Phila. airport hailed as a retail gateway

Clark Freshman had a little time before his 6 p.m. flight home to San Francisco one day last week when he spotted the Philadelphia airport's new "pod" hotel inside security and near the airline gates.

"You could actually take a nap. I couldn't believe it!" said the Hastings College of Law professor, who was in Philadelphia to speak to Temple University law faculty. "I set my timer, slept for about 25 minutes. I woke up, did some work on the computer, and I'm off to my flight. It was perfect, and I rarely rave about things."

Minute Suites is just the latest of 165 retail offerings at Philadelphia International Airport. Need a place to snooze, sip from 24 wines by the glass, get a manicure or massage, dine on lobster, or pick up a $6,500 silver leopard from Taxco Sterling Co.? It's all within a 11/4-mile stretch of terminals.

Since the days of expensive hot dogs and junky souvenirs, Philadelphia's airport has gained national stature for keeping travelers fed and occupied with a growing variety of restaurants, shops, and services - virtually all inside the security checkpoints.

Philadelphia is only the second airport to attract a Minute Suites "transit" hotel, a concept that became popular in Japan and debuted at Atlanta's airport in November 2009. That facility has had about 12,000 lodgers. Minute Suites opened here March 16 between International Terminal A and Concourse B, with 13 private rooms.

The 7-by-8-foot cubicles - about the size of a tanning booth - have a daybed sofa, a television, a workstation, a sound-suppression system, temperature controls, and free Internet. But no bathroom. The closest restrooms are a few dozen paces away across the airport corridor.

The rate is $30 for the first hour and $7.50 for each additional 15 minutes, with discounted rates after four hours and a flat $120 overnight.

The Philadelphia suites were fully booked on several nights of inclement weather and are especially popular with women, who prize the privacy and prefer them to sitting in a lounge or bar.

"Airport retail has changed dramatically in the last 10 years," said Pauline Armbrust, president and chief executive of Airport Revenue News, which tracks airport concession trends.

At Philadelphia International, there are two (soon to be three) XpresSpa stores, three (soon to be four) Vino Volo wine bars, three (soon to be four) Chickie's & Pete's sports bars, and a swank Legal Sea Foods restaurant.