Today’s hotel industry seems to be working in circles. Whereas it would be fair to say that people are beginning in general to prioritise function instead of luxury in city hotels, the opposite seems to be true of airport hotels.
Tourists are tending to seek cheaper accommodation whilst abroad, thus leaving them more money for other activities, such as visiting museums and eating out. Hotels are becoming symbols of pure necessity, not as a luxury item to be enjoyed.
Confusingly, whereas tourists, especially from the business sector, used to view airport hotels as necessary evils and just a place to put ones head down whilst waiting for a flight, airport hotels are now in big competition with each other to provide the most luxurious asylum possible next to the runway.
With such high competition and affordable prices at most of the world’s major airports, sleeping on the seats of the business lounge in order to avoid an airport hotel experience is no longer a regular option. Many places boast the perfect mixture of decadent modernity and convenience.
In Europe, perhaps the best example of style in terms of airport hotels is the Kempinski hotel in Munich. Surely a more expensive downtown hotel would be proud of such innovation. Staying in Germany, there is the Radisson SAS in Frankfurt, a 19-floor feat of modern architecture with 428 modernist rooms and panoramic views of downtown Frankfurt. These German hotels do not fit the old reputation of shabby airport hotels in the slightest.
Airport hotels are not necessarily expensive, contrary to popular belief. For example, the CitizenM in Amsterdam can cost as little as 73EUR per night. Some say that the world’s most luxurious airport hotel is the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Singapore. It has almost all the features of pure modern luxury, including a swimming pool and numerous luxury facilities. Whereas similar hotels in city centres have routes to town squares, the $57 million Crowne Plaza Changi has a route to terminal 3 of Singapore airport.
Photo: Kempinski Hotel Munich