8 Best Airport Hotel Perks to Take Advantage Of

Long layover? Check into a nearby airport hotel with a day pass for a nap, workout, or access to a business center. Many international chains—Intercontinental, Best Western, Hilton, Hyatt, Westin, Novotel to name a few—offer a day-pass option for their hotels, in particular their airport locations. There are also sites like Hotels By Day, Between 9 and 5, and Dayuse.com that are booking engines specifically for day stays at hotels.

Some stand out properties with this amenity include the Hilton Los Angeles Airport property, with a $99 rate for full access to the hotel from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; as well as Grand Hyatt DFW, which offers a $30 day pass for the hotel gym and pool.

Unwind at an airport hotel spa before or after your flight. Many airport hotel properties offer this amenity, and the location can't be beat if you're looking for an immediate treatment. Hilton Munich Airport offers the Fit & Fly Spa, which is open as late as 10:00 p.m. for treatments. Other airport hotels offering this perk include Fairmont Vancouver Airport's Absolute Spa, offering jet lag-reducing treatments, and the award-winning spa at the Sofitel London Heathrow.

Who knew airport hotels had some of the trendiest hotel pools? Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi has not one but two rooftop pools, as well as access to Yas Beach, so you can get some Vitamin D during your layover. Other airport hotels outfitted with cool pools include Element Miami International Airport's outdoor pool complete with a fire pit, Grand Hyatt DFW's rooftop pool, and Regal Airport Hotel, Hong Kong's indoor-outdoor pool.

Airport hotels are going beyond the standard hotel fitness center. Check out Hilton Miami Airport, located next to a 100-acre lake with jogging trails. Or, at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport you can book a personal trainer through the hotel's partnership with the Mobi PT app—just request a time and type of workout and show up ready to break a sweat. Grand Hyatt DFW (along with many other Hyatt airport hotels) has a 24-hour fitness center, so you can work off that jet lag at any time of day.

Get over the boring airport hotel stigma, because these airport hotel properties are offering much more than just a place to sleep. Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a glass roof atrium bar, Axis Lobby & Cocktail Bar, that features one of the largest selections of gin in the Netherlands; Aloft San Francisco Airport has a patio space-bar with DJs and live music on the weekends; and Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Singapore has multiple rainforest gardens—not what you were expecting, huh?

From locally sourced food to the sibling of a Michelin-starred restaurant, airport hotel restaurants are stepping up their game. Check out Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America for healthy and sustainably produced products, many grown onsite in the hotel's garden. Or if fine dining is more your thing, Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport has a second location of Michelin-starred Ming Court, and the Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport is home to one of the top-rated restaurants in the entire city.

Many airport hotels are also offering convenient perks like 24-hour room service, self-serve pantries, and permits for airport terminal shopping and restaurant areas for guests on the go.

Access to the airport is an obvious one, but I’m talking about selecting an airport hotel for its proximity to other nearby attractions. While most airports and airport hotels are located far from the city center, there are a few standout properties that offer a better location, and often times price, than staying in the central district.

For shoppers, Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America offers complimentary shuttles to the Mall of America (and the airport), and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel North Charleston– Convention Center does the same for nearby Tanger Outlet Mall.

Also check out the Custom Hotel in Los Angeles, just 1.5 miles from the beach; Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport is 15 minutes from the city center as is Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol; Hilton Munich Airport offers quick transport links to the city center and other Munich attractions; Sofitel London Heathrow has a 21-minute express train to central London; Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport is a short drive to Orlando amusement parks and golf courses; and the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi is located right by the Yas Marina and the Yas Marina Circuit (host of Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix).

While this is a not-so obvious perk, airport hotels are offering a lot more than just free shuttles and connected entrances. While Grand Hyatt DFW is just an elevator ride to Terminal D, the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport hotel has its own private security line. Similarly, the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport hotel has its own airline check-in counters and luggage-retrieval services. And, Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport hotel let's you have an automated phone check-out to save some time, crucial for those early-morning flights.