Saturday 3 September 2011

pod life

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I spend a fair bit of time in airports...more than a fair bit of time, actually. However, like most people, I consider them vile, soulless places, where complexions whither under fluorescent lighting and ears are assaulted by threats to "remove and destroy" luggage. I have to say though, the unthinkable happened on my journey back to Canada... I had fun at the airport.

In the top picture, you see me in my pod. Since I had an overnight wait for my flight I checked into Yotel , which basically means you go through passport control, then down a white hallway reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey and are finally ushered into a tiny room (we're talking 2m sqaured or something) with a bed, a toilet a shower, and wireless. Let me tell you, having spent a couple of nights trying to sleep in airports, I think this is basically the best idea ever. It allowed me to leave my luggage and walk around, get dinner at a leisurely pace, plus cheat my luggage allowance in the morning by leaving all the heavy stuff for my carry-on back in the room. Bonus all round! Plus, I actually felt like a human being, except for some crazy vertigo I'd recently contracted. : D There's also a Yotel in London Gatwick, London Heathrow, and New York.

Schiphol is actually really civilized as airports go. They have proper lounges with a variety of comfortable seats (learn already, UK airports), a piano which anyone may play (though it has a sign telling you to leave it alone if you don't know how), and a mini exhibition from Amsterdam's Rijks Museum, to give you a taste of the Old Dutch Masters. I even breakfasted on a marvellous pancake from Dutch Kitchen, cooked right in front of me.

While I don't think I'd schedule a day-trip to Schiphol Airport, it's an excellent reminder that airports don't have to be overpriced malls with a side order of customer abuse.

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25 comments:

Vanessa, Take only Memories said...

Omg! That is so amazing! Where did you stop over?
I have spend SO much time in airports and have spent quite a few nights there, too. Lying on the floor or on cold, hard metal benches is NO fun....Next time I'm doing this for sure! Looks amazing.

Sophie said...

UK airports are completely awful. I am going from Stansted on Weds. Those benches are so not comfortable! This is such a genius idea, looks amazing!
Sophie
x

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Sophie: I think Stansted is the absolute worst for benches! There's literally nowhere to sit without buying something from the cafés!

Rachel, Cold Knees said...

Wowza this airport looks amazing, as airports go. I've spent far too many hours in Stansted which is vile. The yotel looks amazing too! xx

Kim said...

That looks cool, was it a nice temperature? and was it clean? :)

Anonymous said...

'overpriced malls with a side order of customer abuse.' - what an epic description!

Myself and my boyfriend 'slept' in Heathrow when we were coming back from Cairo and waiting for our connecting flight back to Dublin. It was the greatest torture I have ever been put through. There was nowhere comfortable and the lights were unbelievably bright. I could have accepted and dealt with all of this if it wasn't for the fact that ALL night, ALL FRICKING NIGHT they played a DVD of that ONE TIME England won the World Cup over and over and over...

Lee x

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Kim: Yep, it's clean. It's basically a hotel, just behind passport control and meant for people who just want to get some rest between flights.

@Lee: Haha, that sounds horrible. Heathrow is so awful anyway!

Penny said...

hehe!you just made me check their site to see how much it would cost to sleep in Gatwick, and I don't need to!I want to :PPP

Diana said...

i must admit that i kind of love airports unless theres a long delay -- but then again i don't travel nearly as much as you do!! that place looks so cool -- definitely a perfect idea for travel bugs xo

http://dressedupallligators.blogspot.com/

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Penny: Haha, it is pretty cool. Not super cheap, but cheaper than an airport hotel usually, and in my case, definitely worth it (I had a 15 hour stopover and then a three hour delay)!

Sewon said...

Ohh I had a really nice layover at Schiphol, as well. And my Amsterdam friends took the metro to have breakfast with me and kept me company. :] I think my FAVORITE layover was actually in Qatar! Such a nice airport.

Shybiker said...

I like the Yotel idea: it makes real sense.

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Sewon: Go figure! I'll keep it in mind, haha!

Closet Fashionista said...

Oooh that sounds like such a fun airport, haha, I wanna go
http://www.closet-fashionista.com

Unknown said...

Huh. I've never heard about these yotels! I guess that's not surprising since I don't fly often. But they do seem like a swell idea! Glad you were able to spend a comfortable night at the airport :)
Also, that pancake looks DELICIOUS.

k said...

that is so cool, i want to stay in a pod!

Kallie, Happy Honey and Lark said...

That pod thing is the CUTEST thing I've ever seen. It is so cozy and adorable looking like you're on a space station. Its so nice that they have human amenities and don't just expect you to suffer through awful layovers. I love that they have a mini exhibition of art, thats just brilliant to bring it to people who might be stressed in an airport, or who might not otherwise see it.

Laura said...

I have never heard of this but it is such a good idea!

Laura
whitewinters.blogspot.com

Libby said...

I love your sailboat dress!!! I had really loved it at Topshop, but I failed to scoop it up before it sold out! Lucky girl!

Daisy said...

What a fab idea, I must remember this.

Ashley said...

I don't think I knew this existed!!! But this is great news, as I am always having to stop in London Heathrow to get overseas! Maybe I will one day be a pod person as well. :D

Anonymous said...

So you were actually able to sleep in the Yotel? I've seen pods for resting...most recently in the Vancouver airport.

Eleni said...

Mind blown: a comfortable airport stay? I wouldn't believe it, coming from a less reputable source, but I trust your travel credentials :)

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

My mind is also blown. Yotel is such a great idea and I'm really loving the Schiphol lounge set up. And the art!

caitlin said...

i've heard about this, but never experienced it before--such a brilliant idea! i hope some of the other major airports jump on board with this soon. it looks so cozy (as much as an airport can...)