Are airports the new travel destinations? I have always thought of airports as places of transit, but ever since Edward Snowden spent six weeks at Moscow airport, I have been wondering what it might be like to live long term at an airport. Has the modern-day airport evolved enough to provide all the creature comforts—roti, kapda, makaan—to carry on life as usual, without ever having to step outside? Indeed, are airports becoming destinations in their own right, with a slew of attractions and facilities that might tempt the traveller to linger longer of his own volition, as against Snowden who was forced to stay put. And what of the future—in this age of relentless travel, could airports morph into mini-cities where people choose to spend a few days whether to work, shop, play, or just rest and restore? While I can’t comment on Snowden’s experience at Sheremetyevo Airport—never been to Moscow—I happened to transit through Dubai’s Terminal 3 this morning and looked at its offering through a “stay longer” lens. I was pleasantly surprised to conclude that it has plenty in the roti-kapda-makaan department to keep you not just comfortable, but in relative luxury—fine dining, great wines, excellent lounges, 5-star hotel, business centre, spa, and loads of shopping options. No kidding. Take food. With 80 restaurants inside the airport, Snowden may never have had to repeat a restaurant here. Whether it is a high-end French meal at Obergine, or a simple croissant and coffee at Paul, or a good old burger and fries fix at McDonald’s, there’s something for every budget. The range of cuisines is very wide too—Spanish tapas at Cádiz, Indian at Rupee Room, Lebanese at Mashawi, Chinese at Tansu Kitchen, Italian at Carluccio’s, Asian fare at Cho Gao, and the list goes on. There is considerable choice on the drinks front too—many of the restaurants feature excellent wine lists, and then there are several bars—enjoy a cocktail at Pints 19 while watching aircraft take off, or sip an ale at McGettigan’s Irish Pub. As if that wasn’t enough there is more food at the several lounges hosted by different airlines. For example, the Emirates First Class Lounge offers an à la carte menu and table service that would be at home in a high-end restaurant—appetizer choices include salmon tartare (served with honey mustard dressing, salmon roe, pickled cucumber), warm quail (filled with goose liver mousse, served with fresh figs and garden greens)—you get the picture. Plus a sumptuous buffet if you are in a rush—with old favourites like idli sambhar, which is what I had for breakfast today, topped up with a perfect cappuccino. I’d also recommend the West-Asian mezzes—hummus, baba ganoush, fattoush, tabouleh, etc.—for how can one leave Dubai without sampling some of the local food. Where would one rest? For a good night’s sleep, the Dubai International Hotel, situated within the airport, is the place—it has 300 plus rooms—and comes with all the frills that you would expect from a 5-star hotel. Exercise? There’s a health club and swimming pool, in fact two. Finish some official business? There are a couple of business centres, and the hotel even offers conference facilities on the off chance that you need to hold meetings with fellow travellers! Need some more pampering? Check out the Timeless Spa, which is located at the hotel and also has outposts at the Emirates Lounges. At the First Class Lounge, there are a bunch of short treatments like a half back massage and express reflexology are on the house. Need to spruce up your looks? They also offer a free mini-manicure, a blow dry, even a quick hair trim or a beard shave. Interestingly, the beauty brand La Mer, known for its anti-ageing products (warning: they generally cost an arm and a leg—$300, or Rs.18,200, for a small 60ml pot of moisturizer, for example) offers a 20-minute treatment for free. Retail of course is at the heart of Dubai airport—even at 7am, when I walked through Terminal 3, it was teaming with shoppers—and if you were stranded Snowden-like here, you could shop 24/7. Buy a fresh wardrobe, for sure, and pick up an endless array of branded accessories—watches, jewellery, sunglasses, bags, what-have-you—to keep you looking stylish while walking up and down the concourse. Cosmetics and perfumes—besides the above mentioned La Mer, there is pretty much every major brand represented here, and you could entertain yourself for days trying out various looks. Catch up on your reading? Plenty of books and magazines here. Upgrade your electronic gear? Easily done with the latest on cameras, mobile phones, etc. Hone up your fine wine know-how? Try Le Clos, which has an excellent collection—including the wallet-busting Ch Lafite favoured by Chinese shoppers—and importantly, knowledgeable staff that you can chat with for hours. What’s the verdict? If you have to be stranded at an airport, pray for Dubai. I worry for your credit card, though. Radha Chadha is one of Asia’s leading marketing and consumer insight experts. She is the author of the best-selling book The Cult of the Luxury Brand: Inside Asia’s Love Affair With Luxury livemint/Leisure/naoMQB4tdB9lZUQEiXDDTO/Are-airports-the-new-travel-destinations.html
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 09:12:27 +0000
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