Sofitel London Heathrow

The hotel’s design means that many of the rooms look into internal atriums as opposed to having external views. This ensures that the rooms are quiet, however, rooms at the opposite end of the atrium to yours have a clear view into your room so it is not the most private hotel room if you choose to keep your curtains open. Some people comment that the hotel’s contemporary decor feels a little bland.

The entry-level rooms are 26m² (277 sq ft) and have a comfortable queen-size bed, a work desk, an alarm clock, a flat-screen television, ironing facilities, a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities and an en suite bathroom with a bathtub and separate walk-in shower.

Superior and luxury rooms are the next step up. They both have all the facilities of the standard rooms but with a larger king-size bed. Superior rooms are 28m² (300 sq ft) and luxury rooms are 32m² (341 sq ft).

Ten of the guest rooms are adapted for guests with disabilities.

There are 25 suites at the Sofitel. These are larger spaces ranging from the 35m² (373 sq ft) Junior Suite and going all the way up to the 165m² (1760 sq ft) Imperial Suite with two bedrooms and separate living and dining rooms. In keeping with its luxury five-star image, the most expensive suites feature butler service.

Guests staying in suites and in some of the luxury rooms (as well as platinum members of the ALL loyalty programme) get access to the Club Millesime lounge on the ground floor which has complimentary breakfast in the morning and complimentary canapes and drinks in the evening.

Soundproofing is excellent with triple- (and in some cases quadruple-) glazed windows, which is a big deal when you’re sleeping directly under the flight path of one of the world’s busiest airports.

There are several bars and restaurants on site so there is no need to pop over to the terminal for a bite to eat.

Belle Époque is the hotel’s main restaurant and this is regarded as one of the best hotel restaurants near Heathrow Airport. It is a fine dining restaurant with a menu that consists of French cuisine with Asian influences. Even if you’re not staying at the Sofitel, it is worth visiting to have lunch or dinner at Belle Époque especially if you have an extended layover at Heathrow.

Vivre is a brasserie-style restaurant that is a less formal dining option and it is here that breakfast is served. The hotel also has the Tea 5 tea lounge that serves a lovely afternoon tea, La Bar Parisien champagne and gin bar and the Sphere cocktail bar.

There is also a fitness centre and a space with massage and spa treatments.

Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout the hotel.

The hotel is located right next to Terminal 5 and it is connected to the terminal via a long corridor. The location is unbeatable if you’re flying from Terminal 5 (that is if you are flying British Airways or Iberia) and the proximity to the terminal coupled with free bus and rail connections to other terminals makes this a top choice even if you’re flying from a different terminal.

The location really is outstanding when you consider that most Heathrow Airport hotels are located far enough away from the airport that you actually need to catch a bus to your terminal and there are only a handful of hotels within walking distance to any of the airport terminals (four hotels near Terminal 4 and this one at Terminal 5).

With the railway station right under Terminal 5, you can take the Heathrow Express to Paddington station in just 21 minutes making this hotel not only handy to the airport but also convenient to Central London.