Day Stay Options at Resorts: Hotels By Day Review
When you have a long layover, or just want a quick getaway in your own town, give a day stay at a local resort some consideration. It’s an option I’ve tried twice now, for very different reasons, and in both cases, was so glad I did.
In the first case, I was in Los Angeles for the day, staying at a very affordable hotel that lacked any great bells and whistles, but I was flying in on a late night flight and didn’t think it was worth paying more than $300/night for the resort where I really wanted to be. So, I booked a room by the airport for about $100 for the night, then the next morning, splurged on a day stay at a posh resort that ran $30/person for the day. I was able to hang out at the rooftop pool for hours and enjoy other hotel amenities and saved myself the other $170 I would have paid for a bed I couldn’t have used past 10am anyway.
The second time was in Boston recently. I intentionally booked a long layover following my flight from Atlanta that morning, and before my flight to Barcelona that night. I wanted to visit with multiple friends during the day, and get a little sightseeing in while in Boston, so I used Hotels By Day to book a room that would work as base during my fun. It was great to have a place to tell friends to meet me, and since this resort was in the center of the Financial District with lots of fun things to do and see around me, it was a perfect location for the tourist portion of my day. No, I didn’t sleep there, though I could have napped. But I sure did love having a place to leave all my luggage while I was running around having fun. I could have used the business office and enjoyed other perks if I’d just hung out there all day. I had no need. It served its purpose, and I was able to get on to my next adventure worry-free.
Day stays, also called micro-stays, give travelers the option of enjoying the best of a hotel amenities, without the expense of staying all night.
They’re a popular option for business travelers who might have a long layover, as well as families staying overnight at less expensive alternatives who want to enjoy exclusive amenities during the daylight hours. They are a win-win option, since hotels are catching on to the idea that they can make extra revenue by basically monetizing vacant rooms during the day. It’s a great way for the hotels to stay busy, and many understand that a busy restaurant and busy spa builds momentum for more business from others at the hotel.
If you book a day stay you can expect to be treated very much like a hotel guest, so the only thing you don’t have in most cases is the bed for the night. If you need to use the business facilities, send a fax, lie by the pool, eat at the restaurant, or use the spa, these types of things would be available to you just as they are to guests of the hotel.
They can be a fit for all kinds of people in various situations. They are great for people who might have long layovers or maybe want to relax before cruises depart. Business travelers love them because they can freshen up before a big business meeting or get some work done during the day. Another trend is when locals take advantage of regional deals because they can experience the hotels and basically pay less for them than if they stayed for the night.
You can book the stays online through sites such as Hotels By Day, the company I worked with on my Boston trip, or by calling the resorts directly (in some cases).
You most likely won’t see these deals promoted publicly. There’s a limited amount available and they are often very exclusive. You’ll find the option at luxury resorts more than others, and most likely at smaller, independent hotels.
The costs range widely. The resort I used in Boston, which provided a room for the day, was more than $100, while the day stay in LA (where no room was assigned, but I could enjoy the perks of the pool on the property) was closer to $30 person. You should confirm which perks are off-limits to micro-stay visitors. At some resorts, some amenities may not be available to day-stay participants. Decide whether it’s a fit for you based on your own needs.
(Note to readers: For the sake of this review, I was hosted by Hotels by Day for my stay at the hotel in Boston. I was not otherwise compensated and, as always, my opinion remains my own.)
