belle Epoque, a British and French restaurant open for dinner (6pm – 10pm).
- The Sphere Bar is open for drinks and snacks from 4pm to midnight.
- There’s also Le Bar Parisien, but that’s only available for business and conference bookings.
- The executive lounge, Club Millésime, accessible only to guests in suites or those that specify they come with executive lounge access.
- Plus room service.
We landed late and had eaten on the plane, so we skipped dinner, and despite the later check-in we wanted to have breakfast in the lounge. That means we avoided all of the food options, however I did pop to Tea 5 for a coffee and pastry after the gym. They had some unique pastries , and it was completely empty. The coffee was outstanding.
More facilities at the Sofitel
The hotel spa is an attractive space, with a thermal pool, steam room and sauna. Access to those comes at a price, which is £40 for hotel residents and £75 for non-residents. £40 is a lot when you’ve already paid for a hotel room.
The Spa also offers treatments, which are more reasonable. A lower-body massage comes in at £85 for 30-minutes, whilst 60-minute full-body massages start at £140. They also offer facials, manicures and pedicures. The Spa opens from 9am to 9pm seven days a week.
There’s an executive lounge at the hotel, called Club Millésime, which is on the ground floor. If you’re in a suite, you can access it, or if you’re in a “Club” room. Other guest can pay £75 for entry, which is somewhat steep. As it’s based on a lower floor don’t expect any stunning views, but it’s a well-sized space open from 6:30am to midnight.
The final word on the Sofitel at Heathrow T5
Time is money. The Sofitel will be around £50 more expensive than a comparable off-site hotel, so the question for any traveller is: is it worth saving 20 minutes of your time and a car or bus journey?
I have stayed at Heathrow many times between flights, and if we’re flying in or out of T5 then we always stay at the Sofitel. Our decision is nothing to do with the decor, or the facilities, it’s just infinitely easier and – probably more importantly – less stressful. There’s no waiting around for a shuttle bus. Making or missing your next flight is entirely under your control.
Having said that, the Sofitel is crying out for a revamp. The decor is garish and bizarrely undateable. Is this the 1980s, the 1990s or Dubai in the 2010s? Who knows, but you probably won’t care. When you need a room for a night – or even just eight hours – and convenience is key, then the Sofitel is the best option at T5.
Sofitel – Heathrow T5 Ratings
Add a comment