A Tale of Two Airport Hotels

In the family of hotel types, airport hotels tend to be the misunderstood relatives.

Their origins, however, are rooted in some of the earliest instances of significant travel during the modern era. The coaching inns for travelers between carriages of the 18th Century gave way to the railway hotels of the 19th.

Early during the age of flight, Pan American World Airways built and operated hotels on remote Pacific Islands for passengers and crew to rest as the flying boats hopscotched across the ocean.

Even for decades thereafter, many long-range international flights operated only a handful of times per week, so travelers on long intercontinental journeys frequently found themselves with overnight layovers.

Today's airline traveler, however, can travel between most major airports on the globe without an overnight layover, so what of the airport hotel?

On two recent early morning departures from Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport, I booked nights at two of the sprawling airfield's two on-site hotels to find out exactly what they were about, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The Hyatt Regency DFW has all the hallmarks of the Hyatt Regency brand, but there are some surprising extras that demonstrate the staff's hard work to delight guests. Seats on the shuttle bus from the terminal were adorned with chocolates and a note with wishes for a nice stay, and large apothecary jars of cookies adorned the front desk at check-in.

Another surprise came courtesy of the World of Hyatt loyalty program.

A card in the room invited guests to choose from an amenity of "flights" of Texas beer, tea, or Häagen Dazs ice cream, delivered free of charge by in-room dining. Declining dessert in the dining room resulted in the server insisting I take a handful of airplane-shaped chocolates back to my room with me.

The hotel is situated between Terminals C and D, and not connected directly to any terminal. Shuttle buses run frequently between the hotel and the terminals. The time savings from other nearby airport hotels is around ten minutes, as they are situated some miles away.

For those seeking a more posh airport stay, the Grand Hyatt DFW is located directly inside Terminal D, and guests need only take an escalator or elevator ride to the hotel lobby and guest floors (which require key access). Furnishings here are more bespoke than at the Hyatt Regency, and the public spaces are more intimate.

While the Hyatt Regency wins guest affection with an endearing dedication to guest satisfaction, the delightful surprise at the Grand Hyatt DFW is The Grand Met, the hotel's almost shockingly good restaurant. The Grand Met is a restaurant of a quality that one might expect to find as a standalone city center restaurant, let alone at an airport hotel.

I grazed on lovely sous vide sirloin finished on the grill with a healthy portion of fries and a lovely tomato basil soup with freshly baked bread and salted butter. Menus and wine lists are extensive enough to be loaded on iPads, and there's also a good sushi bar for guests wanting lighter fare.

For guests with a bit of extra time, there's also a rooftop workout facility and swimming pool, perhaps one of the few places in the world one can go for a dip with a view over one of the world's largest airports.

Guest rooms are in typical Grand Hyatt style, with spacious marble bathrooms, rich hardwood fittings, cozy beds, and well-wired televisions that connect to streaming services from guest's mobile devices.

At check-out for my early flight, I could have checked bags immediately downstairs at the ticket counter, but my airline's ticket counter was in another terminal. What would normally require a ride on the airport shuttle was turned into a complimentary private transfer in the hotel's Cadillac Escalade house car.

The Takeaway

These two hotels at DFW, while both Hyatt-branded, have features that make them memorably distinct. From the dedicated hustle at the Hyatt Regency to the Grand style in dining, room design and departure from the Grand Hyatt, guests needing to stay overnight at this North Texas airport will come away winners.

The Math

I've seen rates at the Hyatt Regency from around $110 per night, while the Grand Hyatt starts around $259 per night before tax. Rates are subject to availability and seasonal demand.

Instagrammable Moment

Both hotels have spectacular views of the airport from guest rooms; the Hyatt Regency rooms have step-out balconies while the Grand Hyatt boasts floor-to-ceiling windows.

Loyalty

Both hotels participate in the World of Hyatt program.

Good To Know

The Hyatt Regency isn't really walkable from any terminal - shuttle pickups are frequent at all terminals.

American and most International carriers have ticket counters in Terminal D where the Grand Hyatt is located; guests checking bags with these airlines or traveling without checked luggage can use the security checkpoint here, while guests checking luggage with other carriers can inquire about house care availability at the front desk or bell desk.

The Grand Met has separate dining room, lounge, and sushi bar menus, which can be enjoyed in any part of the restaurant plus in-room dining.

The Grand Hyatt provides guests with a coupon for a free Illy coffee at their coffee bar; guests with early departing flights can request a coffee maker be delivered to their room.

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