CitizenM, Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam



Located right next to Schiphol Airport, CitizenM – short for citizen mobile – oozes cool. Offering affordable but beautifully kitted out rooms, the hotel has a luxurious boutique feel without if affecting the bank balance too much. Each room is ergonomically designed, every inch of space is used without it seeming too claustrophobic. Both the shower and toilet are in the room but hidden within tube shaped privacy screen reminiscent of the beam-me-up-Scotty times. There’s also a plasma screen TV at the foot of the bed and Wifi is available for those who want to hole themselves away, though the ethos of this hotel is to come down to the lounge and meet other travelers. Doubles start at €73 for room only.

Yotel, Gatwick Airport, London



It’s a well known fact that space is precious in London, and those who know how use every teeny, weeny orifice they can find, so it’s no surprise to see a hotel for hobbitses in the metropolitan area. Inspired by British Airways’ first-class suites and the boxy Japanese pod hotels, Yotel Gatwick is the brainchild of Simon Woordroffe, founder of the Japanese fast-food sushi chain YoSushi, and unlike many of the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Asian sleep pods, Yotel is a designers dream. Designed by exclusive company Conran & Partners, the rooms are small but perfectly functional with a shower room and toilet, though claustrophobia sufferers may want to opt for the premium cabin where there’s slightly more room – well, you can at least get the cat in there, not sure about the swinging of it though. Premium cabins cost from £40 for four hours; standard cabins cost from £25 for four hours, extra hours are charged from £6.50 per hour thereafter. There is also a Yotel Heathrow, London and Yotel Schiphol, Amsterdam.

Plush Hotel, Bristol Airport, England



Although not in the airport grounds, Plush Hotel is the best place to stay if you want to escape the impersonal chain hotels that surround Bristol airport, and it’s very, very sexy. Nestled in the Somerset countryside, just over a mile from the airport, Plush is a small, independently-run boutique hotel that’s built up a loyal fan-base of customers over the years. Each room is luxuriously and uniquely decorated and offers guests the chance to unwind in the most beautiful setting overlooking the Mendip Hills. Prices vary according to which room is preferred and whether airport parking is included. A seven day airport package, which includes one night’s stay and seven days parking in the hotel’s exclusive airport car park, costs £129 ($182) per room.