PROJECT RUNWAY

Far from the ‘fly-in’ properties of yesteryear, airport hotels are a breed apart

- Ramsey Qubein

For the most part, the reason exhausted road warriors have looked to airport hotels is convenience, but today’s runway-facing rooms may not be as hum-drum as you might remember. Meditation guides and farm-to-table dining tell another story. Today hotel brands proliferate around airports. But one in particular led the way.

Dubbed the world’s first “fly-in” hotels, Hyatt House kicked off the trend in 1957. Founder Jay Pritzker’s contract to purchase the Hyatt House at Los Angeles International Airport from Dutch businessman Hyatt von Dehn (hence the hotel company’s name today) was said to be scribbled on a hotel cocktail napkin. The convenience of Hyatt House LAX led to several other Hyatt House openings near airports along the West Coast.

Soon, other brands followed suit with hotels popping up around airports worldwide. Today, Hyatt House is no longer exclusive to airports. While it recently opened its 100th hotel at California’s San Jose International Airport, its suite-style accommodations with kitchens and living rooms designed for longer stays are located in downtown and suburban locales, too.

CONVENIENCE IS KEY