When The Airport Becomes An Emergency Hotel

I have a bookmark folder full of links to stories I plan on blogging about in the future.  On April 12, CNN did a story entitled “Hotel of last resort: The airport.”  While I have spent more than my fair share of time in airports, thankfully, I’ve never had to sleep in one.

But if I did, my airport of choice would be Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.  DFW has been a leader in advocating for stranded passengers and has a great plan in place to help out those who may be spending more time than they planned at the airport.  First, the airport has hundreds of cots and blankets available.  Second, it requires certain vendors to stay open late to accommodate stranded passengers.

And third, they have Shop24, a giant 3 feet by 10 feet vending machine that dispenses everything from diapers to soda to beauty products to Caesar Salad.  The store is located in DFW’s Terminal A across from Gate 29.  You can read my Towers and Tarmacs blog post on DFW’s efforts during a series of storms that hit the region back in April 2008.

For more reviews on the best — and worst — airports for sleeping, I highly recommend The Guide To Sleeping In Airports website.  And if you want to have your own hotel with you at all times, check out my Towers and Tarmacs blog post on the Mini Motel!

Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel

But if you have the cash (or the expense account) to stay in an airport hotel, you’ll find that the World Airport Awards 2011  recently named its top airport hotels:

1.  Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong (HKG)

2.  Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (SIN)

3.  Sofitel London Heathrow (LHR)

4.  Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich (MUC)

5.  Fairmont Vancouver Airport (YVR)

6.  Langham Place Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)

7.  Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL)

8.  Hyatt Regency Incheon (ICN)

9.  Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport Hotel (SYD)

10.  Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok (BKK)

I’m pleased to say that I’ve stayed in three of them — Sofitel, Kempinski and the Hyatt Regency — and all of them were worthy of selection.  The only North American hotel to make the cut was Vancouver.  I’ve never stayed there, but I hear the amenities are great, and that airline passengers can buy a day pass to use their facilities.  And i was thrilled to see that three of my favorite U.S. airport hotels — the Grand Hyatt Dallas/Fort Worth, the Westin Detroit Metropolitan and Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport  — made the cut for North America.

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