Flights can be a harrowing experience, even for VIP passengers. But luxury hotels are unwilling to let their guests’ travel experiences be marred by a tiring flight or a below-par airport lounge. Luxury hotels have jumped into the fray, ready to provide a luxurious holiday experience that begins from the airport itself.
Meet The Airport Concierge
One interesting development is the rise of the airport concierge – an individual who sees to the slightest needs of the hotel’s guests. You might remember the Red Carpet Runway Concierge Service by Athenaeum. Or take the instance of Jimmy Bardolf, the airport concierge for Peninsula Beverly Hills. Bardolf and his team focus on the many big and little ways to make the guest’s life easier. This could involve upgrading guests to better seats, helping them find the airport lounge, or even providing basics like baby wipes. Arriving guests are served free of charge. Departing guests can speed through security and get entry to airport lounges for the very reasonable fee of $100 per family. American Airlines also has a similar option, but it is more expensive.
Jamaica travelers putting up at select resorts can avail of Club Mobay. This is a VIP service that expedites airport procedures and offers access to a 10,000-square-foot lounge for $30 per person at Montego Bay airport. The lounge could well be one of the top 10 airport lounges in the region. The Four Seasons Marrakech also offers a $74 pickup service that speeds up customs formalities.
Fewer Baggage Hassles
Over-weight baggage is a big problem. So, many hotels are ensuring that travelers no longer have to cart along their fitness gear. While Westin Hotels & Resorts provides New Balance sneakers and workout apparel, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has a similar deal going with Adidas that is available to its elite loyalty program members, and to other guests for a $10 fee.
However, workout apparel is not the sole focus. The Four Seasons Chicago and the Ritz-Carlton Chicago store clothes for repeat clients free of charge. Clients merely have to pay the laundry fees. Providing a more expensive option is the Trump SoHo in New York. The Trump hotel has teamed up with luxury valet company Garde Robe to curate clothes for clients at a fee of $315.
Meanwhile, the Hampton Inn & Suites Wesley Chapel came up with an innovative idea. The luxury hotel has set up a luggage scale for passenger convenience. Extra luggage is removed and shipped home for far less.
Flight Food
Thankfully, you no longer have to depend solely on the unappetizing fare offered by the airlines. The Four Seasons Seattle’s Flight Bites menu offers meals for around $30, while One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico provides sandwiches and other snacks in the $20 range. Guests at the Montage Deer Valley in Park City Utah can carry $18 food boxes. If you are just looking for breakfast, try On The Run Breakfast Bags from Hilton’s Hampton Inn hotels.
Lounging At The Airport
Luxury airport lounges are not limited to those run by the airlines. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has an airport lounge Kona International Airport. Meanwhile, three Hilton’s Maldives Resorts launched lounges in Male International Airport’s seaplane terminal. At the rate of $80 per adult and $40 per child, guests can access showers, Wi-Fi, a kids’ playroom, massages and gourmet food. Meanwhile, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is offering half-day rates to travelers for in-transit travelers at its airport hotels.
Via: The New York Times
