REVIEW: The Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre at Heathrow Airport

I stayed at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre Heathrow Airport the night before flying to Istanbul. Although I could have travelled to Heathrow in a day from Cornwall, I decided to travel slower and enjoy the night before in a hotel.

I was initially looking at Accor hotels, but I got tempted by this one because of the pool!

Introducing the Radisson Heathrow

The Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre shares the same building as the Radisson RED Heathrow, but they are actually two different hotels, with the Radisson RED being the more expensive option. The hotels share a check-in area as well as a gym and pool. 

If you’re staying at the Radisson Hotel and conference centre, you can use the bar at the Radisson RED too. The Hotel has 637 rooms ranging from standard rooms to deluxe rooms with runway views.

The Location of the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre at Heathrow Airport

The Radisson RED is a short shuttle ride away from terminals 2 and 3, with easy access to all terminals. The hotel has views of the runway. 

To get there,  you can either get the official Hoppa shuttle bus, take a taxi, or go on the local bus. This is similar to most Heathrow Airport hotels not directly walkable from the terminals. I used the Hoppa bus when I stayed at the Renaissance Heathrow recently.

I used the local bus to travel to the hotel from Hayes and Harlington train station, and it was quicker than the suggested route of travelling on the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow and then getting another mode of transport to the hotel. 

If you choose to get the bus to the airport, there is a bus stop across the road (and slightly left), and the next stop is Terminal 3.

Booking and Getting it for Less

Although you can book via Booking.com and other major platforms, Radisson guarantees that the lowest rates will be through booking direct. You can get a further 10% off by being part of the Radisson Rewards programme. I signed up for the programme, especially for this stay.

I paid £117.71 (Tuesday night), including breakfast and earned 978 reward points. The website states that the lowest price in the next 30 days is £90.90.

The Rewards program has been devalued recently but is still worth joining. Everyone starts at Club level; after 5 nights or 3 stays, you will progress to Premium. Here, you can save more money by activating the discount booster for 20% off bookings. You will also get early check-in and late check-out, a room upgrade and luggage storage, which are all subject to availability.

After 30 nights or 20 stays, you will progress to VIP, where your room upgrade will be to the best available category. You will get 15% off food, free breakfast for 2 and access to VIP areas in selected hotels.

Check-In

When I arrived at around 15:00, check-in after a long train journey was very quiet. I was greeted with a spacious reception area with comfy seating and complimentary flavoured water.

I waited behind one other person. The reception staff were very friendly, although it took a while to check me in. There are also automatic check-in desks available. However, there were complaints from other guests about long lines for check-in, so pick a good time to arrive if you are able to.

My room was located on the ground floor. It was a long walk past the conference centre rooms and the fitness centre. 

Whenever I tried to go to the pool, restaurant or reception, I kept getting lost in the corridors. They seemed to be in a cross shape with little signage on the way to the reception. Each time, I walked around the outside of the hotel to find reception. 

The Room

The room had everything I needed to work and relax before my flight to Turkey the next day. It was nice to be at the airport and not have to travel from Cornwall and do a flight in one day.

The room was of average size with views out onto the car park. The bed was comfortable, with nice pillows, good quality linen and plenty of plug sockets. The TV was also in an excellent position to watch. The room definitely looks more old-fashioned than the Radisson RED rooms.

There were tea and coffee-making facilities, iron, and two bottles of water, with a note that it was at a cost unless I was a Radisson Rewards member.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was of average size with a nice-sized mirror. There was loads of space around the sink to put toiletries so they did not end up falling into the sink – a common grievance in many hotels.

The shower worked well, but it took some work to work to turn the larger head on. It is always nice to have a bath in a hotel room too.

The WIFI worked at a good speed too!

Other Room Types at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre

Not many luxury room types are available at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre. The biggest upgrades are the more well-equipped superior rooms and the rooms with runway views.

Standard Room with Airport View

The standard rooms are the same as mine but on a higher floor. Below are the runway views I saw from outside the hotel, so I would imagine they would be similar but from a higher level.

