3 Hotels Transforming the Airport Hotel Experience

Once upon a time, airport hotels were simply places to rest your head before an early-morning flight. Now, thanks to Sheraton Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to redesigning its global properties, the company is transforming its airport hotels into places where you’ll not only want to sleep, but also eat, drink, work and, ultimately, stay awhile.

Renovated lobbies draw travelers in and encourage guests to relax, socialize or take care of business at community tables, around couches in spaces that feel like family rooms, or inside purpose-built meeting rooms. State-of-the-art tech, decor that evokes the destination and quiet, comfortable guest rooms where you can sleep off jet lag round out the redesign.

Before planning your next trip, check out these three properties transforming the airport hotel experience.

A Dutch Haven: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center

Described as an example of the “next generation” of airport hotels, the revamped Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center connects to Schiphol airport via a covered hallway that melds function and form. The hotel is conveniently located — it’s a mere five-minute walk to the terminals — and the refreshed guest rooms, technological acuity and community-style lobby elevate the overnight experience.

Order a Dutch beer, local genever (Dutch gin) or vegetarian-forward meal at the lobby’s Commune Restaurant. It doubles as a coworking space where you can meet, work or socialize. So does The Gate Bar, which is adjacent to a vaulted atrium with high-top work tables and inviting wingback chairs. When you’re ready for an upscale meal, head to dinner at Stripes Restaurant for seasonal, locally sourced fare with an emphasis on grilled dishes.

Inside the 417 suites and guest rooms, the colorful striped carpets and geometric-patterned headboards bring the feeling of the Netherlands’ famous flower fields and grasslands indoors on your stopover.

Here, sleep meets productivity thanks to multiple USB ports and 55-inch TVs with streaming capabilities. If you finish your work early, it’s a 15-minute train ride into the city. And if you have more time to explore, you’ll also find direct connections to The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven.

Gateway to Germany: Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center

After an impressive remodeling, one of Europe’s busiest airports — and Germany’s aviation hub — now has a modern hotel ready to host the millions of air travelers that pass through Frankfurt every year.

The Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center offers stylish, remodeled public spaces that persuade guests to linger before walking to Terminal 1 to catch a flight. Of its 779 guest rooms, the hotel has renovated 246 Sheraton Club and Premium room types and suites; plus, guests of Sheraton Club rooms and suites have access to a stunning lounge with complimentary finger food and drinks.

Visitors will enjoy The Eatery kitchen and bar, a new vintage-style atrium bar that’s the focal point inside the transformed space. Order a burger and beer from the menu while you catch up on emails or socialize with co-workers inside the modern-style diner with high-top tables, red bar stools and vintage brass detailing above the bar. For a more private tête-à-tête, move to one of the hotel’s Studio meeting space.

Guest rooms feature fully sound-proofed windows, work tables and reading corners, too, so there’s plenty of space for guests to get caught up or relax. The comfy beds also encourage sleep — an airport hotel’s main function, after all.

South-of-France Oasis: Sheraton Nice Airport

With a rooftop pool that offers Mediterranean views and ice-cold cocktails at She’s Nice Sky Bar, Sheraton Nice Airport guarantees you’ll kick off your stay here in South of France style.

Just 15 minutes by tram from downtown Nice and the city’s seaside Promenade des Anglais — or a quick train ride to Cannes, Monte Carlo or Antibes — this modern hotel seamlessly blends business with relaxation and leisure.

You might opt to get work done while sitting on a pool lounger watching airplanes take off and land or make use of the hotel’s meeting rooms and dedicated workspaces that are kitted out with charging stations and free Wi-Fi.

These spaces are as approachable as a best friend’s living room and take a cue from the nearby sand and sea with couches, chairs and upholstered benches in varying shades of ecru, blue and turquoise. Do work on your laptop, or read a book and unwind.

The tranquility continues inside updated guest rooms that feature soundproof windows, blackout curtains and comfy beds. You’ll quash jet lag in no time and be ready to hit the beach or the boardroom.