“Sleeping in an Airport (But Make It Fancy): Why I’m Now Obsessed with Heathrow’s In-Terminal Hotel

Let me set the scene: I’m jet-lagged, dehydrated, my backpack smells like public transport, and I have the energy level of a potato. After the last 72 hours of flying across the Atlantic, to see a cancelled Taylor Swift show, and sweating bullets at the Bronze medal soccer game, the last thing I want to do is drag myself through the maze that is Heathrow, find the train to Central London, check into a hotel, and pretend I’m functioning. Enter: the magical unicorn of travel convenience — a hotel inside the actual airport.

Yes, friends. Inside. The. Airport. I want to do a whole series on this, I have stayed at a few airport hotels, because I THRIVE on convenience, and if you have ever been to Heathrow, this is a GAME CHANGER.

You don’t leave the building. You just float zombie-like off your plane, down a jet bridge, and into a gloriously quiet room with blackout curtains and fluffy pillows. It’s like Narnia, but with more charging outlets. This is also the case if you are staying before your flight too.

Why It’s the Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Done

First of all, who knew this was even an option? Not past-me, that’s for sure. In the past, I have booked hotels in London, and once booked a hotel “close” to the airport which turned out to be a logistical nightmare. Heathrow isn’t really for the faint of heart. I will admit getting into London isn’t hard, the public transit is super easy, and if you’re bougie the Heathrow Express is nice, but honestly, just use the regular tube its much cheaper and comparable time frames most of the time. But, if you are just transiting through London, turns out, airport hotels are exactly what the tired, solo, impulse-booking traveler ordered.

This place was just outside Aerotel and fed me dinner and breakfast

My room at the Heathrow in-terminal hotel Aerotel Terminal 3 was shockingly quiet. Like, I didn’t even hear a single announcement about unattended baggage.

The check-in process? Two minutes. The bed? Heavenly. The shower? Life-altering. The fact that I didn’t have to interact with a cab driver or figure out the currency exchange rate while sleep-deprived? 10/10.

Perfect for Layovers, Weird Arrival Times, and Emotional Stability

Whether you land at 6 a.m. and can’t check into your real hotel for six hours, or you have an overnight layover and want to not cry on the airport floor, this is your answer. It buys you a pocket of peace and makes you feel like a semi-functional human before you launch into the chaos of travel again. The hotel has three room options: Solo Plus, Double Plus or Family rooms. I went with the solo room, which was perfect. There was a bed, a desk, a private bathroom, and a television.

Bonus points: this hotel let you book by the hour (not in that way, calm down), which means you can nap, shower, and scroll your phone in peace without committing to a full night’s stay. Glorious.

Final Verdict

Would I stay at an in-terminal hotel again?
Absolutely.
Would I also consider just living there permanently and pretending to be a lost suitcase?
Honestly… also yes.

I will recommend that you pre-book and book early. Convenience quickly becomes inconvenient if you miss a booking opportunity and find that they are sold out for the times you need! Also, I think they may raise the prices as the travel dates get closer. I paid around 150 GBP for my 10 hour stay

If you’re like me and often question your life decisions as soon as you land, treat yourself to this small act of travel luxury. Because sometimes, the best travel memories start with a nap at baggage claim.

Have you ever stayed at an airport hotel? Tell me your stories. Or just confirm I’m not the only one who thinks Heathrow is a black hole of time and space.

~Kel