Rapid Travel Chai

Many airport hotels fall flat on the one thing they must get right: access to the airport. Excepting those few in-terminal hotels, most rely on shuttle bus service. How many do not provide shuttle details on their website? How many neglect to mention the shuttle does not run 24 hours or that it is on demand and you must call? How many slip in extra charges for the shuttle? And how many run a terrible shuttle?

I had an overnight in Bogotá and a number of the local hotel choices did not look promising with respect to transport. I ended up selecting Starwood’s Aloft Bogotá Airport Hotel because it had positive reviews with regard to the shuttle. 4,000 points/night or $107 (also cash and points though less attractive because of application of taxes and fees).

All key shuttle information is provided: free, 24 hours, every 30 minutes, travel time, meeting points.

The pickup was as expected and I was quickly at the hotel and in my room. The building and room are exactly as Aloft’s in the US. The welcome amenity used one of my aliases, Aguilar.

Free breakfast is included in all rates and is stellar. The fresh squeezed blackberry and grapefruit juice mix is a hotel item. Fitting for Colombia, the hot drink choices are: coffee, tea and chocolate.

Though suburban, there is an express bus lane to the city, convenient for sightseeing. I took those buses on my 2007 visit. With the great value of this property, I would even consider it for a stay in Bogotá.

My moment of departure is where the hotel shined. The 7 am shuttle had quite a crowd and I gathered the shuttle was stuck in traffic on the return. At exactly 7:30, without hesitation, the manager told me and the other waiting guest that it would be 5 minutes more for the shuttle so they were sending each of us in their designated private car service cars at no cost to us. Wow. We didn’t even ask, they just did it out of courtesy for our time. Bravo!