lsquare

Shortly after graduating from university, I spent some time backpacking around the Midwest and the Northeast. I missed the last train from Providence back to Boston. So I had this idea of hanging out at a Marriott (forgot which one now) until the first train in the morning. I was asked to leave when security realized I was not a guest.

That's my point. I ain't going to get anywhere close to 6 hours of sleep so it feels like I'm throwing money away.

Spending $200 for a 10+ hour stay is one thing and can be justified, but four hours or so, I just can’t.

northinsouth

Fair enough.

But you do have to admit it is kind of an Atlanta institution. I met my first wife there (not a joke, and no, she was not an employee)

donotblink

If you can get a Marriott best rate guarantee approved at an airport hotel, you could get a lower rate, and 5,000 bonvoy points in lieu of the 25% off, + 1,000 points from the current promo, + whatever the normal number of points would have been that you could have earned from the stay. I have several airport hotel reservations coming up where I did this and I'm earning 7,000 points on my ~$100 stay, this makes the stays which might only be for a few hours easier to justify to myself.

Trouvaille

There’s a connected Marriott at TPA.

I would definitely trade $200 for 4-6 hours of comfort. Absolutely no decent areas to rest in TPA otherwise. Unless you’re a broke college student, factor hotel costs into the equation or pick another flight.

Your back will thank you.

Bear96

I *think* so. I have noticed buttons to push to call them to operate on demand when they are not running automatically.

OP, I am pretty sure you can at least stay in the central main terminal area overnight. That is landside but is pretty comfortable with basics like toilets, comfy seats and outlets. What I don't know is if you can stay at the satellite airside terminals overnight. I would guess not.

Should worse come to worst, at least it is (almost always) warm enough to sleep outside here year-round!

platbrownguy

That sounds like (1) a while ago, (2) circumstances where you could have been mistaken for a vagrant, and (3) maybe bad luck.

Throughout history, inns have been places of respite for travelers, not just for those who spend the night. I suggested purchasing at least something. I disagree with the idea that only those who have booked a room can enjoy a hotel's lobby; I've hung out in many hotel lobbies for a while before or after going to the hotel's restaurant or bar... here we're talking about using the hotel's sundries market instead of its bar, but the distinction is in $ amount, not in principle.

If I were bent on spending 6 hours, midnight to 6 a.m., at an airport-adjacent facility but not in a hotel room, I would at least give an adjacent hotel lobby a shot. Heck, you could even say something to the front desk like: "Hi, I was hoping to buy a few things from your market/pantry and get some work done before I leave for my flight at 4 a.m., would you mind if I work at that table over there?" What I wouldn't do, of course, is something dumb like ask for a manager or make yourself an imposition on the third-shift staff. I also wouldn't plan on sleeping or even appearing to sleep in the hotel lobby; after all, sleep is a thing they sell.

If you're convinced that you'll still be mistaken for a vagrant and expelled then perhaps your best itinerary is to find whichever airport has a night bus that will let you board and ride around all night for a single fare

Synapseturquoise

OP, don't you have any cc points that you can use to book a hotel nearby?

lsquare

It would be a total waste of points or money for like 4 hours!

platbrownguy

It sounds like there is no price (in points or $) low enough that OP would value the proposition of booking a hotel room given the short length of the stay. (Presumably if it were $80 instead of $200, OP might think about it -- but OP would probably rather not hire the kind of room $80 gets you near airports these days!)

lsquare

You're rich if you can justify spending $200 at the hotel for 4 hours and don't even get to enjoy the free breakfast from having status.

DataPlumber

Taking ATL off the table. Pick TPA or BNA, make it a longer connection and treat yourself right?

lsquare

It's definitely possible!

platbrownguy

Well, either (1) rich, (2) rich in other people's money, or (3) overworked, sleep-deprived, and in desperate need of a few hours of quiet rest before getting back on the road too early the next day.

Option (3) applies to me every time I stay at the stupid Embassy Suites by PWM before taking the 5:25 a.m. flight to DCA.

Regardless, let us know what you end up doing! Pics of the hashbrowns from Waffle House or it didn't happen

dblumenhoff

The honky tonks are only about a 10 minute, $20 Uber ride from BNA. Definitely open during the hours in question.

donotblink

The op might also consider the hotel tonight app, or Hotwire/priceline and booking an opaque rate hotel. Sometimes those can been well under $100 for airport hotels.