Superior Room or Superior Room with Airport View

The superior rooms have been finished to a high standard and feel much less old-fashioned than my room. If I stayed at the Radisson Heathrow again, I would probably opt for a superior room.

Family Room

The family rooms are much like the layout of the standard rooms, but they are larger and sleep more people. The rooms feature queen size or twin beds with bunk beds or a sofa bed which can sleep a family of four.

Rooms at the Radisson RED

Rooms at the Radisson RED have more character, and more room types are available. According to Radisson Hotels, the Radisson RED hotels are “A playful twist on conventional hotel stays, injecting new life into hotels through informal services where anything goes, a social scene that is waiting to be shared and bold design.”

You can book a one-bedroom suite and an executive room with lounge access. Because many of the hotel facilities are shared with the Radisson Hotel and conference centre, you are paying for the design features if you opt to stay here. If you book a lounge access room or have access through Radisson Rewards, I would recommend opting for the Radisson RED.

Breakfast

Breakfast was included in the room rate. The room rate was originally £107.90, but at the last minute, a deal flashed up to add on breakfast for £10. Breakfast was served in the Filini restaurant.

When I arrived, I was shown to my table and told about the different things offered.

The restaurant was spacious, with room for lots of different group sizes. An excellent selection of hot food was available, which was well stocked.

The continental breakfast buffet also had lots available. The day I was staying had major lighting issues, and the buffet was dark. I could hardly see what was on offer, although the staff did apologize. 

Tea and coffee were located on the other side of the room. The Cappucino I had was very nice. I was pleased to see a good selection of teas with extra touches like lemon and biscuits. 

Asides from the dark buffet, there was a fantastic choice of food and drink with excellent service. This exceeded my experience of hotel breakfasts recently.

Icon’s

The icons bar and restaurant is open from 6:00 am until 12:00 am daily. This is the restaurant at the Radisson RED, but it is only a short walk away on the other side of the reception from the Radisson Hotel.

This is located on the other side of the reception area with splits of the Radisson RED from the Radisson Hotel and conference centre.

There was a lovely ambience at the bar. The food menu was limited, but I am sure everyone could find at least one thing they liked there. The drinks menu was extensive.

I ordered a side of chips with a coffee because I was about to go to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge.

Here is a glimpse of some of the extensive drinks menu:

Filini Restaurant

Filini Restaurant specialises in authentic Italian cuisine. It looked more formal than Icon’s, which was more of a bar. Staff were seating guests, and the menu was more extensive. The menu features fresh Italian cheeses, cured meats, pasta dishes, and pizzas prepared in traditional pizza ovens. 

The Filini Restaurant is open daily from 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm. It is also where you go for breakfast in the morning.

The Pace Health Club

The health club was on the same floor as my room, just before the reception. When I entered, no staff member was checking me in. I think this was a one-off, though. I didn’t like walking through the gym to get to the pool. I was a bit of a put-off!

There are changing rooms available at one end of the pool and a steam room/sauna at either of the other ends.

I enjoyed my swim although the water temperature was quite cold.

The leisure club is also open to members of the public via a membership.

Parking

The hotel sometimes does promotions which include free parking with rooms. Otherwise, the rates are as follows:

The Conference Centre

The design and functionality of the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre. It is large, with 41 spaces for 700 guests.

Around the Hotel

I went on a walk around the hotel area. It is a residential area with lots of other airport hotels scattered around. I went to the Leonardo Hotel for a massage. This is one thing that was missing from the Radisson!

Final Words

The convenience of proximity to the airport, coupled with the amenities and service, ensures a stress-free stay. The Radisson and Radisson RED share facilities, so your choice should depend on whether you would like a room with executive lounge access or you would prefer to pay for a room with a better design.

Prices start from around £110 a night but you can check prices and availability as well as joining Radisson Rewards on the official website here.

If you love staying at Radisson Hotels, there is also the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel at Heathrow Airport.