By Lee Tulloch
I have developed an affection for airport hotels.
This surprises me, because in the past I've opted to get out of the airport as soon as possible on a long airport stopover. I've always thought it best to go and see the place I'm temporarily visiting, even if it's just for a glimpse. Life's too short to miss anything, right?
Airport hotels tend to be fundamental, with no frills, and rarely any views, except perhaps of a carpark. But I've learnt to love that carpark view.
Years ago, I was stuck in Singapore for 12 hours, after a plane breakdown caused us to miss our connection. The airline had offered low-cost accommodation in the city, but I had the flu and was in no mood to travel anywhere, so our tour operator booked us into the Crowne Plaza, right on Terminal 3 at Changi.
I suppose if I were to be stuck in any airport, I'd choose Changi. Even if you don't check into a room, there are showers and comfy chairs all over the airport and lots of activities to distract. But being horribly sick, I appreciated the Crowne Plaza's air-conditioned room, bath and banquet lunch that provided the noodle soup I was craving - and I might have appreciated the swimming pool and free cocktails in the club lounge if I had felt better. There was even a VIP Meet and Greet Service that came and helped with hand luggage.
Last July, we needed to spend a night in Rome to connect with our midday flight back to Australia via Hong Kong. Again, we thought going into Rome after an evening arrival was probably an expensive and exhausting option. I searched the internet for the best deal and came up with the Hilton Garden Inn at Fiumicino. It was a 15-minute shuttle ride from directly outside the arrivals hall and, while we did see a lot of airport carpark on the journey through an industrial estate, it was fascinating in its own way. Did you know that the savvy Romans have installed solar panels over the car spaces? We should do it more here.
I was hard pressed to find a garden and the Hilton is far from a five-star hotel, but it had spacious, clean rooms, quality sheets, baths, free Wi-Fi, TV, tea and coffee-making facilities, a fully-equipped laundry with three set-up ironing boards, a library with share books, a shop for supplies (as there's nothing else in the vicinity) and young, enthusiastic staff. The breakfast buffet was extensive and the café served surprisingly delicious pasta (it is Italy, after all.) I'd spent a month in Italy staying at five-star hotels and I wished they'd all had laundry rooms.
A couple of weeks ago, flying back from Oman, we had a seven-hour wait between flights at Kuala Lumpur airport. It really didn't allow for enough time to go into the city to do anything much, so I spent $77 on a six-hour stay at the Sama Sama Express, an airside transit hotel in the main international terminal.
It turns out that the hotel was right on the gate where we arrived, so all we had to do was go up one flight of stairs (or elevator) to the lobby. There was a café/lounge in the foyer (a bit inadequate) and the room was compact, but it had a Queen-sized bed, free Wi-Fi, TV and coffee-making facilities, shower, amenities and a fabulous view of the Oman Air plane we'd disembarked from at the gate.
Most importantly it was air-conditioned - and quiet enough, until the receptionist went around banging on everyone's door to tell us the electricity had gone off, thus waking us up. But she meant well. And, even though there was a cockroach waiting for us in the bathroom, it was otherwise immaculately clean. It was money well spent and we boarded our flight feeling refreshed. I think I'm becoming addicted to these strange twilight zone experiences. I'm planning my next trip and wondering if we can manage a few hours at the airport.
The only thing I can't quite understand is how it is that all these different hotels in different countries hire the same person to design the carpets. They invariably feature patterns that look like a child has been playing with its food on the floor.
My one recommendation if you're doing transit is to bring an eye mask.
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