Any other hotels near or on airports?

So we've got three years of creating/running an aviation-theme-suite hotel
under our belt now, things are going well, and it's time to start thinking
about adding another location.

Trouble is, I'm afraid that our current location may be almost unique.
Here's what we need in order to duplicate our success:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

In our case, it's the University of Iowa that creates the alternative
business. (There simply aren't enough of us pilots to solely support a
hotel, sad to say.) In other locales, it might be a tourist attraction.

Any suggestions? We would prefer a warm-weather climate, to off-set our
Midwest location, and to prolong the flying season -- but we're open to
suggestions. (Ideally, it would be fun to have a southern hotel to run in
winter, and the Iowa location to run in summer! :-)

(Better yet, an Australian location to run from November - April, and our
Iowa location to run form May - October!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Ah... you wanted warmer... sorry... I was thinking of a specific Hilton at
OSH.
Jim

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:R1u2f.416802$x96.151712@attbi_s72...
So we've got three years of creating/running an aviation-theme-suite hotel
under our belt now, things are going well, and it's time to start thinking
about adding another location.

Trouble is, I'm afraid that our current location may be almost unique.
Here's what we need in order to duplicate our success:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

In our case, it's the University of Iowa that creates the alternative
business. (There simply aren't enough of us pilots to solely support a
hotel, sad to say.) In other locales, it might be a tourist attraction.

Any suggestions? We would prefer a warm-weather climate, to off-set our
Midwest location, and to prolong the flying season -- but we're open to
suggestions. (Ideally, it would be fun to have a southern hotel to run
in
winter, and the Iowa location to run in summer! :-)

(Better yet, an Australian location to run from November - April, and our
Iowa location to run form May - October!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
So we've got three years of creating/running an aviation-theme-suite hotel
under our belt now, things are going well, and it's time to start thinking
about adding another location.

Trouble is, I'm afraid that our current location may be almost unique.
Here's what we need in order to duplicate our success:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

In our case, it's the University of Iowa that creates the alternative
business. (There simply aren't enough of us pilots to solely support a
hotel, sad to say.) In other locales, it might be a tourist attraction.

Any suggestions? We would prefer a warm-weather climate, to off-set our
Midwest location, and to prolong the flying season -- but we're open to
suggestions. (Ideally, it would be fun to have a southern hotel to run in
winter, and the Iowa location to run in summer! :-)

(Better yet, an Australian location to run from November - April, and our
Iowa location to run form May - October!)

It's been years ago, but I once analyzed the US for a place similar to
your requirements. In then end, Wilmington, NC popped up. Near the
beach, UNC has a branch there, lots of movie stars have places there,
much military presence including a battleship on display, interesting
area (Cape Fear). BUT, plan for bad weather. And, I think we saw most
of the town in the day we were there. We found one restaurant that
looked good, but it was closed that day.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:R1u2f.416802$x96.151712@attbi_s72...
So we've got three years of creating/running an aviation-theme-suite hotel
under our belt now, things are going well, and it's time to start thinking
about adding another location.

Trouble is, I'm afraid that our current location may be almost unique.
Here's what we need in order to duplicate our success:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

Centennial Airport (APA) in SE Denver has a couple hotels on the field,
including one in which you can taxi up to the hotel lobby door. Also, Falcon
Field (FFZ) in Mesa, AZ has a similar setup. Mesa, a Phoenix suburb, is the
home to Boeing Helicopters where they make the AH-64 Apache and MD
Helicopters where they make the MD-500/600 series and the 900 Explorer.

Montrose (MTJ) will have a on-field hotel finished shortly.

Matt

---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

How 'bout Thailand for warmth Jay? I'll go in on it w/ you for 20-30%
ownership. Hehehe...

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Not your warmer clime, but Morey-middleton (C29) just outside of
Middleton, might work, IF you can keep the rates low. There are number
of motels within a few miles, but most seem to be expensive, geared
toward the business traveler. There is lots of business park land right
across from the airport, so possibly one could build there.
Nearby is Madison (You know all this Jay), both a university town and
state capital.
There is a class C airport in Madison, but its usually busy. C29 is
untowered, and under the outer ring of the class C.

