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Welcome to www.spottinghotels.org the bible for information on hotels where you can spot from.  We launched the site in late 2025 and hope to make this the go to site for hotels with a view!  We have 250 reports and that keeps climbing thanks to those who contribute.  

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LGRP/RHO - Rhodes - Electra Palace Hotel, lalyssos - October 2026

The hotel is around 4 miles to the east of the airport and arrivals on runway 24 all pass directly overhead at around 900 feet. All inbounds to that runway can be seen from anywhere in the hotel grounds. There are a few liners, mostly locals, that do carry out visual approaches and it is possible that if one is sitting by the main pool area on the south side of hotel, then these might be missed. There are plenty of loungers, cabanas etc. on the north side of the hotel facing the sea and sitting here will ensure that nothing is missed apart from the odd GA aircraft that carry out very tight approaches.

If you are after photos then you will have to walk along the seafront westwards towards the airport.  After around a mile or so aircraft are no longer overhead and some reasonable shots can be had but you are shooting into the sun so not ideal. 

In 2018 we stayed in a room facing northwest – apart from the fact that these rooms get a lot of sun in the height of summer and therefore get very hot, these are the best as you have plenty of time to see aircraft as they pass the hotel towards the airport. This year we had a room facing directly north which was fine, but I did have to go out on to the balcony to see everything. Aircraft on finals from the east could be easily seen until they were overhead but not after that.

Rooms facing northeast would also work but some of the locals doing visual approaches might be missed. Rooms facing south should be avoided at all costs. A new wing of the hotel has been built since our first visit and rooms face either west or east. Higher rooms facing west should work an all rooms facing east should also be OK although some aircraft carrying out visual approaches might not be seen.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gdiDu55kFfuRd5497

Credit Chris Mellon

VTBS/BKK - Bangkok Suvarnabhumi - Phoenix Hotel - October 2026

For this trip, we stayed in the Phoenix hotel. This is one of the original spotting hotels before the Siam Mandarina was used … the Siam wanted over £110 pounds per night.  We stayed four nights at Phoenix for 75 pounds total. The hotel has two blocks of rooms and you need to stay in the one that is not connected to the reception. The hotel does not have a lift so it was up the flights of stairs  (55) on arrival, but the staff are there to carry bags if need be. This hotel would not be suitable for anyone that's not able to climb a few sets of stairs or be out in the open air. The hotel has four floors and a rooftop that was accessible 24 hours a day. Hotel does a suitable low cost breakfast but it's not open after 10:30 AM. We used a couple of local style very cheap eating places. To get there exit the hotel turn left. Go to the main road and turn left. This is also the place where the 7-11 is which was perfect for beer and cold drinks. There's some shade, tables and also two plug points.I messaged the hotel asking for a suitable room. This was all fixed on arrival and we had 3404. It would be possible to spot from here, but we chose the outdoor rooftop level as you could also see DMK depending on the weather. Other rooms that face the same way are 3408 3406  3404 3402 3308 3306 3304 3302 but the bed setups  are unknown ……….

The hotel was very clean and the air-conditioning worked really well so is a good alternative to the Siam  

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bGed6vZyvJV4HnAP7

ZUTF/TFU - Chengdu Tianfu International Airport - Joyhub Air Hotel - October 2026

We used the Joyhub Cheer Hotel It's located a short walk from the transportation hub in the terminal.  The hotel can bee seen on the map as the circular building split in half in between the terminals. The Cheer is the east block, The Air is the west block. The Air will have some rooms that work however they will not have any views over runway 11 (the cross runway). 

You need even numbered Rooms 6902 – 6910 (no 4 its unlucky) and these are all 9^th floor Deluxe King Rooms with a single king sized bed, the Hotel does not do rollaways so if you are traveling with someone you need to be prepared to snuggle up or book two rooms.  The rooms have a balcony and give a great view down the central cul-de-sac which is suitable for photographs. The 8^th and maybe the 7^th floors would also work but below this the flyover will interfere with the view. 

On our visit Runway 1 was being used for Arrivals and departures, Runways 1 and 2 were being used for arrivals and departures and Runway 11 was being used for departures only. All aircraft could be seen from the hotel in this configuration with Runway 11 being viewable on the climb out. If runway 19 and 20 were in use you would probably be able to see all landers as they turned off the runway and all departures as they climbed out. 

Although we didn’t see the view room room 6950-6960 may have a view over the runway 11 and the maintenance area but runway 02/20 will be totally out of view albeit things on approach or climb out may well come into view.  I don’t believe any other rooms will work in the hotel.  If its clear you can get some Chengdu (CTU) inbounds over the hotel.

The Hotel has good room service options as well as a two restaurants and Western, Chinese and Japanese breakfast options. 

As of May 2026 the Hotel Wi-Fi allowed FR24, which also had good on the ground coverage.

Credit Volker Wackernagel / Bulldog and Cat / Nick

https://maps.app.goo.gl/iLrCHPb7SmXDj2yJ6 

Note: Locations in China are often inaccurate.

 

View from room 6928.