Perks of staying in an airport hotel

The average business traveller catches more than twenty flights per year, but today, even when travelling for work is not a requirement, our millennial lifestyle alongside a global culture and the fact that we stay permanently online no matter where we go result in an increasing tendency to travel to new places whenever we get the chance. In view of this, it is safe to say that the higher number of hotels being built near airports in recent times responds to an actual demand, and it aims to satisfy the needs of a new customer profile. More and more travellers are discovering the advantages of booking a hotel close to the passenger terminals, regardless of their specific scenario: for a late night arrival preceding a long commute, during an overnight layover or before a very early morning departure. Have you ever considered sleeping inside or near the airport on your trips? Read below to find out more about the perks of staying in a transit hotel.

You might not need to apply for a travel visa

Every time you embark on a transcontinental journey, it is quite likely that you will be having a layover in a city somewhere between your origin and your final destination. Perhaps you only have a few hours to spend before your next flight, yet you need to get some sleep because you have been travelling across time zones: this is the perfect opportunity to relax in a transit hotel in the passenger-only area of the airport terminal and, in most cases, you won’t be required to have a travel visa for that country as long as you do not step into the public zone.

You will never miss your flight

One of the most obvious perks of staying in an airport hotel is that, since they are located at a distance ranging from few metres to a couple of kilometres from the terminals, it is highly unlikely that you are late for boarding. What is more, these establishments are clearly focused on enhancing the airport experience, so many incorporate flight information screens on site displaying the latest status updates and even your gate number. The staff will set a wake-up call upon request and arrange shuttle services at a convenient time for a hassle-free departure.

Hotels near Maho Beach and Princess Juliana International airport in St. Maarten island (Saint Martin, Caribbean)

You will skip unnecessary commutes

When travellers started to book rooms at airport hotels, the main reason for doing so was to avoid taking a taxi cab or using public transport after midnight, or the absence of good transportation options in the early morning when the flight departed at dawn. Therefore, and looking at the fact that many international airports have excellent connections to the city in the form of express trains and direct bus services, it is also a good idea to stay in a transit hotel during your trip and commute to the centre every day for sightseeing or business purposes.

They are an ideal place for plane spotters and aviation lovers

If you enjoy plane spotting, sleeping at the airport or close to it will not only make it easier for you to visit the spotters zone but also let you immerse in the aviation atmosphere and live it to the fullest. Some transit hotels are situated on the edge of the runways, providing guests with privileged views of airplanes taking off and landing while they are in their rooms.

It may help you during your family trip

On holiday with the whole family? Believe it or not, some of the advantages of booking a hotel close to the airport include a more organised family trip. If you stay in a hotel near the terminals at least on the night before departure, kids will be more relaxed and you will have more time to make sure you pack everything and leave on time.

Airport hotels specialise in business facilities

The owners of transit hotels are aware of the fact that you, as a business traveller, want to make the most of your stay in each city. Thus, these establishments tend to be more business oriented regardless of the hotel chain or brand they are part of, and offer a variety of conference spaces, meeting rooms and technological equipment for you to meet up with your potential clients and compliment the highest number of deals possible in record time.

Sometimes they are cheaper

It depends on a diversity of factors, but airport hotels can help you save money during your trip and reduce travel expenses. Major hotel chains close to air terminals will probably have similar nightly rates to their branches in the city, but 3-star and 4-star business hotels or “Inns” might be a nice surprise. Look out for special promotions, breakfast-included rates and “park&fly” packages.

Have you read our airport hotel reviews? Take a look at our opinion about this hotel near Adolfo Suarez Madrid Barajas airport in Spain.

Where to buy portable power banks and USB phone battery chargers for your car online

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Where to sleep in London Heathrow airport

If you are having a layover in London’s major aviation hub, catching an early morning flight out of the British capital or maybe having an unexpectedly delayed landing in the city and would rather not commute from the airport after midnight, you will surely be glad to learn about this hotel inside Heathrow’s Terminal 3: the Aerotel London Heathrow.

Where is the Aerotel hotel in London Heathrow airport located?

Equally convenient for both arriving and departing travellers, the Aerotel London Heathrow hotel is located inside the Arrivals area of Terminal 3 -on the ground floor-, near many shopping and dining outlets of the public zone. Therefore, whether you check in to get some good rest in your room before resuming your journey towards London city or an abroad destination or you check out to board your plane, you will be within short walking distance of the departures area and Terminal 2, while the other terminals, its tube stations and other transportation means will be within easy reach thanks to the courtesy shuttle trains for passengers in Heathrow.

Booking a room to sleep in Heathrow airport

Travellers in transit who need to stay overnight or spend a long layover inside Heathrow airport of London can book a room to sleep in the Aerotel inside terminal 3. As it is located in the public arrivals area, passengers who are going to make a connection must leave the restricted boarding area and go to the landside in order to check in, then clear security again when the time comes to catch their connecting flight in LHR.

