Flying Through Denver...Need a Hotel for the Night - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Flying Through Denver...Need a Hotel for the Night
Here's the short version.
DS and I will be traveling from Tennessee to California next summer, June or July. I am looking at Frontier Airlines, because the fares are so much cheaper than American, United, and Delta. Southwest doesn't fly out of our city.
Frontier's schedule seems to fly out of Santa Ana only in the evening and out of Denver in the morning, so we would need an overnight stay near the Denver airport. I have looked and it seems the Westin is adjacent to the airport, but I'd rather not pay $350ish a night just for a bed...sort of defeats the purpose of going with Frontier over the other airlines.
Are other hotels really 5 miles away? What about transportation from the airport to one of them? Taxi?
From what I can tell, it looks like we would be arriving in Denver about 11:00 pm and flying out about 9:30 am, so I don't need to waste time getting to sleep or out of the hotel and back to the airport. Those hours will be precious to me.
Now, I know I am asking very specific stuff to a very specific audience. I am hoping that someone from the Denver area can advise me.
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Yup, any other hotels are MILES from the airport. They built that thing so far out from the city that DH and I joke that we taxied from a town in NW Kansas to the terminal. It seemed to take half of eternity!
I would pony up the bucks to stay at the Westin as it's a heckuva ride to get from the airport into the city. You'll save time, hassle and most importantly get more sleep.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I am a huge fan of flying direct. Changing planes in the summer is just too weather risky for me.
Remember when you look at airlines, you have to add in all the differences in fees as well as the cost of a night in a hotel, and more meals in restaurants.
I once found "cheap" flights on Spirit. They really weren't less expensive when you looked closely at what you were paying.
I love Southwest and jetBlue and would travel to a different airport for either. Fortunately, I can drive down to Logan. While I much prefer my small local airport, the trip to Logan is worth savings and a direct flight.
Flying nonstop isn't an option out of our city, and the closest city where it is possible is about 200 miles away. We will be connecting somewhere.
I have looked at fees, and Frontier is very easy on the purse.
I'm now wondering if I use Priceline and pinpoint the Denver airport region, as well as select 4 star, if the Westin wouldn't be the only option. I think it is. I don't love the idea of blind bidding, but if it's the only option, that's different.
It's been several years since we flew into Denver so can't advise, but I'd hesitate with your flight schedule to book anything away from the airport. It can take 20-30 minutes, if I remember right, to get to much of anything at all unless the area has filled in substantially since we last were there.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I don't think it has filled. We flew through there on the way to Anaheim in 2014, and I was struck by the emptiness of the area around the airport. We looked out the windows into this giant, flat nothingness.
I was burned once when I did a Priceline purchase, and I don't like the idea of bidding when I don't know my options, but I researched on Priceline through their regular purchase side, looking at Denver airport area only, 4-star only, and the only option was the Westin. Now, I think I could go to the bid side and make the same selections, and I should get the Westin. The only problem is that you don't officially, technically know until you are notified of an accepted bid, and then your money is spent, period. Thus the dilemma. I think I know what I'm doing, but I'm not positive.
I'd like to get the Westin but not break the bank. However, you are correct, Dot. Sleep is most important. I do NOT want to take a 5 or more mile taxi ride each way and get 3 or 4 hours sleep when I can stay adjacent to the airport and get 6 hours.
It would be nice if Frontier had a flight that got me back home the same day, but that doesn't seem to be available.
Flying nonstop isn't an option out of our city, and the closest city where it is possible is about 200 miles away. We will be connecting somewhere.
Even a connecting flight that connects the same day from your home airport may be an ease to the mind compared to your dilemma right now. Sometimes I factor in "trouble" or "lack of ease" into the money equation.
As for flights, we have to drive at least 100 miles to catch any flight but are willing to check all airports within a 3 and 1/2 hour drive radius. Sometimes we drive the day before we fly. We then recoup part of our hotel cost by not paying to park, free breakfast, and peace of mind that we are near the airport.
Good luck with your decision and have a great trip!
I won't be traveling 200 miles by car (day before or day of), parking my car at the airport, leaving it there for a week, and then having to get back in it and drive 200 miles back home after the trip is over. The extra effort and cost involved in that would literally cause me to not take the trip. Thanks, but no.
Know what you mean about hesitating to book with services like Priceline. You never know where or to what they'll send you, and the less-expensive places you'd feel comfortable in are far from the airport.
We've usually stayed in Aurora (easternmost suburb) or the southeast section of Denver proper. Like most cities in the mid-U.S., Denver hotels are situated mostly along major highways and not so much conveniently near airports unless the extremely pricey ones suited to business travelers with expense accounts.
Maybe I should call my cousins there and ask if they'd put up some very nice overnight guests? Except they all live a good hour's drive from the airport.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 07-30-2016 at 03:14 PM..
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Since Denver has pretty much become our home airport, let me assure you, besides the Westin that is there at the airport, there is NOTHING out there. I was commenting to someone the other day that even for the people that work at the airport, they have quite a little commute just to get out there. As for the closest hotels that are 5 miles away, because there is nothing out there, it really is a quick 5-10 minutes to get back and forth to/from the airport. We had an early flight out one morning and realized we needed to stay the night near there so we wouldn't have to get up before 3 am to make our flight and stayed at the Hampton Inn in that 5 mile radius. And although we had our car, quite a few of those hotels offer a complimentary shuttle. I would just call to confirm a shuttle is available before making a reservation.
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