Airport Hotel Guru

Stockholm’s Arlanda airport is blessed with two hotels connected to the terminals: one luxury and one budget. Coming this December there will be a third at-the-airport hotel that, if not better than the two existing options, promises to at least be more interesting.

Overall Best Stockholm Airport Hotel:

Radisson SAS SkyCity Hotel

The modern Radisson SAS Sky City is directly across the street from the Stockholm airport, between terminals 4 and 5. This sleek property has nearly everything you’d expect from a world-class business hotel: gym, sauna, well-appointed rooms with flatscreen TVs and extremely comfortable beds. There’s no pool, which we feel a hotel of this caliber and price should have. The Radisson SAS makes up for this, by our score keeping anyway, with free in-room internet and a high level of service. Hotels in Sweden (if we may be allowed to stereotype a little) tend to be a bit rigid in their rules and hospitality. The welcoming staff at the Radisson SAS seem especially flexible and willing to accommodate special needs. Add to that an excellent buffet breakfast and super-convenient location and the Radisson SAS SkyCity gets our pick for Stockholm’s best airport hotel.

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September 16th, 2008 | Tags: airline, airplane, airport, Airport Hotel, Arlanda, ARN, ARN hotel, connect, day room, dayroom, fly, hotel, layover, park inn, Radisson, rest and fly, SAS, skycity, Stockholm, Sweden, swedish, transit, travel | Category: Stockholm | ARN | Leave a comment

Bangkok’s new airport, Suvarnabhumi (pronounced, a little surprisingly, “su-wan-na-poom”), has the same limited selection of quality hotel options that its old airport had. This is a shame since Bangkok is the sort of place where staying at a hotel by the airport can be really useful — many long-haul flights leave very early in the morning or arrive late at night, and the distance between the airport and Bangkok’s center is long and notoriously traffic filled. Fortunately, Suvarnabhumi travelers have exactly two great airport hotel options:

Two Best Bangkok Airport Hotels:

Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport

This massive 600+ room hotel is the only accommodations option on the airport grounds. Technically it is attached to the airport via an underground walkway, though the distance from the baggage claim to the hotel is a bit of a hike (15 to 20 minutes). Many guests opt for the free shuttle that departs from outside door 4 on the arrivals level. (The Novotel is the only hotel we know of with a free airport shuttle; you have to deal with the airport’s taxi system for the others).

Once at the hotel the first thing you may notice is that it feels more like a vacation resort than your typical airport hotel. Indeed, the hotel is built around a scenic pool and sports an impressive gym. As for the rooms, they are quiet, modern, large and don’t betray any signs that you are in a developing country. We also like the complimentary bottles of water in the rooms and abundance of bathroom toiletries useful to transit passengers (such an a toothbrush and toothpaste). The hotel’s international cuisine is top notch though in comparison to the excellent eats available in the rest of Thailand we found the hotel’s Thai food a little underwhelming. We also wish that the hotel offered free in-room wifi (although there is free wifi at the airport itself).

At around 4,000 baht (US$125, €85) the Novotel Suvarnabhumi is a great value, especially relative to other top-level hotels that are within walking distance of other major international airport. Highly suggested.

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September 14th, 2008 | Tags: airport, Airport Hotel, Bangkok, Bangkok Airport, Bangkok Airport Hotel, Bangkok Hotel, BKK, hotel bbk hotel, Ibis Huamark, Novotel Suvarnabhumi, Suvarnabhumi, Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel | Category: Bangkok | BKK | Leave a comment

Starting this December, if your stuck at the Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport overnight because your airplane was delayed you’ll be able to spend the night — in an airplane.

Swedish hotelier Oscar Diös is converting a Boeing 747 into a 25-room, 86-bed airport hotel. Most of the rooms in the Jumbo Hostel will not be large (6×3 meters) considering each has three bunk beds. Also, most rooms will not have en suite bathrooms though they will have wi-fi access and flatscreen TVs (that, along with the normal selection of channels, will also display airport flight information). There will, however, be one luxury suite available in the former cockpit.

Even if you won’t be staying at The Jumbo Hostel you’ll be able to visit it while at ARN. The hotel will include a publicly accessible walkway out onto the left wing. There’ll also be a cafe where, we hope, the meals will be better than your typical airplane food.

See more photos below:

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August 28th, 2008 | Tags: airport hotel news, airport news, Arlanda, ARN, Jumbo Hostel, Stockholm, Sweden, unusual hotel | Category: Stockholm | ARN, airport news | Leave a comment

Singapore’s Changi Airport is an Airport Hotel Guru favorite for it’s thoughtful design, extensive shopping and range of activities. How many other airports have an indoor pool, music bar and cactus garden?! In terms of airport hotels, though, Singapore effectively has only two: one amazing (in its way) behind security in the airport itself and one that is serviceable. Fortunately, the airport is well connected to city center by underground train. See below for more about all your options.

