When Cadie Carroll and two college friends recently planned a weekend reunion in Sedona, Arizona, they booked a vacation rental in order that they could have more room than a hotel room and to have the option to cook—something they enjoyed on the University of Texas.
The only thing missing was a swimming pool. Instead, they booked a day on the The Sedona Inn There, for $100 each, they received access to the resort’s pool, free valet parking, lunch and a sound healing session, a part of a listing of every day activities to which passholders have access.
“It felt fancy, like we were getting five-star treatment,” said Ms. Carroll, 31, a logistics consultant from El Segundo, Calif.
Day passes to resorts may be an expense for frugal travelers or a day trip for locals. While the concept is not recent, it has proliferated rapidly within the wake of the pandemic as hotels still recovering from the collapse in tourism seek to monetize their unused spaces, corresponding to pools, spas and even conference rooms.
In the spring of this yr, Hilton announced a partnership with ResortPassthe leading seller of day passes. And while the initial 175 resorts offering passes through the platform are only a number of of the hotel company’s greater than 7,600 locations, Hilton expects more hotels to affix.
“Hilton’s Trend report 2024 “We’ve found that the number one reason people travel is to rest and recharge, and we see our partnership with ResortPass as a great way to provide that experience for travelers stopping for the day at a destination or local visitors looking to take a day trip to their neighborhood,” said Jessica Shea, vice president of wellness, retail and leisure, North and South America, Hilton.
Pamper yourself for less money
The boom in day passes comes amid concerns about rising prices. In a 2023 Booking.com survey, nearly 70 percent of American respondents said they plan to spend less on travel in 2024, and 64 percent said they will pay more attention to travel deals than in the past.
For travelers, daily rates can be a fraction of overnight rates. According to the CoStar Group, which tracks the hotel industry, an average night’s stay at a luxury hotel in the U.S. in May cost $381.
ResortPass access, sold through the company’s app and website, starts at $25 per day, and the company says over 70 percent of its 1,500-plus hotels worldwide offer a day pass for $65 or less.
“Hotels are good at filling rooms with guests from other places,” said Michael Wolf, ResortPass’ CEO, adding that business has tripled since 2022. “We’re really good at filling other rooms with people who are in your community.”
At the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows In Santa Monica, California, ResortPass users tend to be Los Angeles-area residents, says Zachary Courtney, the hotel’s marketing director.
ResortPass lists the pool area as “brightand sells passes starting at $65 on weekdays and $95 on weekends. (Fairmont’s overnight rates start at about $500.) Day visitors can also book massages ($150) and access to a bungalow for the day ($899) on the platform.
“It’s a great way to engage with the community and allow people to visit the hotel without having to rent a room for over $500 for a night,” Courtney said, noting that the hotel controls pool capacity by limiting ticket sales when the hotel is at high occupancy. “It’s an easy way to monetize what we have.”
Daybeds, bathtubs and more
There are plenty of extras on ResortPass, including a cabana for up to 10 people valued at $1,500 at Hilton Waikoloa Village on the island of Hawaii, which includes 10 popsicles, five cocktails and a beach ball. And the platform is expanding to offer further upgrades, including spa services, meeting rooms and programs such as movie nights or yoga on the roof.
“It can be anything that happens within the four walls of a hotel,” said Mr. Wolf.
ResortPass claims to regulate 95 percent of the day-use market, but its competitors often occupy specific niches. In far-flung destinations like Bali and Dubai Daily ticket has more entries than ResortPass. Resort for a day focuses on cruise ship passengers with pool and beach access around popular ports.
Websites like Daily use And Hotels by day sell day stays in hotels geared toward digital nomads, daycationers, travelers with layovers and couples. A current listing of Hotels By Day to be used of a room between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel costs $69.
Instead of using an intermediary, many resorts offer day access directly through their very own web sites, including the Great Wolf Lodge Chain that operates indoor water parks (passes start at $40 for a half-day and $50 for a day in Gurnee, Illinois).
In Costa Rica, Botánika Osa Peninsula sells every day access for $150 for 2 guests, including use of the resort pool, fitness center and a recreation room. Virgin Hotels New York City offers a two-hour “Restore day pass” in its spa facilities, including a chilly “snow room,” steam room and sauna (from $50).
Celebrate by the pool or take a family break
Pools with live DJs are labeled as “party” on ResortPass. The hottest category is “family-friendly,” accounting for nearly half of all searches.
When Leandro Sanchez first moved to the Dallas area in 2022, he was in search of weekend activities and discovered that the Omni Las Colinasin Irving, Texas, offered pool access through ResortPass. At $35, the worth was reasonable and the social atmosphere made it easy to satisfy people.
Since then, Mr. Sanchez, a 41-year-old gym manager, has purchased passes to the Omni and the Located 1.7 km from Dallas Convention Center, The Westin Dallas Southlake provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, awhere a DJ often plays by the pool.
“It’s a very social and fun experience,” Mr. Sanchez said, mentioning that this selection is less expensive than attending one among the pool parties popular in Las Vegas.
Lauren Conklin, a San Francisco mom, began using ResortPass a number of years ago when pandemic-related lockdowns were eased and he or she was in search of outdoor activities to do together with her daughter, now nine, who likes to swim. Since then, she’s used the service to go to area pools with family and friends, and even booked a pass that included a day-use room.
“It’s not like a water park where you’re chasing someone all day and you’re cold and wet,” said Ms. Conklin, 44. “It feels like luxury.”
