Mini hotel rooms at Heathrow Airport can be rented by the hour.
A roundup of travel news from around the globe.
IN THE AIRPORT
Weary transit passengers at London Heathrow's Terminal 3 can now escape the congested waiting areas by booking a private retreat. Twelve bedrooms – or, more correctly, soundproof cabins – are available for an hourly rental fee of £20 ($32) single, £30 ($48) twin. The airside rooms come with bed, shower, TV, mini-bar and free Wi-Fi. They are available between 4:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. The minimum rental period is two hours. Details: no1traveller.com.
IN THE AIR
There is little demand from air passengers for in-flight mobile and Internet services, according to a Fly.com survey of 1,300 British frequent fliers. Fewer than 5 per cent of respondents wanted such amenities and more than 30 per cent said they would avoid travelling on any airline offering them. Most passengers preferred peace and quiet – free from the interruptions of e-mails, social media and other people's loud phone conversations. And 62 per cent worried that mobile phones on planes would pose a safety risk.
IN THE ROOM
Sweden's Ice Hotel, which welcomes 25,000 overnight guests each winter, already comes with an ice church. Now, the Muslim Association of Sweden hopes to add an ice mosque to spur dialogue between different cultures and religions. The hotel, located north of the Arctic Circle, is carved anew for each December-to-April season. About 150 couples annually get married in the ice church. But it's too late to build an ice mosque this year. So the project is temporarily on ice.
Sources: AOL Travel, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph
Special to The Globe and Mail