Review: Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel (LHR)

This is in stark contrast to some other airports, where you’ll get chewed out by a taxi driver if you request a short ride.

There are still airports like this? I thought they've all implemented a line-cutting system for drivers returning from short trips.

Either that or I started working out more and drivers don't chew me out because they fear I'd sock it to 'em with my large muscles and 6 pack.

I really like this hotel and had many similar experiences (eg apologising to the cab driver who told me “no worries I get to cut the line”)

I had actually booked for the following night accidentally and they swapped me for free which was generous. I sat in that very chair and just watched plane after plane. Loved it. Almost prefer to staying on terminal.

Ben, would you mind to name the white noise app you use? Thanks.

@ Up Up & Away -- Yep, the app is called "White Noise," I've been using it for years.

Poor woman that is about the worst beer selection you could imagine, I’d be embarrassed to serve it.

Welcome to the club Ben, I see you had a view of Gerry from Big Jet TV standing on the roof of his van! If memory serves you covered one of his YouTube vlogs last year after a tail strike was captured.

Actually the place seems to have been revamped and looks much better than when I stayed there some years ago. The club lounge was in shambles with everything falling off and the welcome cheese plate kept in my room had half eaten slices!

I LOVE this hotel!....checked in at the crack of dawn...had am unexpectedly fab lunch in the bar...a long chat with a REAL concierge (George)...who set me up with travel plans for the next day...a very good breakfast with the runway view and an easy Uber to the airport train station...no, it's not pretty but Don't let that put you off
..

All buses ( NOT the hoppa) within the 'Heathrow Zone' are free. It's abit frowned upon to board your whole family and their cases for a two week trip BUT if there's room in the racks for them then crack on if you can handle the inevitable stares from those going to-from work. If you're HBO then you're golden. Just go to the bus pickup lane at T5 and T4 or the bus pickup area for the rest. Ask literally anyone in any uniform which bus goes to XYZ hotel & if they don't know, the person next to them will.

For a lot of the hotels there are multiple busses that will go past/stop at them so you rarely have to wait long.

When you board just say. "I'm going to the Renaissance" and then once seated pull up Google maps. Add the hotel and click Public Transport and you can track your journey and know when your stop is coming up. On the reverse just get on and say "Terminal X please" and off u go. No need to have an oyster card or to tap Ur bank card. Just say where and find a seat.

Alas post pandemic the free Heathrow zone was abolished.

Nice review, Lucky. Always notice this hotel upon landing and have wanted to learn more. Great views, for sure.

I don't believe the public busses in the "hotel zone" are free anymore. Public busses run frequently and are often a quicker option than the Hoppa hotel shuttle.

The Renaissance Hotel Heathrow is a very whimsical looking hotel. Those views are nearly unrivaled for a hotel. Nice review.

I have stayed more times than I can remember at this property dating back nearly 40 years - first when it was the Heathrow Penta, then the Ramada, and then finally the Renaissance. My last visit there was probably around 2016 or so. Some of my fondest childhood recollections are of sitting at the window with a homemade airband receiver and listening to ATC as the drama unfolded outside. I still have old 110 film photos of Concorde taken from there sitting in an album at my parent's house. If any hotel could be said to have been an influence on my life and career choices, this would be the one.

I remember the McDonald's across the street where I had many breakfasts. The bus stop where we would wait in the chilling wind to catch a ride into Hounslow - and the arguments with my mother to wait for a double decker so I could have a clearer view of the aircraft as we drove along Bath Road towards Cranford. Good times!

Looking at your photos really brings back great memories - the property looks the same as it did in the 1980s, just updated and modernised. Thanks for posting this, for reasons other than the review itself.

I think I was there that night he was having a moan that the beers were basically lagers. it didn't use to be like that. I have been using the hotel for 40 years, and it has had name changes etc. The age is the reason for the height and room size. Alot of the airside hotels are of simillar age and height - skin paint radar back then.
I am lifetime Titanium and they always give me the resteraunt breakfast. It does have the unique views. The hotels that weren't built recently suffer from having to convert rooms to the lounge. Only the Marriott from this group has a really good lounge at LHR. Basically as a frequent stayer it does what it says on the bottle, nothing special but I sleep well here.

I don’t know how I missed knowing about this place. Seems like a great value as well as great views. Thanks for the review!

Totally agree. Especially in the UK which has plenty of well distributed ales, stouts, and so on.

Yup, no free busses anymore.

The hotel caters to a lot of groups in addition to being the layover hotel for certain airlines. At certain times, reception is an absolute nightmare! That said, it is very much my hotel of choice when staying at LHR, because of the great views.

The Courtyard down the road, which is pretty new, has fantastic views at the end of 27R from the rooftop bar/restaurant! No views from rooms though.

I have a soft spot for the Renaissance. I used to attend hi-fi exhibitions here as a youngster with my Dad back in the mid-seventies! I disagree with you about the architecture though because I think it's an excellent example of 1970s space-age futurism. The building needs investment, preservation and potentially even listed status. It can't help the fact it's getting older and is in need of some TLC here and there.

