Review: Premier Inn London Heathrow Terminal 4

Lucky, you should stop writing before your coffee

"my flight to Dublin the next morning was departing at around 8PM."

You could’ve tried the free bus services to get you to Terminal 5 (or in fact anywhere within the Heathrow area). Local Buses are free and there’s a convienant Bus stop right outside the Premier Inn to T5. Another review right there 🙂

Premier Inn is really on the cheap side in most places. This is looking really good actually, compared to some of the ones I've stayed at. I'd be amazed if there were a gym at any of their properties. Most of the restaurants that they have onsite at their properties are franchised, they don't usually run them.

Regarding water pressure in the shower, it's a standard issue across the UK. They haven't invented water towers yet so everything is pumped along the network (which works less well).

24/7 Costa is good, we all know how much of a caffeine-addict you are 😉

Are those not extra pillows in two of your photos on the rack opposite the bathroom??

"Rather bizarrely the hotel doesn’t have a gym."

I would be staggered if a London airport budget hotel, designed for overnight crashing between flights, had a gym.

And for just USD85. In London. Pause for a minute and marvel at how low cost that is for London.

"Since I was departing from terminal 5 the best way to get there was with an Uber."

This just makes no sense to me at all. All LHR terminals are connected with free transport (tube trains and Heathrow Express, as well as buses), so I am mystified why you thought it necessary to pay to get a taxi.

Budget hotel to save cash BUT pay for a taxi to take you between terminals rather than use free transport?

In any event, given Uber has had its operating licence revoked in London, you may not be able to do it in future (though there is an appeal underway, which they may win and which anyway might take some time...).

"At the same time, I feel like there are some areas where they cut corners even by budget brand standards, like the lack of international outlets, the lack of a gym, and the toilet paper sheets."

Ha ha! You really know nothing about the UK do you?!

@Alan
Good eye spotting those pillows! It certainly looks like 2 extra.

The door to access the corridors from the lift is activated by your room key. It means only people who have a room on that floor can access the corridor.

This hotel usually has rooms at £29.50 if booked far enough in advance. It offers fantastic value for money. I also appreciate that they have baths.

Why should a UK hotel have an American plug socket?!?

Why should a budget airport hotel have a gym?!

There are direct buses from T4 to T5 which likely took less time than your Uber and are free...

And indeed there are two extra pillows opposite the bed on the shelf.

The thing under your bed is actually a rollaway bed.

If you need anything in this Premier Inn you just need to dial reception and they'll bring it to your room. If you needed even more pillows why didn't you just call them instead of having a hissy fit?

Nice to have an exterior shot of the hotel. I wish you would include exterior shots more often in your hotel reviews. I like to see the "curb appeal" of the property, how many floors, whether it looks to be new construction, etc.

hi,

I was wondering if you needed to collect your checked luggage and recheck in the morning? Or does the airline take care of that on their end with overnight international connections?

Another positive thing to note, glasses and mugs are NOT paper cups!

Great addition to the overpriced Heathrow hotel scene.
Pardon the ignorance - what's the issue with the toilet paper? What is the great advantage of toilet paper rolls?

I've stayed in multiple Premier Inns. Some of them have been more weather-beaten than others, but I've always had a good night's sleep in them.

I'm a little surprised you took an Uber - as others have mentioned, there are free buses to T4 and T5. Why stay at a budget hotel then pay an Uber - at an airport that not only has good transport but *free* transport? Same with expecting a hotel of this caliber to have a gym - a budget hotel where folks are looking for a place to crash for a night or two between or before flights. As to the lack of international outlets - I can see your point (the hotel *is* attached to a large, international airport) - but honestly, you *were* in the UK. If I needed an adapter, I would have just called reception.

Sorry Ben but it's not at all bizarre that there's no gym. It's a Premier Inn, none of them have.

Always know what you're getting in a Premier Inn.

Good lord people. If you don't like what @Lucky says, don't read it (although Lucky probably feels differently as you're giving him clicks and $). He reviews hotels and gives you his opinion. You don't have to agree. And you don't have to criticize him for not standing out in the cold waiting for a bus but rather taking an uber instead. The logic that if I spent a ton of money at the hilton, I should use an uber, but if I decided to save some money, I should not then splurge on an uber... escapes me. We all make choices of how to spend money that are different. And further, he was reviewing the Premier Inn for you all.

