SPJC/LIM - Lima - Holiday inn - April 2025.

I'm staying in the Holiday inn which is across the road from the Terminal directly behind the Wynham hotel which is right next to the terminal. I chose this hotel as they do two King Suite Airport View rooms which give fantastic coverage of both runways and some of the active stands. Both runways do get used but operate as a single runway airport for a few hours at a time.

NOTE: The new Terminal has opened since this report, it is not known how this may have impacted things.  

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4WxEhDBBSLRpJ5Qd8

Credit Kev Widdowson

LTFM/IST - Istanbul - Hampton by Hilton Arnavutkoy - April 2025

As two years had elapsed since my last visit, it was time to head back to Istanbul to tidy-up the ever-growing fleets of the local carriers.  The other bonus here is seeing a good number of airlines banned in our part of the world (which continues to make it a very interesting place).  This time I stayed at the Hampton by Hilton in Arnavutkoy which I noticed nearing completion during my last visit. Its located a couple of miles south of the airport and is recommended hotel which proved better than expected for views of the action. I had room 1431 on the 4th floor  (any room between 1401 - 1437 (odd) will work. The 5th floor (top) room windows are recessed into the roof and probably have restricted views. As usual, ops were Northerly and inbounds for 34L pass just to the left of the hotel easily visible at around 1200ft. Traffic on 35R (the other main landing runway) can also be seen slightly tail on as they pass (but can be watched all the way to touchdown as there is a good view of runway 35R/L) All traffic using these runways can be seen as well as the taxiways and stands on the West side of the airport, The only issue is landing traffic on 36 (which is the most distant runway) is only visible briefly on very short finals.  Fortunately, its only very occasionally used for landing traffic at busy periods. With Southerly Ops traffic should still be easily seen from the hotel (depending on the cloud base!).

Credit: Bill Robertson

https://maps.app.goo.gl/rdRBhVEbfR3hCHG27

View from room 1431.

LTFJ/SAW - Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen - Green Park Hotel - April 2025

Spent 24hrs at SAW and stayed at the Green Park hotel on the coast. Room 8235 (8th floor) gave an almost side-on view of inbounds and the fully opening window also allowed some decent photos.

Credit: Bill Robertson

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oTeESTdNPk8bytZS6

Above: View from room 8235.

KSEA/SEA - Seattle Seatac - Double Tree - April 2025

I stayed in the Double Tree hotel at the south end of the airport.  With a high even numbered room there are views of the approach and departures, but again FR24 or similar is usually required.  I had 1278 which is a corner suite, so great for the approaches from the south while I was there.  being a Hilton Honors member is beneficial.  There is a sports bar for evening food, but other fast food and Dennys within walking distance. 

rooms booked direct with Hilton allow you to pick your room prior to check in.

Credit: Steve Mitchell

https://maps.app.goo.gl/L5Y2BhT5HeVyvbfAA
 

KPAE/PAE - Everett / Paine Field - Hilton Garden Inn - April 2025

I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which is next to the Future of Flight facility.  Odd numbered rooms would give you an airfield view, but not essential considering the lack of movements.  Apart from a few Alaska E175s and GA it is only occasional Boeing test flights.  Another reasonable hotel is the Best Western Navigator, with more food options nearby.

Much of the flight line can be viewed from the mound next to the Future of Flight, but a drive to the nooks and crannies is also needed, including the EMC facility, off 109 Street SW, where there are many KC-46s without markings!  Nearby is another facility which always has a few Southwest 737s, while the excellent Flying Heritage Museum is in this area.

Credit: Steve Mitchell

https://maps.app.goo.gl/p3NmCnN9eu7hbaAE6

PHNL/HNL - Honolulu - Best Western The Plaza - April 2025

The hotel for my stay was the Best Western The Plaza.  No sign of my reservation when I turned up and then I was initially given room 1221, which only gave a small view of the airport.  Some negotiation got me room 1216 (with 1217-1220 also suitable, plus similar rooms on a couple of lower floors).  This gives views onto the runways but most stands are blocked by the terminal buildings.  Parking here is expensive ($42 a night!) but if you join Best Western rewards it drops to $20.  McD, iHop and other eating places, plus a garage all within walking distance.
Credit: Steve Mitchell
Credit Mitchell Stone

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y3gmDtGgwtY5Q7wQ8

SCEL/SCL - Santiago de Chile - Diego del Amagro Hotel - 27th April.

I stayed at the Diego del Amagro Hotel which gives great views of the Easterly runway and all outbounds from the West can be seen but not read.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bmWDtbzc65duerZi6

Credit Kev Widdowson

SCEL/SCL - Santiago - Holiday Inn SCL Airport - April 2025.

I booked a night at the Holiday Inn SCL Airport. Top floor room facing South (606) in the direction of the International Terminal allowed all departures from both 17L&R to be seen and read off as they climbed out above the terminal buildings. You aren’t high enough to see anything landing or moving on the ground. Presumably if arrivals are on the 35s, you’d see the arrivals on short finals above the terminal. Rooms on the 5/6th floors facing south are ideal, anything lower then there is another block to the hotel that could impede views. Outside the hotel there are plenty of places to sit outside either terminal, and an open walkway between the international and domestic terminals with lots of benches to sit and monitor departures.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/zBHNzwU676Jw1CLV7

Credit Mitchell Stone

LFPG/CDG - Paris Charles De Gaulle - Mercure CDG Airport and Conference Centre - April 2025

I spent 24 hours at Charles De Gaulle trying out a hotel I had always been curious about.

The Mercure Paris CDG Airport and Conference Centre will be instantly recognisable as its the hotel immediately opposite the famous spotting mound near Roissy.

Although there is now a cluster of hotels in that spot, this is the oldest one having been there 35 years plus, recognisable by its "three legs".

To get to the hotel from any of the terminals or the mound take the CDG Val transit to the car park stop "Parking PR"

After putting an original request at booking and then following that up on check in, I was given top floor room 806 which looks east, back towards T3 and the mound, with T2 to the right, as shown in the photo below.

Aircraft were arriving from the West and the majority of movements could easily be seen with the limited exception of some arrivals on the northerly runways which went to T1 and turned off too early and couldn't be seen until their departure.

As shown on the room plan below, any even rooms from 804 to 818 will give you a view facing East, looking slightly north. Odd numbered rooms 861 to 873 (on the other leg) will give you a view facing East looking slightly south. In theory if the traffic was landing from the East, Le Bourget inbounds would be in view from those rooms. 806 is highlighted in yellow below.

Finally, I've always wondered if there was roof top bar at this hotel so I took a quick wander up to the 9th floor, unfortunately there isn't. The space on the ninth floor is all convention space, so unless you fancy hosting your own spotters convention, the 8th floor is as good as it gets. The ninth floor plan is below.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6LJdkS4QhCAiXmXJ7