Sheraton London Heathrow – More Than An Airport Stay

I was asked to review Sheraton Heathrow which is within close proximity to all the terminals of Heathrow Airport. If you’re flying from Terminal 5, as I was, this is literally less than 10 minutes away. Over the years I have flown in and out of London Heathrow Airport and on some occasions I have booked hotels here, depending on the timing of my flight. On this occasion I had a 9 am flight to Seoul as part of a sponsored trip by South Korea Tourism. I was invited on a promotional tour for the up and coming 2018 winter Olympics in PyeongChang. I love airplanes, and the sound of those mammoth engines, regarding take-off and landing, makes me excited. My stay at Sheraton Heathrow was amazingly quiet. I hardly heard the noise of the planes flying over, which is quite extraordinary considering where it’s situated.

Heathrow More Than An Airport Stay

If you have time and want to explore more than London Heathrow Airport, this is the place you want to stay. In speaking to Hotel manager Andrew, who had been here for many years, it became evident that he is passionate about his job here. Andrew highlighted some of the local gems around the area, one of which was that just across the road was a 600-year-old pub, which is worth exploring if you’re looking for a British treat. There was also a local farm called Spelthorne, where the Sheraton Heathrow buys all its local produce for its restaurant. The farm has livestock, which can be a way of entertaining families with young children and help pass the time if you have a few hours between flights. In addition and only 12 minutes distance away, you can find Windsor which is famous for Windsor Castle. The city itself is a very traditional place. In Windsor, you will find the buildings, culture and ambience at it its best, meaning the entire British tradition wrapped in one. Equally, London is only an hour away and time permitting you can explore that too.

Reception

The hotel has been gradually renovated over the years which has greatly improved its appearance and class. I have always had mixed feelings about airport hotels. One of the reasons for this is due to a few negative experiences when I have stayed there. On this occasion, the Sheraton Heathrow has provided me with the best stay ever. I was made to feel welcome and special. The staff were very friendly, helpful and will go that extra mile to ensure that my stay with them was as pleasant as possible. Sheraton Heathrow was also promoting young upcoming artists in the locality. The hotel works with a school called Carwarden and its art work was displayed in the reception. If one is interested in the art work, this can be purchased directly via staff from the hotel. A percentage of the art work sold will be given to a local charity chosen by the hotel staff.

Club Rooms

I stayed at a Club Room which all were located on the third floor. The Club rooms offer all classic standard features plus Complimentary WiFi / Wired High Speed Internet Access and a LCD Flat Screen TV. I was immensely impressed with the decor and its trending colours, silver metallic being one of them. Predominantly this hotel is used for a few hours for guests to refresh themselves before they go back to the airport. The room in which I stayed had a massive king size bed. The bed mattress moulded to my body shape which provided great comfort and felt like it was giving me a hug in all the right places. The bed linen was fresh and crisp, which again featured for a warm and luxurious sleep. The Clubroom provided ample room which was an added bonus for a relaxing and chilling time before and after bedtime.

Lovely lounge to relax on a nice alternative to the bed.

A choice of wine options and plenty of space to enjoy it.

I always leave my international travel plugs behind so it is great to have the two options as seen below.

Perfect room to refresh and rest in.

The lighting was warm and relaxing and provided a much-needed welcoming ambience for the traveller flying from different times zones.

Bathroom

The bathroom had nice big bath towels and good power shower. The bathroom was clean and furnished with sleek bathroom facilities which were simple, yet functional. I liked the dedicated makeup mirror.

Enzo’s Cocktail School

What’s trending @SheratonLHR #opulentlifestyle @BarbieShandy 80’s throw back #cocktail #espresso #chilli #weshowyouhow @menstylefashion pic.twitter.com/RCNks05UEX

— Gracie Opulanza (@gracieopulanza) February 13, 2017

Vintage luggage which was found at the lost property at Heathrow Airport

I liked the wallpaper on the walls too, it made perfect travel sense.

The cocktails, were Blue lagoon, Appletini, Espresso Martini and Strawberry Daiquiri

Blue Lagoon

Espresso Martini

Appletini  Espresso Martini Strawberry Daiquiri

The Orchard Restaurant

Lunch & Dinner

Gather around a traditional British meal in the comfortable surroundings of The Orchard Restaurant. This restaurant takes its name from the grounds on which part of it is built. Its original apple garden and its local area, Colnbrook, were known as one of England’s biggest producers of apples. The cocktail which Enzo made me for earlier in the evening was also made with the local grown apples.

In talking to the Chef, who prides himself on purchasing and using local produce, I opted for a nice prime Hereford steak with chunky chips. Alongside that, I chose two side dishes of mushrooms and fresh beans. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality food, both in taste and presentation. This was a great pleasant and unexpected difference compared to other airport hotels.

The next night, I chose traditional Fish & Chips accompanied with fresh beans. The batter was perfectly smooth which melt in my mouth. The chunky chips that came with the meal were perfect.

The chefs at the hotel originate from different countries which reflects the diverse cooking skills. One of the chefs comes from an Italian background. I was informed that upon starting work the chef requested a wood-burning oven to be installed. This was a very unique feature for an airport hotel. I strongly recommend taking full advantage of its made to order fresh bread, beautifully baked in the hotel’s stone-fired oven, which was served with olive oil and herbs. Coming from an Italian background there is nothing better than a wood-burning oven cooking tasty and scrumptious pizzas.

For dessert, the British are renowned for making some great desserts. On this occasion, I opted for the caramel pudding with ice-cream and syrup. It was so yummy and fresh.

 The decor provides for a modern twist with a relaxed feel when sitting at table and bar.