John

How does Louisiana sound? I know, I know - hurricanes, but HUM sits on
high ground in the area and doesn't usually flood (even during both of
the recent hurricanes). The airport is adjecent to Houma, which offers
a couple of local plantation musuems, nightlife and other venues to
enjoy the Cajun culture. Additionally, it sits about 60 miles from the
French Quarter and all the N.O. attractions. My wife is from the area
and the in-laws are still there and we visit regularly.

Its also much warmer than Iowa :-). The peak tourist season in the
area is from February thru May, which might work well with your current
schedule.

Mike
--
To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the
sky is home.

- anon.

Well,

Just for examples of things that are out there.. Fredericksburg
Texas has a hotel on field. http://www.hangarhotel.com/ . The town is a
bed and breakfast haven, and the main drag is like a giant flea
market/antique show. No colleges. Admiral Nimitz Museum is there.

Galveston, Texas has a field that is capable of handing airliners,
has an ILS, has a waterpark being built on-site, has the Lone Star
Flight Museum, has Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center adjacent to
the field (but its not aviation themed). The city focuses on the "family
factor" with regards to spring break and has an alcohol ban on the
majority of beaches. There is a Mardi Gras celebration there that is a
distant second to what used to occur in New O. There are several
colleges in the vicinity, but none are in NCAA athletics.
Vulnerabilities include coastal location with the hurricane risk. Also,
50% of the surrounding area is water.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KGLS

New Braunsfels, Texas is a VERY popular tourist area in Texas, with
no hotel on field. There are a few nearby. The field is a few miles from
town, but not in the boonies by any stretch. The draw of this town is a
historical spot called "Gruene" that is shops, antiques and some
wonderful riverfront dining. The REAL draw, however, is the summer
"toobing" industry. The Guadeluper rive meanders through 20 miles of
canyons and hills downstream of Canyon Lake. People come by the
thousands to ride the river. San Antonio is 30 miles south (large town).
San Marcos is 20 or so miles to the north, and is home to Texas State
University (formerly Southwest Texas State University). I go to New
Braunsfels annually to semi annually. The Southwest Regional Flyin was
held at New Braunsfels a few years ago, and now is being held at Hondo,
40-50 miles to the south. I would forsee good bookings on that weekend
by pilots (stay at the hotel, fly to the flyin - hotels are scarce in
Hondo). I would gather that you would have good bookings most summers of
the year by general public due to the toobing (innertubing/rafting). A
few miles off the interstate as well.

Just some things that I could come up with.
Dave



Jay Honeck wrote:
So we've got three years of creating/running an aviation-theme-suite hotel
under our belt now, things are going well, and it's time to start thinking
about adding another location.

Trouble is, I'm afraid that our current location may be almost unique.
Here's what we need in order to duplicate our success:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

In our case, it's the University of Iowa that creates the alternative
business. (There simply aren't enough of us pilots to solely support a
hotel, sad to say.) In other locales, it might be a tourist attraction.

Any suggestions? We would prefer a warm-weather climate, to off-set our
Midwest location, and to prolong the flying season -- but we're open to
suggestions. (Ideally, it would be fun to have a southern hotel to run in
winter, and the Iowa location to run in summer! :-)

(Better yet, an Australian location to run from November - April, and our
Iowa location to run form May - October!)

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:30:25 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
R1u2f.416802$x96.151712@attbi_s72::

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

The Santa Barbara Airport is located adjacent to University of
California at Santa Barbara. There is a low-budget motel located on
the field: http://www.pilothousemotel.com/
http://www.us-rooms.com/usmem/15401.htm

Jay Honeck wrote:

1. A small-to-medium hotel on, or adjacent to, an airport.
2. The airport must be very close to the city that it serves. No
"out-in-the-boonies" airports, please.
3. The city must have another attraction that creates hotel business.

Sounds like you want to buy rather than build? There's a motel right next to
Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. During the winter, nearby Sanibel Island
attracts a lot of vacation traffic. From the outside, the place doesn't have the
ambiance of yours -- more like a "motel 6", but you might be able to do
something about that.

More prosaic is TYS in Knoxville, TN. During the summer, the nearby Smokies
attracts visitors, and the University of Tennessee brings in the college crowd
during the rest of the year. The football situation is worse than Iowa, so you'd
probably be packed in season.

If I were looking to build or create something from a private home, I would
investigate Sevierville, TN. It's closer to the Park and to the tourist traps of
Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.