Fairly recently there was a newspaper article about "new concept" hotel chain at airports,so-called Cube Rooms, small room hotels at airports that rent by the hour, designed for travellers who won't need to spend entire night between their flights. Such a hotel was opening in Heathrow airport and was coming soon to Amsterdam's Schiphol.
I can't seem to find this hotel website. Does anyone know what I am talking about and can help?

yotel.com

They are called Yotel and we stayed in the new one at Gatwick airport recently. If you click on my name (above) you should see the review I did.

Kay

I just tried out the website and was a bit stunned by the price. 6 hours at Gatwick = $150. Geez, I got the Thistle Charing Cross through Priceline last year for less than $100 for an entire day.

I mean, it's not like you are getting some fancy, luxury suite. You are getting a cubicle for $600 per day.

No thanks.



dave

The "Heathrow" branch opens this coming Saturday.

"Heathrow" because, landside at T4 as it is, it's actually further away from terminals 1-3, where most passengers arrive, than the hotels along the Bath Road that people usually describe as off-airport. In fact, it's only 8 minutes nearer those terminals than the Paddington Hilton. And even passengers transferring entirely at T4 need to come through immigration to get to the hotel, then go back through security to get to their ongoing flight.

What time period will you be needing a place to stay?

I think that this is a great idea and I actually came up with a similar idea a few years back while sitting and whining at LHR for a 5 hour layover....so I told my husband that they stole my idea!

Seriously, I think its fabulous and, even though its expensive, I would gladly plunk down the money to have a place to lay down, perhaps get some sleep, and just relax on really long layovers, especially when I've already traveled overseas and am awaiting a connecting flight. I've taken "naps" in those airport seats at LHR and let me tell you they are anything but comfortable!

Tracy

I agree with Tracy. The Yotel rooms will suit some and not others - each to their own. Personally, I think they're a great idea.
Kay

<b>Dave</b>,

why would somebody want to Priceline a central London hotel when:

Their over the pond flight arrives in the early morning?

Their next scheduled medium or long haul flight leaves mid to late afternoon?

Chances are the pricelined city central hotel will not allow check in until afternoon.

In your post/comparison you did not include the cost of transportation and the time wasted when getting to/from the airport.


My main point with the questions above is that the Yotel is a perfect fit for some travelers, but it's not for everybody. It depends on the situation. If I have 5-6 hour layover at the airport and I want a quiet, private place to refresh, shower, relax, possibly nap for few hours, Yotel is the answer. If I have an overnight layover then an airport/city hotel is the answer.

JMHO.

I'm an old sailor, that usually equates to being &quot;thrifty&quot; (some would say cheap&quot

I look at something that costs $25 per hour, minimum of 4 hours and try to figure out what am I getting for my money. I get to hopefully &quot;rest&quot; in a cubicle.

Hmmm, well that may be worth it to some, but in my case it simply would never fit the bill. I would probably lay on the bed and consider what else I could be doing with $100 and would never rest.

Some folks will stand in a line for 4 hours for the honor of spending $500 on the first iPod sold that year. I will spend $50 on an MP3 player that I buy online. Both play compressed music files that can never have the fidelity of a CD.

I agree with you completely. Different strokes for different folks.



dave

daveesl

the website says &pound;25 for FOUR HOURS. Oh and they actually have accessible cabins (wih room for a carer)- more than i can say for many London hotels that only have accessible single rooms so you are forced to pay for a second room.

Not used them, and as a UK resident not likely to, but they look perfectly adequate.