Flight in a few hours? Head to transit hotel for a catnap without leaving airport

One of the three transit hotels planned inside Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) kick-started its operation recently, offering passengers the option to enjoy the luxury of a comfortable short stay without leaving the terminal building. The tariff is based on dynamic pricing, passengers are charged on an hourly basis. Apart from an hourly basis, passengers can book rooms overnight as well.

Transit hotels are popular among passengers around major airports of the world. With Mumbai being centrally located geographically, authorities hope to turn the CSIA into a leading hub for airlines as passengers from the Middle East, SAARC and South Asia countries use it as base to fly to their destinations. According to a study done by CSIA authorities last March, around 2,500 transit passengers pass from the CSIA, and the number is likely to go up as India could overtake other major economies around the world to become the third-largest aviation market behind China and the US by 2026.

The hotel christened as Niranta, which is derived from the Sanskrit word Nirantar, meaning constant, and Nirant, meaning peace, is located at level 1 of the arrival section. Two more transit hotels — one near the VIP parking area and other near level 2 (international arrivals) — are expected to start within the next two to three months. The one near the parking can be accessed by anyone and is specially targeted for those wanting to have a quick meeting before catching their flight. The third is meant only for international transit passengers, said CSIA officials.

A spokesperson for the CSIA said that as passengers tend to be tired due to travelling, all aspects of the hotel — interior design, façade, bed, washroom, spa and food — have been engineered to make them feel relaxed. Niranta, spread over 20,000-odd square feet, is a 32-room hotel.

"Sleep is very important to transit passengers. So we are taking special efforts to make the hotel environment such that they feel rested. Also, the food on offer is made light without compromising on the aroma or taste," said the spokesperson.