Overall Best Singapore Airport Hotel:

Ambassador Transit Hotel

Terminals 1, 2 and 3 at Changi each host an incredibly convenient Ambassador Transit Hotel inside the airport security. While not exactly the lap of luxury, the rooms at these transit hotels are clean, comfortable and practical. A six hour block for a single is a reasonable S$51.50 (approx US$35, Euro 24) for a budget room. However, the Airport Hotel Guru strongly suggest springing the extra S$22 for a more cheery standard room that includes an en suite bathroom. Unlike the budget rooms, most standard rooms also have a window with interesting views out onto the happenings of the airport tarmac. The transit hotels are in the secure area of the airport and so best geared towards passengers with long layovers. Staying at the transit hotel before an early morning flight isn’t possible unless you can somehow check in to your flight the evening before. However, the Airport Hotel Guru routinely stays at the Ambassador when landing in Singapore late at night. Instead of waiting for our luggage to appear on the baggage claim belt, then making the tired trip to the city center and spending a small fortune on a hotel there, we overcome our jet lag with an overnight at the airport and head into Singapore the next day. Doing that, you can not get your checked in luggage and then go to the transit hotel! However, the airline will automatically pick up your bag and store it for you at their office for you to pick up the next morning. (We were skeptical this would work the first time we tried it, but in our two dozen late night stays at the Ambassador we’ve never had a problem getting our checked luggage the next morning).

Rooms at the Ambassador Transit Hotels tend to fill fast, so book as far in advance as you can. Obviously, it is more convenient to stay at the hotel located in the terminal you are landing in, but there’s nothing requiring you to. We are partial to the transit hotel in Terminal 1 because it is located across the hallway from the swimming pool. The airport itself has free wireless internet, though the signal only reaches a few of the Ambassador’s rooms.

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August 27th, 2008 | Tags: Airport Hotel, Changi, SIN, SIN airport, SIN hotels, SIN layover, Singapore, Singapore Airport Hotel, Singapore Hotel Reviews, Singapore Hotels | Category: Singapore | SIN | Leave a comment

The Las Vegas airport hotel scene isn’t like that in most other cities — there aren’t a cluster of hotels around the airport catering to business travelers and offering free shuttles to the terminal. In fact, there’s only hotel fitting that description: the Doubletree Club. Fortunately, the mega-resorts of the Las Vegas strip are only a 10 to 20 minute taxi ride from Vegas’s McCarran Airport.

Overall Best (Non-Gambling) Las Vegas Airport Hotel:

Doubletree Club Las Vegas Airport

The Doubletree has everything you’d expect from a good airport hotel — free wireless, gym, pool, well-appointed rooms with large comfortable beds, and a complimentary airport shuttle. In Vegas, the airport shuttle takes on special significance because so few hotels offer them and the shuttle option allows you to avoid the typically long Vegas airport taxi queues. (On more than one occasion the Airport Hotel Guru has waited over 45 minutes to get a taxi from McCarran.) As with all Doubletrees, guest at their Las Vegas property get a warm chocolate chip cookie upon check in. (What can we say? The Airport Hotel Guru is a sucker for the little touches). If you are looking to escape the gambling scene, the Doubletree might be the best hotel without slot machines in the whole of Nevada. If you want to taste of gaming glitz but don’t want to sleep around it, the Doubletree also runs a complimentary shuttle service to the Vegas Strip. Money saving note: Because the Doubletree doesn’t earn revenues from gambling their rates tend to be relatively higher during the week when the Vegas resorts discount their prices to attract gamers. The reverse happens on the weekend.

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August 25th, 2008 | Tags: best casino, best of the Strip, best swimming pool, best vegas, best vegas airport hotel, Best Vegas hotels, best Vegas restaurants, best Vegas rooms, Doubletree, LAS, LAS airport hotel, LAS hotels, Las Vegas, Las Vegas airport hotel, Las Vegas Strip, Mandalay Bay, McCarran, McCarran hotels, THEhotel, Vegas | Category: Las Vegas | LAS | Leave a comment

LAX airport hotels are generally located in two area: hotels catering towards business travelers tend to be just outside the airport grounds on or near West Century Boulevard, hotels catering more towards vacationers are in the Marina del Rey region. Almost no LAX airport hotels offer free parking — if you are driving a rental car you might want to turn it in before your morning flight.