The Aerotel hotel in the landside of London Heathrow airport (T3) offers single, double and family rooms with private bathroom, amenities and free WiFi, their greatest perk being that customers may choose to book a room by the hour, for day use only or for night use only. Consequently, they can save a considerable amount of money that can be used to pay for other travel expenses while helping the hotel to have more available rooms to cater to the needs of last-minute guests.

Budget hotels near Heathrow airport (terminals 2, 3 and 5) in London

Services provided by Aerotel London Heathrow – Terminal 3

Among some of the extra services and amenities that travellers enjoy during their stay at the Aerotel London Heathrow hotel -aside from the complimentary WiFi connection inside the rooms and the private bathrooms- we count wake-up call service, onsite continental breakfast and a cosy business lounge where guests can relax or catch up with work while making use of USB charging stations, office equipment and comfortable seating or choose from a varied selection of drinks and snacks.

Transferring between planes

In the event of landing in Heathrow only to change planes and continue your journey towards your next destination, our post about how to transfer flights in London Heathrow airport may help you make your connection in a breeze. Otherwise, should you need to spend four hours or more in the terminals before boarding the next plane, we recommend making a reservation with the Aerotel in T3 so that you can refresh, unwind and avoid the usual fatigue experienced in long-haul journeys.

About Aerotel

Aerotel is an airport or transit hotel brand owned by Hong Kong-based Plaza Premium Group, which also specialises in airport lounges and shower facilities, widely acclaimed for the exclusivity and quality of its services all across the world. The main aim of Aerotel is to offer travellers in transit the opportunity to benefit from the privacy and comfort of a private place amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowded terminal building, thus being able to sleep for the night or a few hours, charge their devices, take a revitalising shower and have breakfast or a pre-flight meal. Considered as great value for money and boasting an unbeatable location on the landside of one of London’s most transited air terminals, the Aerotel hotel is undoubtedly your best option to refresh yourself and sleep inside Heathrow airport.

The new Istanbul airport: transition from Atatürk to the largest air hub in the world

The new international airport of Istanbul in Turkey was recently inaugurated amidst great expectations as a game changer in the aviation world. This major hub, which will serve as main operational base for Turkish Airlines and will handle flights to over three hundred destinations worldwide, has been assigned the provisional IATA code ISL until Istanbul Atatürk airport is permanently closed and the new one becomes fully operational under the already existing code IST. The completion of this transition process is expected in 2019.

I have a flight to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, will I land in Atatürk or in the new Istanbul airport?

During the last months of 2018 and early 2019, it will be safer to confirm this directly with the airline, since Turkish Airlines has already started to fly from new Istanbul to domestic destinations in Turkey as well as to just a few international ones. According to reports, all routes operated from and to Istanbul Atatürk airport will be handled by the new hub from January 1 2019 onwards, but we are talking about such a high volume of operations that it would come as no surprise if it took a bit longer.

Free parking in Istanbul’s new airport

Until the end of 2018, the new Istanbul airport in Turkey offers travellers and those picking up or dropping off passengers of flights parking spaces at no cost. As the hub is easily accessible by car from the city centre in about thirty minutes, this comes as a really convenient service. Note, however, that the payment of an hourly fee will be required in order to use the parking lot from January 1 2019.

Transportation to and from the new Istanbul airport in Turkey

A ground transportation network connecting Istanbul’s new airport to eighteen different areas in the province is already being developed with not only passengers but also its future thousands of employees in mind. Furthermore, one year after Istanbul new airport becomes fully operational, the airport’s dedicated underground line will be inaugurated with the aim of linking the city and the four terminals in a maximum of twenty five minutes.

The new airport of Istanbul in numbers

On your next trip to Istanbul in Turkey, especially if you are having a layover and need to spend your waiting time before boarding inside its facilities, you will get the chance to enjoy a duty free shopping area spanning 55.000 square metres and witness the progression of a megaproject that will result in six runways and four terminal buildings accommodating an onsite convention centre, wellness facilities and transit hotels. Such a huge complex has been conceived as the home of over one hundred carriers, including the nation’s flagship airline: Turkish Airlines.

The first hotel inside Istanbul new airport: Yotelair

If you are a frequent flyer who is used to having layovers and spending time in airports, you are surely already familiar with the capsule-style hotels by the Yotel group. The Yotelair Istanbul airport will open in the new IST in 2019 and was designed as the largest one of its category within Europe, with more than 450 private cabins distributed among the airside and the landside. Its functional services and amenities will allow passengers to have smoother layovers, as they will be able to make a reservation for just a few hours or for a whole night if they are flying the next morning, yet still enjoy complimentary technological features and onsite meals.

A state-of-the-art airport

The new hub of Turkish Airlines in Istanbul will boast the most advanced technology thanks to the integration of passenger-handling systems that we had until now considered as futuristic. Facial recognition replacing passports, robots providing guidance and directions, revolutionary sensors and cameras are only some examples, not to mention that its exceptional organisational effectiveness is expected to significantly reduce waiting times for checking-in, baggage claiming and boarding.

Some of our previous articles may also help you find a hotel in Istanbul, Turkey.

