69businesstraveller.com APRIL 2020
BACKGROUNDThisnew-buildHilton
GardenInnopenedinJulylastyear.It is
thebrand’ssecondhotelatHeathrow;the
otheris furtherout,byHattonCrossstation.
Thisoneis withinquick,coveredwalking
distancetoT2andT3.It is operatedbythe
AroraGroup,whichalsorunsthenewdual-
brandedHolidayInnExpressandCrowne
PlazaatHeathrowT4.
WHAT’SITLIKE?Receptionis
spaciousandnicelydesigned,withsome
sofasanda 24-hourgrab-and-goselection
ofdrinksandsnacksforsale,including
fruit,sandwichesandcoffee.Thereis also
a boxfordroppingyourkeycardinfor
expresscheckout.Thethreecheck-indesks
wereallbusywhenI arrivedbutthequeue
movedquicklyandI washeadinguptomy
12th-floorroomwithinfiveminutes.
Hilton Garden Inn London
Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3
BEST FOR
Big, well-equipped rooms and
excellent airport accessDON’T MISS
A peek at the Runway BarPRICE
Internet rates for a flexible midweek
stay in May started from £175
for a King roomCONTACT
Tel +44 (0)20 3972 9700;
hilton.comexciting, with dishes including salmon
gravadlax, chicken and apricot terrine,
and wild mushroom vol-au-vent. I had a
plate of three scallops, which were very
tasty, followed by a filling curry. You could
certainly have a pleasant meal here to kick
off a trip, especially if followed up by a visit
to the 14th-floor Runway bar, which, as you
may have guessed, has runway views.MEETINGS Five rooms, all with natural
light, can be combined to fit 110 people
theatre-style.LEISURE There is a large 24-hour gym.VERDICT Hilton Garden Inn is a mid-
range brand, but this hotel feels high
quality (if not luxury). It will be convenient
for business travellers thanks to the
excellent location and room amenities, but
would also be a good option for leisure
travellers wanting somewhere to enjoy a
meal and a drink the night before a flight.
Jenni ReidAviation lovers should
request one of the 32 rooms
with runway viewsWHERE IS IT? Access to Terminal 2 is
excellent. Exiting the Tube at the stop for
T1, 2 and 3, you turn left towards T2 and
take the lifts up to the main entrance to
departures. Once you’re facing the terminal
you need to turn around into the car park,
which is where the first sign for the hotel
appears. The entrance is a very short walk
straight ahead. Terminal 3 is about ten
minutes’ easy walk
away through an
underground tunnel.
Terminals 4 and 5 are
one stop away on a
free train (although
note that these arrive
a little less frequently
than the Tube).
ROOMS There
are 369 rooms split
between standard
and twin Kings (22
sqm), family rooms
(33 sqm), accessible rooms and
suites (41 sqm).
All have free wifi, tea and
coffee facilities, desks with
ergonomic chairs, 55-inch TVs,
mini fridges and ironing boards.
Rooms run from floors five to
13, and aviation lovers should request one
of the 32 rooms with runway views if one
is available; mine was perfect for watching
the hum of airport life from the desk. There
is excellent double glazing, and my King
room was very quiet.
The room design is simple – dark wood
furniture and fabrics in varying shades
of grey. For a one-night stay I found it
comfortable, roomy and well-equipped.
Everything was clean and new. The
bathroom had a powerful shower, Crabtree
and Evelyn toiletries and a large, well-lit
mirror. The desk was a little small but fine
for a laptop, and there were USB ports and
plugs by the bedside.FOOD AND DRINK The Apron
restaurant on the first floor serves a
plentiful buffet breakfast (£16.88) from
6am to 10am, followed by an all-day
menu. I enjoyed my Wednesday evening
meal surrounded by other solo business
travellers. Staff were friendly and the
atmosphere relaxed. The menu is standard
British restaurant fare – fish and chips,
sausage and mash, curry, grilled meats,
pasta. The starter list is a little more