Hotels and “park‑&‑fly” packages

One of Heathrow’s strong points is the ease of combining your flights with a hotel stay and parking. I just did a trip to the US from heathrow and stayed at IHG hotel using parkway parking meet and greet. The LHR website lists a variety of hotels (from 3‑star to 5‑star) located within 10‑15 minutes of all terminals, many offering “hotel + parking” packages so you can stay the night before a flight and then leave your car safely for your return. 
This is particularly handy for early departures or for people driving in from outside London and wanting to avoid the stress of coming in the morning of the flight.

Wide duty‑free & retail offerings

Heathrow is widely regarded as a major retail hub. For example, Terminal  3 has dozens of retail outlets (luxury brands, beauty, etc) and duty‑free remains one of the strongest categories in its retail revenue mix. So, if you enjoy shopping (especially high‑end) before your flight, Heathrow offers a lot of choice. I made the mistake of not shopping because I decided to opt for shopping on my virgin flight instead. Sadly, Virgin had no inflight duty free shopping because the company they use has gone brankrupt. 

Parking and transport accessibility

Because LHR is so large and well‑connected, there are numerous parking options and the hotel‑parking packages help reduce hassle. 
Also the hotel + parking option (“Hotel & Parking packages”) makes the drive‑in and fly simple: park the night before, fly, return to your car — fewer logistical headaches. 

Heathrow Airport – what to watch

Cost can be high

While the services are strong, they don’t come cheap. For example, some Heathrow hotels during peaks were reported to charge as much as four times their usual rate when demand surged. 
Parking and drop‑off/delivery fees at Heathrow have also been criticised as steep. For example, drivers dropping off passengers now face increased charges. 
So, while you can access premium service, you’ll pay a premium.

Although the official hotel + parking packages are favourable, third‑party parking criticisms are common.  Often delays, extra charges and poor service can happen when using park & ride or meet & greet services around Heathrow. If you drive and park at Heathrow, it’s worth booking and checking reviews carefully and also, shop around for deals.

Duty‑free shopping: good selection but some limitations

Even though Heathrow has strong retail, one article noted that removal of tax‑free shopping for tourists in the UK has impacted luxury spending at Heathrow’s duty‑free. 
So while there is excellent shopping, cost‑savings relative to other airports may be less dramatic than one might hope.

Comparison: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Food & retail cost and experience

While San Fransico has strong dining and retail options (and has been ranked among top airports for food and drink) many travellers complain of high prices. For example, avocado toast at SFO’s Terminal 1 was reported at US$18, and even chocolate in the duty‑free was US$12. 

Overall vibe and value

Although SFO offers a modern, broadly well‑rated facility, you get a sense that in certain parts the cost/value and ambiance do not match what one might expect from a top‑tier international airport. In contrast, Heathrow’s scale, connectivity, hotel + parking integration and shopping infrastructure feel more “full‑service” in many respects.
In simple terms: Heathrow gives more of the “everything you might need” package, whereas SFO might feel more limited or expensive in certain areas (especially for dining or parking).

If I were to summarise:

• If you value convenience, hotel + parking integration, wide duty‑free and retail, and are willing to pay for it — Heathrow performs very well.

• On the flip side, if your priority is value (parking cost, food cost, minimal extra spend) you’ll need to shop around carefully — Heathrow can be expensive.

• Compared with SFO, Heathrow likely offers more choice and integration for a typical UK‑based traveler (especially one driving in), although both airports share the common issue of heavy costs for “extras”.

• Bottom line: Heathrow is a strong “premium” airport option (at least for hotels, parking, shopping) — but don’t assume it’s cheap.