The layover can be one of the trickiest obstacles to navigate for travelers. Many have horror stories to tell about being stuck in an airport for countless hours – forced to eat expensive, subpar food in an uncomfortable environment. It's traditionally been the most difficult to plan your layover when there’s enough time to leave the airport, but not enough to spend a full day in the temporary destination.
But it really doesn’t have to be this way. In today’s world, people have options for how to make the most of their layover. This is largely due to new arrangements for booking unused hotel spaces near the airport. You can now get a hotel room, or even just take advantage of its amenities, without having to reserve an overnight stay.
Anyone who’s planning to travel soon should consider looking into layover hotels near airports. They can completely change how you approach flying, regardless of whether you’re doing it for business or leisure.
What Is a Day-Use Layover Hotel?
People are generally familiar with the concept of an overnight layover. But what if you have an eight-hour layover during the day? This presents you with an awkward amount of time that would be excruciatingly spent at the airport, but also won’t be sufficient to go out and explore a city – lest you run the risk of missing your next flight.
A layover hotel near the airport enables travelers to book rooms to relax or use the amenities – such as the gym, pool, or workspaces – by the hour or for short blocks of time. As you can probably already imagine, there are several situations where this works perfectly for layovers.
Why Layover Hotels Are Ideal for Travelers
Spending time in the airport is an ineffective use of time, but it might not be enough to convince you of the benefits of day-use and layover hotel rooms. So let’s dig into some of the reasons why layover hotels are an ideal solution for travelers:
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You might actually save money – It’s no secret that the airport is an expensive place to exist for long periods of time. The market dynamics of being stuck somewhere can lead to you thinking 10 dollars is an acceptable price for a bag of chips and a bottle of water. Maybe you can swallow that if you’re flying as a hungry, lone wolf. For a family, however, this just won’t cut it. Escaping to a layover hotel by the hour can allow you to eat and entertain yourself more affordably, while increasing your comfort and enjoyment levels.
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There’s no reason to put yourself through the airport gauntlet – Traveling can already be an exhausting experience. This is only compounded when you have to spend an extended period of the time sitting in the airport. Opting for a layover hotel can let you rest and rejuvenate for what’s next – be it a busy vacation or an important meeting.
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Hotels offer many spaces for diverse needs – While a business traveler looks to use a workstation or freshen up with a shower, a family might want to splash around the pool or eat at a restaurant. Or, you might just want to hit the gym after a particularly indulgent vacation. All these things are made possible by day-use layover hotels. The versatility of this offering is part of what makes it so appealing for those with an extended layover.
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You can opt for cheaper flights – Sometimes you’ll find a flight that’s significantly less expensive than other options, but comes with a catch: an excessively long layover. If you have a layover hotel available, it’s possible to save money and still enjoy yourself despite the time between flights.
Layovers have traditionally been seen as a negative experience to be avoided. With the availability of layover hotels, however, travelers have a whole new set of tools for making the most of their time. Check out how HotelsByDay can upgrade your next layover.
