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Pod hotels coming to US airports

Print | Comments () Posted by Melanie Nayer February 11, 2012 09:33 AM

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There's nothing worse than missing a flight only to find out that the next flight isn't until morning, and the only place you have to sleep is on the rickety airport chairs. Good news stranded travelers: relief is on the way at some U.S. airports.

Forbes Travel Guide found a few "pod hotels", small cube-like mini-rooms, that are coming to nearby airports so you can get a comfortable rest. Pod hotels have proven success in Japan and China, and in Frankfurt, the "nap rooms" at the airport are the traveler's best friend. You won't find any four- or five-star amenities in these rooms -- but you will get a little shut-eye without worrying about slipping off chairs or awaking to strangers in the gate area.

Minute Suite, the company responsible for bringing pod hotels to the U.S., chose Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and Philadelphia International Airport to first open the pods. The company just announced it will open two pod hotels inside Dallas/Fort Worth Airport -- one will open at the of the this year and the second one at the end of 2014. London-based Yotel has pods inside Heathrow and Gatwick Airports as well as Amsterdam’s Schiphol, and is bidding to open a hotel inside New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport.

The pods, or mini-suites, generally include:

Twin-sized bed (pod hotels in Philadelphia have an additional pull-out trundle)
Pillows and blankets
TV, clock, radio and wireless access
Some pods have an in-room workstation
In Atlanta, the rooms also have the airport’s flight-tracking system, so you can watch for your flight

You won't find bathrooms in the pods, but according to Forbes the new Minute Suites at Dallas/Fort Worth will have private shower units.

The cost? Much cheaper than an airport hotel. The Minute Suites start at $30 the first hour (the minimum stay) and $7.50 for every 15 minutes afterward (discounts apply for longer stays).

Rumor has it Minute Suites is looking to expand throughout the U.S. and is already in talks with several other U.S. airport hubs. Could Boston be next?

Readers: Would you stay in a pod hotel?

Photos courtesy of Minute Suites.

This blog is not written or edited by Boston.com or the Boston Globe.
The author is solely responsible for the content.

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About the author

Melanie Nayer is a travel writer who spent many years in the newsroom before jetting off to see the world. Her goal is to bring readers the best insider information More »