With packed flights, lost luggage and other anxiety-inducing holiday travel scenarios, amenities that make the journey easier are welcome. And happily, a growing trend of upscale airport hotels means that your layover or time in town to visit family can be more luxurious — and give you a quiet respite to recover from common holiday headaches. So, if you’re longing for a high-end place to unwind while in transit or stopping over, read on to discover superlative airport hotels around the country that offer extra freebies and perks to make your trip a less stressful and a more enjoyable.
[Read: 4 Ways Hotels Are Luring Business Travelers.]
Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport
Chicago
As the only hotel directly connected to O’Hare International Airport through underground walkways, this Hilton makes it easy to move from hotel to plane in a matter of minutes. Enjoy runway views from rooms with sound-resistant windows, including 485-square-foot family suites with sitting areas and personalized activity bags for kids containing coloring books, toys and luggage tags.
The Hilton Chicago O’Hare also provides soundproof daytime-only rooms with blackout shades for weary travelers to escape the hustle and bustle of the airport. Families can refresh with a nap and playtime between flights. If you’re staying over for the night, convince relatives to join you at the Gaslight Club, a 1920s-inspired speakeasy with live music and fine dining.
Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles
Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport is an upscale option for those who need to stay near the major hub. The closest hotel to the airport’s terminals, the Hyatt Regency is the only hotel with direct and complimentary shuttle service for guests. The hotel has a sleek midcentury modern aesthetic with soundproof rooms that have views of the runway, Light Towers and surrounding mountains. Plus, you can keep your fitness regimen on track at its 24-hour gym with runway views, grab-and-go restaurant for quick and healthy food on the go and outdoor poor also overlooking the runway. What’s more, the property boasts the strongest and fastest internet system in the Los Angeles area in case you need to work on the fly.
H Hotel Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton
Los Angeles
Another high-end option near LAX is the new H Hotel Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton. With large windows offering a broad perspective of the airport and an open-air rooftop deck with 180-degree panoramic views of the city, the hotel is an elegant retreat from one of the world’s busiest airports.
Guests can summon the on-site robot, Hannah, should they need items such as more towels, a toothbrush or drinks delivered to their rooms. The Transfer Lounge is designed for guests on the go, waiting to check in or check out and features luggage lockers, a business center, refreshments and a personal bathroom with shower. Other handy amenities include an in-room Nespresso machine and TVs equipped with Google Chromecast.
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Detroit, Michigan
Skip the long TSA lines when you stay at the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The only hotel located within the airport, the property allows guests to go through security via a private entrance inside the hotel lobby, as well as visit the shops and restaurants at the McNamara Terminal.
Guests of the Westin Detroit can also take advantage of Westin’s fit amenities like their New Balance Gear Lending program to burn off holiday calories, take a spin class on video on the Westin Workout Fitness Studio’s Peloton bikes or join a guided group run around town through the RunWestin program.
Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport
Orlando
Located inside an airport terminal, the Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport not only offers convenient gate access, but also grants entry to the mall located within the terminal. The Sheraton outpost also has rooms available for daytime use between flights, as well as on-site airline ticket and car rental counters. In addition, the hotel will collect your bags directly at the baggage claim and deliver them to your room, for a small fee. Take advantage of their quarter-mile rooftop jogging trail and outdoor heated pool for enjoying the Florida sun.
[See: 50 Little-Known Ways to Land a Cheaper Flight or Hotel.]
Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas DFW Airport North
Grapevine, Texas
Recently renovated with a contemporary design and new restaurants, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas DFW Airport North is a comfortable spot for travelers going through Dallas to lay their head. Every room has a separate bedroom and sitting room with pullout sofa bed, giving families some breathing room. In each room, you’ll also find a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffee maker and a wet bar for light meals and snacks. What’s more, each suite comes with a complimentary daily made-to-order breakfast.
Kids can splash around the indoor pool and relax in the room with a holiday movie rental from the hotel. Attached to the Bass Pro shop complex, the property offers ample opportunity for last-minute holiday shopping without having to step outside. Staff will also take guests to the nearby Grapevine Mills Mall, and visitors can take advantage of free 24-hour transport to the airport.
AC Hotel San Francisco Airport/Oyster Point Waterfront
South San Francisco
Centered around a work of art by contemporary sculptor Michael Enn Sirvet, the AC Hotel, opened in October 2017, sits along San Francisco Bay and promises “a new way to hotel.” Guests can take advantage of the grab-and-go or buffet breakfast, and peruse the on-site library filled with inspiring titles.
Just one mile from the South San Francisco Caltrain stop, the BART station and the San Francisco Bay Ferry, the hotel offers easy access to downtown San Francisco. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by holiday stress, enjoy a calming jog or bike ride along its 4-mile stretch of the San Francisco Bay Trail and grab a bag of lavender from the lavender cart in the lobby near the elevator on your way up to bed from 9-11 p.m. each evening.
Solis Two Porsche Drive
Atlanta
Love fancy cars? Indulge as you fly through Atlanta. The new Solis Two Porsche Drive hotel by the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport provides high-end accommodations along with views of the nearby Porsche Experience Center from both rooms and its rooftop lounge. Guests can book a VIP Porsche Cayenne pick-up from the airport before check-in, which is included with all suite reservations. Plus, guests can try their hand at driving a Porsche on the Porsche Cars North America Driver Development Track nearby. The hotel also boasts a European-inspired racing design, and guests will also benefit from free transport to and from the airport, a fitness center and spacious triple-pane windows to reduce outside noise.
The Westin Denver International Airport
Denver
Much like Denver International Airport’s futuristic design resembling the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, the Westin Denver International is an architectural feat. Located only 150 feet from the airport, the hotel is built entirely of glass and offers floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Rocky Mountains or runway from every room. What’s more, the property offers the convenience of checking in to many different airlines via its access to the platform of Denver’s commuter train, which takes guests to downtown Denver’s Union Station in just over 30 minutes. When traveling over the holidays, guests can also take advantage of the free ice-skating rink just outside its doors for some post-flight fun. And member of the Starwood Preferred Guest hotel loyalty program can utilize online check-in and keyless access to their room via their smartphone.
Radisson Blu Mall of America
Bloomington, Minnesota
Holiday shopping doesn’t get much better than the Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the U.S. The Radisson Blu Mall of America connects you right to the mall and its indoor theme park via a Sky Way. Plus, it provides a free shuttle to the Minneapolis Airport only 5 miles away. When you get tired of shopping, hop on the Metro Transit Light Rail to explore the Twin Cities area, soak in the hotel’s indoor saline pool or enjoy a treatment at the hotel spa.
Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon
Miami
If you need to escape to the outdoors for some fresh air and a change of scenery during your holiday travels, the Hilton Miami Airport has the solution, as it’s surrounded by the 100-acre Blue Lagoon with rooms featuring lagoon or skyline views. Guests will find plenty of opportunity to stretch their legs on a jogging trail, along with tennis and basketball courts and a 3,000-square-foot heated outdoor pool.
[Read: 6 Luxury Hotels With Unique Value-Added Perks.]
There’s also a complimentary shuttle service to the airport, as well as Waterford Business Park, and a paid shuttle to Dolphin Mall for gift shopping. Enterprise has a desk on-site for ease of car rental pickup and drop-off away from long airport lines. What’s more, Hilton Honors members can check in online, select their room in advance and use their smartphone as a digital key.
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11 Upscale Airport Hotels That Take the Stress Out of Holiday Travel originally appeared on usnews.com
