As air traffic gradually picks up again, airport hotels around the world are expanding. Recently, IHG announced the preparation in progress from several Holiday Inn Express close to the hubs of Madrid Barajas and Seville in Spain, Rome Fiumicino in Italy and Ankara in Turkey, all of which are expected to open by 2022-2023. In Germany, the budget brand has also just demonstrated how it can adapt its low-cost offer close to major transport hubs, by setting up its largest hotel in Europe, with 455 rooms, near Dusseldorf station.
Coming back to airport hotels, in London, a Courtyard by Marriott opened its doors on 8 November, just a five-minute walk from London City Airport. As the closest hotel to the British capital's business hub, the hotel meets a number of travellers' expectations, starting with 184 affordable rooms. But, because of its proximity, the Courtyard by Marriott is also a an alternative to the airport's lounge and catering facilities with its Starbucks café, Grab and Go market and all-day Kitchen & Bar restaurant concept. Naturally focused on business travel, the Courtyard by Marriott also offers three interactive meeting rooms and a fully equipped business centre.
" Historically, business travellers using London City Airport had the choice of two high-traffic off-site lounges and a limited range of restoration options in the terminal himself" said Chris Thomas, the hotel's general manager. He also points out that, with the airport redevelopment programme on hold until at least 2023, his establishment offers an alternative departure lounge option". travellers who want to take advantage of the airport's fast check-in process. "
Sheraton-Marriott duo at Frankfurt airport
Another European hub to have recently seen a brand new hotel is Frankfurt. In this case, it's not a new hotel as such, but rather the completion of a vast transformation project at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center. Open since 1975, this hotel began a three-year renovation phase before the pandemic. Perfectly located for business travellers, between terminal 1 and the long-distance train station, this three-building complex has been redesigned to house two emblematic names in business travel under one roof. Since 2020, one of the wings will house a 233-room Marriott hotel with its own entrance.
To continue this evolution, in addition to a new design for the Sheraton's 779 rooms - 236 of which are premium rooms with a view of the slopes - the modernisation of its conference centre and some of its areas still needed to be completed. The Sheraton now has new suites - three Sheraton Club and seven Junior - and a new Sheraton Club lounge on the lobby level. As for a huge conference centre of over 4,000 m2With nearly 60 meeting rooms and the capacity to host events for up to 1,200 participants, the refurbishment of its spaces has been completed.
Contemporary and long-stay in Los Angeles
We can see it with Marriott and Sheraton in Frankfurt or with the ibis and ibis budget brand combo. recently presented at London Heathrow : bringing together two brands in a single project is one of the hotel trends of the moment. Hyatt has also just demonstrated this near Los Angeles airport with an ambitious complex that combines business and relaxation.
For the occasion, the American group has combined one of its lifestyle brands, Hyatt Place, with a brand more geared towards long stays, Hyatt House. With view of the airport runwaysThe complex, which opened in November, is part of the ongoing transformation of the Californian hub. This major project, costing 14 billion dollars, will see the launch in 2023 of an automatic train that will link the airport terminals and the metro, and also drop passengers off at the foot of the Hyatt hotels.
In this fast-changing airport district, the two establishments are located in an area of outstanding natural beauty. building dating from 1967 designed by architect Welton Becket, the same architect who gave the airport its iconic Theme Building. The design, by carrier johnson + Culture, reflects the aesthetic of the 1960s.
While Hyatt Place LAX / Century Blvd has 272 rooms, Hyatt House offers 129 suites with fully-equipped kitchens and separate lounges. They share an event space of almost 1,000 square metres, both indoors and outdoors, with two meeting rooms. But these hotels also stand out with the highest rooftop in the airport areaIt also boasts the only outdoor swimming pool in the district. In addition, there are two innovative restaurant concepts, Greenleaf Kitchen & Cocktails, which combines 'healthy' and gastronomy, and the Californian cuisine restaurant ShoresLAX on the roof terrace, both of which can be privatised.
