A recent survey by BDRC*, has found that one of the most important factors for business travellers when choosing a hotel is whether complimentary Wi-Fi is available in both bedrooms and public areas. In order to help business travellers choose the most suitable airport hotel for their needs, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has compared the relevant facilities available for travelling professionals across 97 different hotels at 24 UK airports. The research is available in the Know Before You Go section of the APH website at www.aph.com/businesshotels. 

The research compares the availability and price of Wi-Fi in airport hotels around the UK, as well as several other facilities that may be of interest to business travellers including the cost of in-room international calls, access to business centres or meeting rooms and dry-cleaning services. It also highlights the leisure facilities such as gyms and outlines any loyalty schemes that the hotel may offer returning customers.
 

Of the 93 hotels surveyed, only 46 were found to offer complimentary Wi-Fi in both rooms and public areas, with 27 offering free Wi-Fi in either the room or public areas and 20 hotels charging customers to use the Wi-Fi. The research also found that the costs for Wi-Fi varied between hotels with the Heathrow Premier Inn charging £5.00 for one hour, the Hilton Manchester Airport Hotel charging £10.00 a night for in-room Wi-Fi and the Hilton Templepatrick at Belfast Airport charging  £14.99 for 24 hours.

With regards to making calls from the room, several of the hotels were found to offer local calls free-of-charge, such as the Southampton Holiday Inn and Chiltern Hotel at London Luton Airport. However some hotels were found to charge customers to make local calls including the Ibis Hotel in Luton charging 10p per minute, the Holiday Inn Bristol charging 50p per minute and the Liverpool Marriott Hotel charging £1.90 per minute. When making national and international calls, the costs were also found to differ with the Edinburgh Hilton Hotel charging £4.40 for calls to European destinations and the Holiday Inn at Glasgow Airport charging £2.50 per minute.

In terms of leisure facilities, a surprising 41 of the 97 hotels researched were found to not offer any form of facilities to their customers. However several of the larger hotels, including the Aberdeen Marriot Hotel and Redwood Hotel and Country Club at Bristol Airport, have a range of gym and spa facilities including an indoor pool, fitness centre, whirlpool, and sauna or tennis courts.

Loyalty schemes are available for returning customers of 63 of the hotels including all Marriot, Hilton and the IHG Group hotels. The most beneficial reward schemes are currently available with Accor, Le Club Accorhotels, which offers priority welcome, hotel vouchers worth €40, customer service in 10 languages and points which convert
into airline miles.

For further information on AirportParking and Hotels (APH),

Visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

* Research by BDRC Continental in Great Britain Hotel Guest Survey, Annual Report 2013. 

Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is the UK's award winning long stay airport parking operator and booking agency, after winning the Best Airport Parking Company for a third year running at British Travel Awards 2012. This year APH also celebrates its 33rd year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels packaged with parking and airport lounges. APH is also a carbon balanced company and has, through support of the World Land Trust, helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest.

Media Enquiries

Sarah Salord / Jessica Meins /McCluskey International / 020 8747 2170 / aph@mccluskey.co.uk