We all know those people who spend a week preparing for the flight they are about to make - at least the one they are about to make in seven days!

However, it needn’t be like that because, these days, there is so much to do before you actually step on the plane, and it doesn’t always have to begin with duty free.

Most people aren’t lucky enough to live near their departing airport and many opt to stay in a hotel the night before. This can be fun for a variety of reasons and should be seen as part of your holiday rather than part of your journey.

Competition for the ‘tourist’ pound is now so competitive that you can often get some great deals if you are prepared to shop around and, even better, you can also get a few fringe benefits that might end up making your trip that bit more special.

If your flight is early one morning then aim to take the previous day off work so that you can head for your airport hotel 24 hours before your flight, deposit your bags and pop into town to do a bit of shopping.

If you are flying from Manchester for example, mightn’t it be fun to ditch your bags at one of the airport’s nearby hotels and high tail it into the nearby centre and one of the many attractions offered by the North West’s premier city?

You might want to drive by Manchester United’s impressive stadium or even head for the Lowry Art gallery, theatre and entertainment complex.

Situated dramatically on the waterfront of Salford Quays, it is well-connected to Manchester City Centre by the Metrolink service and for those travelling by car, it is only one mile from the motorway network and two miles from Manchester city centre.
The building, designed by Michael Wilford, is visually stunning - a wonderful, space-age construction of aluminium and titanium, with some hints of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The use of interior space is masterful: three theatres, an art gallery, bars and restaurants are enclosed within its walls.
OK, so you aren’t flying from Manchester airport!

A visit to any main centre local to the airport you are flying from is always interesting but, if you aren’t as mobile as you might want to be, then opt for a hotel with a business centre, health spa and sports facility so, as a minimum, you can be work free and totally relaxed before you step on the plane. Travelling can be tiring so a pre flight spa / relaxation session does one of two things:
it relaxes you so that you can sleep on the plane
it relaxes you so that you can better enjoy your flight even if you aren’t an in flight ’sleeper’.
….either way, you can’t loose.

However, if you can’t get the day off prior to your flight then why not think about hiring a stretch limo to take you and the family to the airport? Apart from having lots of luggage space, you can quaff a glass or champagne (orange for the kids!) and have so much fun that your journey will pass quickly leaving you full of laughter, bubbly and chilled spirit, not the alcoholic variety of course!

At the best of times flights can be tiring and a bit of a drag - check in, waiting, more clearances, delays - but if you make the effort to ensure your trip is more ‘fun’ than punishment, then you will profit from your pre planning. Hotels by airports can be more than a place to stay so do your homework and pick something that’s right for you.

Hotels by Airports currently features 160+ hotels at Manchester Airport, listed by distance from the actual terminal. Hotels by Airports is the most comprehensive price comparison website for UK airport hotels.

[tags]hotels by manchester airport,uk airport hotels[/tags]