Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5

It's clean, well maintained and the staff are lovely. If you're after a retro feel, this could suit you. There's no lift up to the first floor, so bear that in mind. It's convenient for the Heathrow T5 pods and has long-stay parking, which can make it a good deal.

Breakfast felt special thanks to Saleem, Eldrich, Peter, Lily, Mickey, and George. They were attentive, friendly and genuinely kind. They showed me where everything was, gave me a beautiful table with an amazing view, and even refilled my juice before I had to ask. The whole team made the atmosphere welcoming. The hotel's also in a perfect spot if you're flying out, with a view of planes landing and taking off. I'll definitely be back!

The pod ride to and from terminal 5 was the most fun part of this easy airport stay. It's an automatic service direct to the terminal, and I highly recommend the pod. The hotel sits amid a sea of parking lots, though, so don't come expecting a view. It was busy, but my room was quiet and pest-free. Apart from a few alarming stains on the curtains and ironing board, it was clean, with spotless bed linen. Some furniture was worn. I appreciated the kettle, tea and coffee, mini-fridge and working AC, which was a real blessing in the heatwave. Checkout at 5am was painless, and a pod was waiting when I reached the station. The hotel has two storeys and no elevators, so expect to carry luggage up a flight of stairs. I booked it for an absurdly early red-eye after flying in from elsewhere the day before.

The staff made the stay feel special. Merci checked us in efficiently and helped me sort out parking. In the restaurant, the maitre-de checked we were all right after we chose the bar instead of waiting for a table. The bar staff were busy but still helped my brother figure out how to remove anything healthy from his burger. Arbaz at reception explained how to book the pods and took some stress out of the morning. Everyone was courteous, helpful and seemed genuinely happy to assist. It's a great option for terminal 5, about 10 minutes away by robot pods, which cost £8.50. The hotel is only two floors, with incredibly long corridors, but it didn't feel busy. Rooms are somewhat cramped. We ate in the bar on Saturday, when it turned out we'd have needed to book for the restaurant. The food was good and reasonably priced. I'm happy to recommend it for a convenient one-night stay. Book it Danno!