I personally appreciate that Lucky called out the lack of a gym. On a layover the gym is the first place I go. I couldn't care less about a restaurant. Or a Costa, but I'm not complaining that he mentioned it.

Pillows are important to me too. Now i know I wouldn't stay there. You may make a different choice, but don't fault him for telling us.

If you don't like it at least keep your uniformative comments to yourself.

As many others have said , you do not know U.K. Premier Inn is a chain hotel and most hotels are the same , cheap and cheerful, no gyms, multi hotel contracts for soap, toilet paper etc , and excellent value. The Premier Inn at Gatwick is identical .

@AD

Quite right. I look forward to Lucky's complaints that Ryanair, to his surprise, doesn't have an onboard bar; and easyJet doesn't offer vintage champagne...

A budget hotel is exactly like a budget airline - frills-free. To most normal humans, a hotel gym is a frill. Frankly I'm impressed at what Premier Inn offer for the price.

@AD
“Pillows are important to me too. Now i know I wouldn’t stay there.”
People weren’t faulting Lucky for complaining about there being 2 pillows - they were faulting him for not noticing there are actually 4, the additional 2 of which are shown in the photos above in the top of the wardrobe.

Lucky seemed to spend all his time looking for a gym that he couldn't see the extra two pillows staring him in the face.

Although premier Inn is a budget hotel, it's a rather good budget hotel. Much better than a lot of travelodges for example. Possibly comparable to a Hilton Hampton Inn without free breakfast.

Not sure why you said the mattress felt cheap...they are supposed to be high quality Hypnos ones.

Having stayed at this place a month or so ago, your review is 100% accurate.
I was disappointed too by the weak water pressure in the shower, and the tepid water temperature was frankly unacceptable, especially for a newly built hotel!
Pity you missed breakfast it was the highlight; eggs cooked to order, and the whole English brekkie if that's your thing (it is for me!) Continental breakfast is an option too, for a few quid less.
Despite the water issues, crummy pillows, and almost total lack of amenities, it is an economic option for less than 24 hour stays. I'm not sure if it will seem so attractive after 5 years wear-and-tear though.

@glenn t

Book say a month in advance and it's £30 a night...how can you possibly argue at that price especially when it's directly connected to the terminal.

Never tried the shower because I always have a bath here. The water is always hot.

@Alex You're way off the mark about the UK not having water towers - they've been around for getting on a couple of centuries. You only have to open your eyes when here & you'll realise.

If you want some help here are some for starters.....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_tower#United_Kingdom
And of course there's an appreciation society for them too http://bwtas.blogspot.co.uk/

mmm buses pillows,look and you will find.also there must be 50 hotels close to heathrow,you been in LA LA LAND TO LONG

Stayed here a few weeks ago, got a super low rate of GBP 34 so I can't really complain but if you have allergies & sensitive skin (body, face etc ...), this isn't the place for you.

1. The A/C thermostat doesn't work, I tried many times but I couldn't control the temp.
And it kept turning off by itself all day & night. so it gets pretty warm in the room .. then cold, then warm ... and stuffy all at the same time
Switched rooms after the 1st night, same problem but at least the vent was working properly and the air flow was fine.

2. The in house technicians only work from 9am-6pm so if you have a problem it had better be during those hours. A total of 3-4 "technicians" came up to check the room, they fiddled with it for 1/2 hour & came back the following day - and fiddled some more. Nothing was fixed.

3. Check in / front desk staff were terrible - the manager had no idea what customer service is and she made it feel like I was bothering her with all my problems.
There were 2 ladies who were awesome but the rest ... meh

4. Unless your flight is arriving or departing @ T4, I would pick another hotel unless you have a tight budget. Getting to T4 from the other terminals will take at least 20 min. more if you just missed the Heathrow Express or if you are walking across terminals to take the tube.
The underground walkway is also a long walk .. to anywhere

I couldn't wait to check out of the hotel.

@ W Ho What a precious soul you must be.

Also "The underground walkway is also a long walk" - are you sure you were at the Premier Inn T4? As there sure as hell isn't any underground walkway at that hotel.

I have booked room at premier inn heathrow terminal 4 for four days from 29th march to 2nd july . I had told them to get room cleaned but they didnt and when i complaint it, the manager was talking rudely that they cant do anything now and i can do whatever i want . I didnt ask manager name but she is indian and very rude . Even though they say bed is comfy ,contray my bed is too hard ,room AC is not cooling ,water is leaking from refrigerator.