The delight felt when snagging cheap airplane tickets and discount hotel rooms or cheap vacation packages can be diminished by long layovers at airports, some of which can extend overnight. The good news is that at some of the worlds busiest airports fliers are now able to find a hotel room to take a nap or freshen up just minutes away from their gates.
Some hotels are even renting rooms by the hour out of consideration for guests who do not want to pay for time they will be unable to use. Yotel is such a no frills hotel chain now in Londons Heathrow airport, Londons Gatwick airport and Amsterdams Schiphol airport. Yotels rooms are quite small, just 75 square feet, but manage to fit in a bed, desk and shower.
Travelers are able to rent one of Yotels capsule like rooms at any time of the day. Four hours costs about $45, with an overnight stay $90. Yotel plans to add five more airport hotels within the next 12 months, including one at New Yorks JFK International Airport.
Limited airport lodging has been available for years including the Hyatt Regency inside the Orlando airport, the Marriott in the Tampa airport and the Sheraton in the Bradley airport in Connecticut.
The increasing presence of airport hotels is not limited to the no frills variety. Luxury hotels have started opening at airports that offer spa services, cigar bars, and exercise rooms. Hilton opened a 320 room hotel inside Terminal 3 of the Beijing Capital Airport in China. This hotel offers seven restaurants and bars, two ballrooms, 21 meeting rooms and services, a cigar bar and fitness center.
Hilton plans on opening hotels at JFK airport and Frankfurt airport in December and three more airport hotels in Nigeria, Ghana, and Alberta, Canada by 2014.
Sheraton recently opened a Milan airport hotel and by the end of 2012 will add airport hotels in Azerbaijan and Moscow and domestically in Detroit and Pittsburgh.
Guest demand for convenience is driving many hotels decision to open in airports. www.cheapfares.com