Guangzhou airport: six-hour layover

I HAVE SIX HOURS AT GUANGZHOU AIRPORT BETWEEN FLIGHTS. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PASS THE TIME? IS THERE A PAY-FOR-USE LOUNGE?

C. MUNRO, WOLLSTONECRAFT

Six hours is a little tight to get into Guangzhou city and back, and depending on the time of day, this might not be feasible. The airport terminal itself is not especially well-suited to medium-long layovers for passengers who do not have access to a business-class lounge but salvation lies just outside the doors. A short stroll away is the Pullman Hotel Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (pullmanhotels.com), and according to Ada Huang of the hotel's reservation office, the hotel opens its arms and all its facilities to travellers, without requiring them to book a room. You could kick back with a Thai massage in the hotel's spa, maybe kill more time with a beauty treatment, swim some laps in the outdoor heated pool or have a meal in one of the hotel's restaurants.

You'll need to pass through immigration to leave the terminal but since your stay is short, you can take advantage of the 72-hour visa-free transit that China extends to Australian passport holders. If you plan to make use of the spa or have any further questions, send an email or do as Ada Huang suggests and call the hotel's guest service centre on +86 0203 6068 866.