I do think the interior design, however, is pretty dire and as you quite rightly say 'random'! It certainly doesn't match the exterior. I think interior design along the lines of the Virgin Clubhouse would be more apt and would complement the exterior more successfully. The Renaissance is managed by the Arora hotel group, who also manage the Sofitel and the HGI at T2 among others.

Finally, yes - the runways views are second to none. They've just launched a 'plane-spotter's stay package'!

Ben (/Tiff), have you even googled what YinDaoYan means? I'm not going to reproduce it here but if you needed a reason to ban it ... have a quick google.

I used to enjoy, watching Jerry's LHR video streams; but he has become too commercialised and money-grabbing. Blatantly promoting and endorsing Emirates, on a recent stream. I had been a fully-paid 'member' of his channel for 3 years. I have now stopped this.

Ben, Thanks for sharing your review of the Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel.

I recently had the misfortune of staying at the Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel and I feel compelled to share my experience. I have to say, I completely agree with the previous comments regarding the state of the hotel. The entire property is run down, filthy and in my opinion should be removed from the Renaissance brand of Marriott International.

I can attest to the fact that the issue with the bath towel was not a fluke. When I stayed at the hotel last September 2022, I also only received one bath towel for my entire stay. This lack of attention to detail is unacceptable.

The Club Lounge at the hotel was a BIG disappointment as well. The furnishings were terribly outdated and covered in unsanitized filthy marks. The space itself was unremarkable and offered little inspiration. In my opinion, the Renaissance London Heathrow is the worst property within the entire brand.

Regarding the food selection, I completely agree with the previous remarks. The pre-made plate in the photo was very accurate and the food was simply disgusting. As someone who has traveled extensively, I can honestly say that the selection of food was one of the worst I have ever seen.

As a frequent traveler, I look forward to staying at Renaissance hotels for their unique and modern style and exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, the Renaissance London Heathrow fell far short of my expectations. I strongly advise anyone considering staying at this property to run and stay away.

The club lounge offerings look pretty shabby
Other than that a doable property
The soundproofing would concern me
Prefer Sofitel @ terminal 5 and I’ve tried most of these tired old bomb shelters they call airport hotels @ Heathrow

I've been to quite a few airport lounges (and indeed on many flights) where a lager was the only beer option. As someone who much prefers a stout, bitter or IPA it's somewhat disappointing but not unexpected.

I watched his YouTube video from Dubai and he focuses purely on the Emirates aircraft landing. He does admit when he includes some FedEx cargo planes that he hopes Emirates will not mind. I guess with Emirates being host he had to please them lol.

Sounds shabby enough to become a member of the Fawlty Towers brand. As Basil would say - "Don't mention Michael Irvin"

For most of the "Heathrow Airport Hotels" around the area and inparticular along bath road, i would 100% reccomend getting the TFL operated (London Buses) services over the Hotel Hoppa buses. They are significantly cheaper and often quicker. Yes they can be busy, usually with airport staff more than anything, but the Hoppa is unneccessarily expensive. Their buses are generlly old and uncomfortable and despite it being a dedicated service, their drivers are usually rude and can not bare to help customers unfamiliar with the area... common being a huge international airport.

The TFL (London Buses) are no longer free in the Heathrow zone. However they are substancially cheaper than the Hotel Hoppa buses and for most of the time quicker and more frequent to most of the Heathrow Airport hotels. Particularly those on Bath Road

We had a missed connection at Heathrow last month and British Airways put us in this hotel and gave us vouchers for the Hopper. We went down to the bus stop around 9.30am and found that the hopper service didn’t run until 3.00pm since check-in time is in the afternoon. We pleased with a Hopper driver who was dropping off and he agreed to take us near to our hotel because he agreed that the schedules are stupid and don’t match the published schedule.

I have stayed at the hotel three times in the the last five years. Unlike the Heathrow Marriott, the Renaissance offers Titanium Bonvoy Members, like me, a free dining room breakfast, in addition to what is offered in the Executive Lounge. The Marriott restricts you to their lounge. That being said, the breakfast buffet at the Renaissance is the best one offered in Marriott properties in the UK that I have stayed in, which is very many.

I was do happy and excited for their meal ,well served and very listening and supportive..I was served by ambassador ROQUE and the breakfast was delicious and it was on point ..the man is very calm and respectful

I usually stay at the Marriott Bath Road, just down the street. There is a GREAT restaurant/bar down a side street called the Pheasant Inn and Bar. Amazing food, terrific service. They have a bar area that serves typical pub food, and then a more formal restaurant that is always consistent. Highly recommend!

Worth mentioning that you really don't need to use Hotel Hoppa or a taxi/Uber. There are plenty of buses that serve this hotel.

From T5 you would use bus 423. From Heathrow Central there are at least 4 including 105 and 278.

The fare is very reasonable if you use these.