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A guide to transit accommodation: airport hotels, sleeping cabins and day rooms

Do you travel frequently? Would you rather describe yourself as a world explorer or as a business traveler? In either case, it is not uncommon to find yourself in a situation that requires sleeping at the airport: overnight layovers while in transit, outbound flights departing first thing in the morning, late-night arrivals or short business trips where staying in a hotel close to the passenger terminals is the most suitable option are just a few examples. You might have heard about airport hotels, but be aware that there are different types which cater to the needs of each traveler depending on their specific circumstances and budget. This post aims to establish a clear distinction between transit hotels, capsule hotels, airport hotels and rooms for day use, as well as serve as a directory of hotels near and inside airports that we have dealt with in previous articles that will help you find the perfect place to stay on your next airport experience.

What is a transit hotel?

Transit hotels were probably conceived to prevent international travelers from missing their connections when stopping at major aviation hubs in the middle of their long-haul journeys. As a matter of fact, what differentiates a transit hotel from other accommodations inside or near the facilities of an airport is that it is usually located in the departures concourse or the restricted transit area, that is, the zone of the terminal where arriving passengers transfer to their connecting flights, sometimes a few hours later, sometimes one day apart. It is mandatory that you can show your ID and proof of your boarding pass when checking in, and a transit visa is not required as long as you won’t leave the transit zone of the building. This option is ideal for overnight layovers or to get some good rest before resuming your journey. If the same airline is handling all your flights, it is likely that you won’t even have to collect your checked luggage until you arrive at your final destination, so make sure you have everything you need to sleep at the airport.

Are you travelling soon? You may want to take a look at our recommended transit hotels in:

Changi Singapore

Incheon International in Seoul, South Korea

Amsterdam Schiphol airport

Benito Juárez International in Mexico

Cairo International airport

Kansai airport in Japan

Paris – Charles de Gaulle (Roissy)

Indira Gandhi – Delhi airport of India

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport (Mumbai, India)

O.R. Tambo International in Johannesburg

Capsule hotels in airports

The minimalist version of transit hotels are capsule hotels, inspired by the Japanese original idea to provide travelers on the move with a soundproofed, small and functional space to rest, charge their mobile devices, relax and unwind and refresh themselves. But the cozy airport sleeping cabins have evolved to incorporate high-speed wireless internet, appliances and oftentimes an ensuite shower or toilet. These hotel rooms in miniature can accommodate one or two travelers, are budget-friendly and we recommend them for spending a few hours in transit away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal; generally, you will only pay for the duration of your stay, estimated either in time intervals or by the hour. The brands Yotelair – by the Yotel hotel group- and Aerotel –by Plaza Premium Group- have become popular for their good-value-for-money guest service and amenities, which are in no way inferior to those provided at conventional hotels. If you would like to learn more about this type of accommodation inside airports, check out our posts about the Yotelair hotel in Istanbul, the Aerotel in London Heathrow and the Nine Hours capsule hotel in Narita International airport of Tokyo, Japan.

Airport hotels worldwide

Every airport, however small, requires some form of nearby accommodation to offer to their customers, whether it is because they land too late to commute safely to their final destination in the city, or because they must sleep close to the terminal in order not to miss their early morning flight. While domestic airports normally have B&Bs and guest houses in the vicinity, major aviation hubs feature hotels by renowned hospitality chains such as Marriott, Hilton and Sheraton, or by brands like Ibis Budget or Holiday Inn Express for the thrifty travelers. Since these rooms can be located anywhere between a few meters to a few kilometers from the airport, guests may need a transit visa aside from their required documents to be granted admission into the hotel. This, though, comes with some perks, like being able to explore the surroundings during the layover, knowing that airport hotels frequently boast good connections to both the passenger terminals and the downtown. Four and five-star hotels close to airports often feature onsite gyms, restaurants, swimming pools, wellness centers and business facilities for meetings and conferences. In our blog, we have so far talked about this type of accommodation close to:

Guarulhos International in São Paulo, Brazil

Marrakech Menara airport in Morocco

Casablanca airport in Morocco

Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, USA

Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy

London Luton in the United Kingdom

Stansted airport of London, UK

Vienna International in Austria

Prague International in the Czech Republic

Munich airport in Germany

Edinburgh airport of Scotland

McCarran International in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)

Day rooms at the airport

Last but not least, the day rooms are the very same units managed by the hotels located close to the airport facilities, only that they are made available during the daytime, generally between 9:00 and 18:00. In line with capsule hotels, passengers in transit may benefit from this type of accommodation and sleep in a hotel room during their layover without paying for a whole overnight stay. While everything inside the room will be at their disposal, reading the fine print of the reservation is necessary in order to find out whether access to other amenities like gyms and pools are included. To learn more, visit this post.

Over the course of the years, we have also featured other international airports and their nearby accommodation. You are invited to discover some of the best places to stay in Dubai airport (DXB), Vancouver, Auckland, Ngurah Rai (Bali), Haneda in Tokyo, La Guardia in New York City, Hong Kong International and HIA Qatar. To find these and many more posts, click on the “transit” menu at the top of this page.