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The InterContinental Chicago O’Hare promises all the amenities of a big-city hotel plus ultimate airport convenience. |
Not so long ago, spending the night at an airport hotel was a last resort for travelers hoping to keep their dignity — and comfort level — intact. Today, however, the reputation of such properties is climbing steadily, thanks to the infusion of luxury resort elements such as penthouse suites, fine dining, full-service spas, cutting-edge technology and superior service.
In 2007, airport properties ranked second behind luxury hotels in terms of capital investment, with the hotel industry spending $5.5 billion on massive renovations to existing properties, according to New York City-based PricewaterhouseCoopers. The result: slick, designer lobbies and plush guest rooms outfitted with upscale amenities such as 32-inch flat-screen televisions, signature bedding, iPod stations and Wi-Fi.
This new generation of airport hotels is good news for budget-strapped meeting planners, who, despite the properties’ high-end aspirations, still can save big on room rates and transportation costs.
And word seems to have gotten around. According to Smith Travel Research, the average occupancy rate for U.S. airport hotels for the first 10 months of 2007 was 71.4 percent, compared with an average of 65.1 percent at the nation’s nonairport hotels.
Following are profiles of six properties offering affordability and the convenience of being just steps away from debarkation.
InterContinental Chicago O’Hare
Rooms: 556
Meeting space: 53,000 square feet
www.icohare.com
Scheduled to open this month, the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare, across the street from the Donald Stephens Convention Center with its 840,000 square feet of exhibit space, is intent on raising the bar for airport hotel offerings. Complete with a live-theater venue and a modern-art gallery that has its own full-time curator, the hotel also features three full-service restaurants, including The Capital Grille, a classic Chicago steak house with plush mahogany chairs.
The hotel’s extensive event facilities include 33 meeting rooms, nine private boardrooms and four ballrooms, as well as a 24-hour business center and a state-of-the-art fitness facility. Another perk: complimentary shuttle service to downtown Chicago, just 15 miles away.
Grand Hyatt Dallas/Fort Worth
Rooms: 298
Meeting space: 34,000 square feet
granddfw.hyatt.com
Inside Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport’s new $1.4 billion Terminal D, the sprawling Grand Hyatt DFW won TripAdvisors’ 2008 Travelers’ Choice Award as best luxury hotel in Dallas. For any property, that’s quite an honor.
Unique among the hotel’s mix of options is its Epicurean Studio in the main kitchen. Groups can take part in culinary courses, even blend and bottle their own wine and take home video footage of their experience as a memento. Those interested in dining at the hotel’s Grand Met restaurant can peruse the menu online and make their own reservations. For prime people-watching, a seat at the M Lounge, a trendy martini and satay bar, is recommended.
The Grand Hyatt’s express check-in/checkout kiosks and 24-hour rooftop fitness center help ease the grind for weary road warriors, as does the Stay Fit Spa, with its selection of soothing massages and body treatments.
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Posh digs: Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport |
The Westin Detroit
Metropolitan Airport
Rooms: 404
Meeting space: 36,000 square feet
starwoodhotels.com
Within Detroit Metropolitan Airport’s McNamara Terminal, this property
is a short distance from the world headquarters of automobile giants
such as the Ford Motor Co. and General Motors.
The hotel’s vast meeting space includes 34 meeting rooms plus a
7,330-square-foot ballroom. Dining options include the 138-seat Dema,
which serves Asian cuisine, and two lounges.
The fitness center is open around the clock, and the hotel also provides customized maps by Runner’s World
magazine, highlighting local jogging and walking routes. Follow the
workout with an in-room massage.
Sofitel London Heathrow
Rooms: 600
Meeting space: 8,800 square feet
sofitelheathrow.com
Connected to British Airway’s new flagship terminal by sky bridge, the
impressive $395 million Sofitel London Heathrow celebrated its soft
opening in June.
Dining venues include the Library Bar, a cozy oasis with an extensive
champagne and wine list, and the 100-seat Brasserie Roux, presided over
by renowned French chef Albert Roux and offering a private dining room
for groups of 12. The hotel’s meeting facilities, which combined can
host 1,700, include a 117-seat theater and a private office for
planners. There’s also a full-service spa and the fashionable Bumble
and Bumble hair salon.
The Fairmont
Vancouver Airport
Rooms: 392
Meeting space: 7,000 square feet
fairmont.com
This four-diamond luxury hotel at Vancouver International Airport
features a unique soundproof design, so guests need not worry about
losing sleep to runway roar.
The property’s 165-seat Globe@YVR restaurant offers huge fireplaces and
panoramic mountain views. For a late-night snack, go to the Jetside
bar, with its 12 signature martinis and live piano music.
For other downtimes, the Absolute Spa offers six treatment rooms and a
well-equipped fitness center. With the hotel just minutes from downtown
Vancouver, guests can hit the town or arrange off-property horseback
riding, golf, skiing and tennis through the concierge desk. The area
also promises superlative fishing; the hotel’s “fish valet” will
package the prized catch for the trip home.
Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Rooms: 445
Meeting space: 47,000 square feet
orlandoairport.hyatt.com
Fresh from a comprehensive $10 million renovation, this hotel, inside the main terminal of Orlando
International Airport, offers stand-out services for the business
traveler, such as airline ticket counters one floor beneath the lobby
and the convenience of luggage retrieval and delivery from baggage
claim directly to guest rooms.
Among the new dining options is Hiro’s Sushi Bar. Meeting facilities
include multiple ballrooms of varying sizes, as well as an amphitheater.
Because the property is within the airport, guests can troll its many
shops for souvenirs without having to go through the hassle of clearing
security checkpoints.