When you find yourself booking a business trip, it won’t be long before you’re thinking about the hotel that you’ll call home for a couple days, a week, or longer.
With so many hotels to choose from, regardless of your destination, you should find it simple to settle on one that provides all the most important features.
However, this doesn’t mean that your decision is “cut and dry.” Instead, there are many details to consider as you attempt to make a final booking decision.
One of the most important considerations is location. Will you stay at an airport hotel? How about one in the city? What about one in a business park?
If you’re flying to your destination, it makes good sense to learn more about the many airport hotels that are in close proximity to where you’ll be landing. For example, there are several high quality Gatwick airport hotels that attract thousands upon thousands of travelers every day.
Are you still wondering if an airport hotel can meet all your wants and needs? If so, here are five benefits of choosing this type of hotel the next time you’re traveling by air for business:
1. Save Time
This is by far the biggest benefit of staying at an airport hotel. Once you leave the terminal, it will only be a matter of minutes before you reach your hotel and have the opportunity to get organized. This is particularly true if you opt for a hotel that is connected to the airport.
Even better, when it comes time to return home, you’re once again in position to save time. After checking out, you’re in close proximity to the airport. Again, if you’re hotel is connected to the airport, it’s only a short walk to the terminal.
2. Save Money
There are many ways to save money with an airport hotel.
First and foremost, keep in mind that many airport hotels have lower rates than those in the city. This alone could allow you to save hundreds of dollars (if not more).
Secondly, many airport hotels offer a shuttle service (such as these ones). With this, you don’t have to worry about a rental car. Also, you don’t have to worry about getting lost on your way to the hotel. Instead, you can sit back and enjoy the fact that there will be cheap (or free) transportation waiting for you.
3. Less Stress
Let’s face it: traveling for business can be stressful. While there are things you can do to make travel less stressful, you know that it’s impossible to completely eliminate this from your trip.
Like most, you never look forward to a long drive to the airport. Furthermore, if you’re making the trek during rush hour, it’s hard not to stress out over the possibility of missing your flight.
Opting for an airport hotel will put your mind at ease. Even if your hotel isn’t connected to the airport, you’re still only a short drive away.
With this extra time on your side, you won’t feel nearly as much stress as your departure date closes in.
Tip: opt for a hotel with shuttle service to ensure that you don’t have to take on the stress of driving yourself to the airport.
4. No Need for a Rental Car
As a business traveler, there will be times when you have no choice but to book a rental car. For instance, you may need this to get around a particular city to visit multiple clients.
However, if you find that you can opt for public transportation, it’s a good idea to take advantage of this option.
When you stay at an airport hotel, you may be able to walk from the terminal to your room. How cool is that?
Also, as noted above, many of these hotels have a shuttle service, meaning that you may not require a rental car (depending on your circumstances during your stay).
Avoiding a rental car will save you time and money, while also avoiding the stress of worrying about damage and additional charges.
5. Plenty of Features
Don’t let anyone tell you that airport hotels lack the features that business travelers require. If anything, this is the exact opposite.
For instance, if you’re visiting New York City, there are a variety of airport hotels that are known for their features and service.
Although every business traveler is in a unique position, you should search for a hotel that offers:
- Complimentary breakfast
- Business center (such as printing services)
- Dry cleaning service
These are far from the only features to consider, but they can definitely go a long way in making your stay more enjoyable.
How to Book
Now that you better understand the primary benefits of staying at an airport hotel, let’s examine the three steps for booking a room:
- Compare the daily rate of at least three airport hotels.
- Compare the features offered at each hotel (such as those detailed above).
- Learn more about the location, such as whether or not the hotel is attached to the airport.
Some people are willing to pay more for a hotel that is connected to an airport, while others would rather save money as long as there is a shuttle service. This all comes down to personal preference (and budget).
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting a big city or a smaller town, there’s a good chance that you’ll have access to several airport hotels.
Once you compare the details of each one, you can make an informed and confident decision as to which hotel is best for you during your upcoming trip.
Have you stayed at airport hotels in the past? What did you enjoy the most? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
