In previous travels, day-use hotel stays were not at all on our radar. Day-use hotel reservations allow guests to check-in for daytime use rather than overnight stays.
They seemed more luxurious than necessary, especially for our purposes. As budget-conscious travelers, we can sometimes tread a tightrope between being frugal and cheap. Of course, this mindset evolves and adjusts through experience and practice. Brian and I have learned to work together over the years to find a happy medium.
So, when we booked our flights to Australia and planned for long layovers, we thought it’d be a great opportunity to experience a day-use hotel stay.
Day-Use Convenience
Rather than putz around Honolulu for 12 hours, Brian and I decided that a day-use stay would really benefit us. After all, we would be landing in Honolulu after a 9.5-hour flight, only to later embark on an 8.5-hour flight to the mainland. A hot shower and a cozy bed seemed like a seriously nice way to experience a Hawaiian stopover.
Brian and I booked a 10-hour stay at the ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach through dayuse.com. It cost us (a slightly painful) $200…plus taxes and fees. Nonetheless, we pressed forward with our reservation. The truth is, we’d likely never stay at the 4-star ‘Alohilani Resort otherwise. A day-use reservation is less expensive than a standard overnight stay.
We encouraged ourselves to explore this “luxe convenience” since it would be a:
- New experience
- Central location
- Comfortable place to sleep and shower
- Safe area to leave our belongings while we ventured out
- Luxurious resort with access to resort amenities
- Longer stay than we’ve spent overnight at other hotels in the past
While $200 felt a bit steep to us, Brian and I genuinely believed the overall experience would be worth the cost. In all honesty, when we compared the cost to a $180 roach-infested, stained-bedding, 6-hour overnight stay in 2013 in Asheville, NC, there was no reason not to move forward with this convenient luxury.
Dayuse.com
Dayuse.com is a booking platform with access to over 7,000 hotel partners across 25 countries. I originally heard of the website while on a cruise years ago, when a couple shared their experience booking a day stay at a resort in Cozumel, Mexico. It sounded interesting, but it never really appealed to us until now. With long flights and a long layover, we thought it’d be a fun way to break up our travel day.
Navigating the website is easy. Simply select the When and Where to search for hotel options. Available time slots, specific conditions, room facilities, and hotel amenities are listed for each hotel. Dayuse.com offers:
- Access to luxury hotels
- Free cancellation until the last minute
- Direct payment at the hotel
- Up to 75% off compared to an overnight stay
We found the reservation process convenient and secure. After booking, we received a confirmation e-mail with our booking number and a subsequent text reminder of our reservation prior to arrival.
‘Alohilani Resort
Check-In
Brian and I selected the 8am-6pm time slot for our ‘Alohilani Resort day-use stay. We were promptly greeted and welcomed. Although we had our confirmation in-hand, the receptionist had no issues locating our reservation in the system. She confirmed our details, payment, and highlighted the list of amenities. It was a pleasant and straight-forward check-in process.
A Room to Rest
A clean, spacious elevator brought us to ultra-quiet hallways. We made our way to our room. It was a welcome sight and space to unwind. Perhaps it was the acute sleep-deprivation or the brimming joy of being in Hawaii, or maybe it was a bit of both…but we found our standard king room to be dreamily luxe and tranquil. It was a delightfully tangible moment of happiness that we didn’t even know we were missing.
We took our showers and crashed for a few hours of sleep. Oh boy, that bed was SO comfortable.
Out and About
Refreshed and hungry, we headed into town to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat. Brian and I swapped out our airplane clothes for light and easy summer wear. It was great to be able to leave our 22 lb. backpacks in our hotel room where they’d be safe and sound.
We enjoyed an unencumbered walk around town. This Hawaiian “daycation” was an ideal way for us to wrap up our adventure overseas. It was reassuring to know that we had time to soak in some sights and return to a private place for some R&R before our flight.
Lunch was savored slowly at Marukame Udon. Brian and I meandered through shaded courtyards and strolled down side streets, faintly scored by melodic songbirds and easy conversation. We shared our last bites of fresh Hawaiian poke before we visited ‘Alohilani Resort’s Swell Pool Bar.
Though we decided against swimming, we did take in the scenery as we sipped on a few happy hour drink specials. The infinity pool and seaside views were lovely and serene. It was quiet and uncrowded for a Saturday afternoon, which was a nice surprise.
We ventured back to the room and relaxed a bit more until it was time to leave.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely. Yes, at least for this particular trip and this particular hotel stay. For 10 hours on Oahu, the $200 day-use reservation at ‘Alohilani Resort provided incredible value and relaxation. Boarding the plane for an 8.5-hour flight didn’t feel as daunting as it likely would have without the convenient luxury of this brief intermission.
What are your thoughts on day-use hotel reservations? Would you ever consider booking a stay?
2 Responses
I have to admit that I’ve been tempted to stop along the road on occasion and check into a motel for a couple of hours of sleep. I’m not referring to an overnight stay either, just someplace to shower and rest to recharge for the continued drive home. I once was on the road by myself for over 24 hours with little sleep prior to setting out. I was probably a danger to myself and others but I only stopped for gas and coffee. When I got home I slept for about 15 hours.
24 hours?! Holy smokes, that’s a looong time on the road by yourself. Sounds like the coffee did its job until you safely returned!