Overall Best Los Angeles Airport Hotel:

Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles
We hesitate giving an airport hotel without free internet our top honors, but we’ll make an exception for the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles. The property feels more like a resort than your typical airport hotel. The scenic heated pool is open late, as is the jacuzzi. The service, especially that which brings one poolside drinks, is attentive and the food near-stellar. The feel of the whole place is more like a hip boutique inn than a stale business hotel, the Starbucks in the lobby not withstanding. Best of all, the Sheraton Gateway is the most convenient hotel for LAX travelers — the property is as close as any to the terminals and the hotel’s complimentary airport shuttle runs every 15 or 20 minutes, around-the-clock. We prefer their rooms with the airport runway views, though some low rumblings from airplanes taking off do manage to penetrate the double-plated windows; if you are an especially light sleeper choose one of the front rooms.
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August 24th, 2008 | Tags: Airport Hotels, Inn At Venice Beach, la hotels, LAX, LAX airport hotels, LAX hotels, Los Angeles, Los Angeles hotels, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles | Category: Los Angeles | LAX | Leave a comment

When choosing your Dallas/Fort Worth airport hotel it is good to either be traveling on an expense account or to be able to splash out a little for your overnight digs. Attached to the airport are two world class luxury properties, both run by Hyatt. If the $200 or so you’ll need to stay at one of them is beyond your reach, DFW has several unexciting but good value alternatives. As always, we’ve found the best of them . . .

Overall Best Dallas Airport Hotel (and the best hotel for airplane spotting):

Grand Hyatt DFW

The Grand Hyatt is a nice, if not spectacular, property attached to DFW’s central Terminal D. We are huge fans of the Grand Hyatt’s rooftop pool. But where the hotel really excels is the quality of the staff service and the well-appointed rooms that including a giant bathtub, perfect beds and 32 inch flatscreen television. This might be Dallas area’s best hotel, at the airport or otherwise. If you are exhausted after a long trip, or frustrated from a flight delay, it is hard not to feel a better when staying here.

The Grand Hyatt also has some of the best food we’ve had in an airport hotel (although it is a little on the pricey side). If none of the menu options appeal, Hyatt guests can get a pass to go through the airport security to take advantage of the bars and restaurants there. In-room wireless is provided through t-Mobile Hot Spot. If you don’t already have a t-Mobile account you can sign up for a daily internet pass.

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August 24th, 2008 | Tags: Airport Hotel, Dallas, Dallas hotel, DFW, DFW hotel, DFW layover, Forth Worth | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rio’s major international airport is a relatively quick and easy trip from downtown. For flights landing late at night the Airport Hotel Guru finds it more convenient (and, arguably, safer) staying at one of the hotels attached to the airport and then heading downtown the next morning. Otherwise, there’s no reason to stay by the drudgery of the airport when you can almost as easily stay amongst the beauty of Ipanema or Copacabana beaches.

Overall Best Rio de Janeiro Airport Hotel:

Luxor Aeroporto Hotel

There’s little remarkable about the Luxor Aeroporto Hotel except for it’s convenient location on the third floor of Terminal 1 inside the airport. There’s little to really complain about either — the Luxor’s beds are comfortable enough, the rooms are clean enough, the lobby bar is decent enough. We would have liked a swimming pool though there is a gym (which could also be described as “decent”). Most rooms have internet for a fee, but not all. Request an internet room if that’s important to you.

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August 20th, 2008 | Tags: Copacabana, GIG, GIG hotels, Ipanema, Rio, Rio Airport Hotel, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Hotels | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Like many European airports, Zurich’s is well connected to the city center by train. There’s no special reason to choose an airport hotel here unless you have an especially early departure or late arrival. In Zurich, however, you don’t necessarily have to choose between staying at an airport hotel or not. The Airport Hotel Guru knows an excellent hotel that perfectly positioned for both city center and airport access. Read on . . .

Overall Best Zurich Airport Hotel:

Hilton Zurich Airport / Apart Hotel

Since virtually all of Zurich’s airport hotels are expensive you may as well choose the nicest and most luxurious option– the Hilton Zurich Airport. Free shuttles make the short drive between the Hilton and the airport every 10 or 15 minutes, a more frequent schedule than any other ZRH hotel. The rooms here are larger than any other ZRH airport hotel and come with all the amenities you’d expect including in-room wireless internet. Best of all is the Hilton’s alpine setting. The property is perched on a hill at the edge of a forest through which the there’s a walking/jogging trail for guest use and a field of flowers that will have you spinning around as if from a scene in Sound of Music. (Yes, the Airport Hotel Guru knows Sound of Music took place in neighboring Austria, but work with us here). There may be no other large hotel that is so close to a major airport (about an 8 minute drive) but feels so far away.

HOWEVER . . . the Hilton’s isolated setting does make it difficult for guests to go to the Zurich city center or to restaurants other than those at the hotel. Also, the Hilton has no swimming pool. If either drawback is a deal breaker for you The Airport Hotel Guru strongly suggests the Swissôtel (see below) instead.

Money saving tip: The Hilton Zurich Aiport is essentially two properties — the main Hilton and the Apart Hotel. Both use the same convenient airport shuttle and both have the same rustic setting. Rooms at the Apart Hotel are a little less nice but can cost significantly less. Compare the current rates of both before making your decision.

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August 15th, 2008 | Tags: Airport Hotel, Switzerland, ZHR airport, ZHR airport hotel, ZHR hotel, ZRH, Zurich, Zurich airport | Category: Zurich | ZRH | Leave a comment