Sometimes the hardest part of a trip isn’t getting there or getting home—it’s dealing with the awkward hours in between.
You check out of your hotel in the morning, but your flight isn’t until late that night. Or maybe you get off a cruise at 8 a.m. and suddenly have a whole day to fill before you need to head to the airport. There are only so many meals you can stretch out, and there’s a limit to how much wandering around you want to do while dragging your luggage with you.
There are also times when you’re not even traveling. Maybe you’re just looking for a one-day staycation and want to use a nice pool or spa without paying for an overnight stay.
That’s where ResortPass comes in.
What Is ResortPass?
ResortPass is a service that lets you use hotel and resort amenities without booking a room for the night.
Depending on the property, that might mean access to a pool, beach club, spa, fitness center, cabana, or even a day room. So instead of paying for a hotel stay, you’re paying for access to the parts of the hotel you actually want to use.
It’s a simple idea, but it fills a real gap. Hotels have amenities that often sit unused by non-guests, while travelers and locals sometimes want a place to relax for a few hours without committing to an overnight rate. ResortPass connects the two. The company has been around since 2016, and while the number of participating hotels changes over time, the concept is still the same.
How It Works
The process is pretty straightforward. You search by city, state, or ZIP code, and ResortPass shows you participating hotels in that area and what each offers.
Some hotels sell simple pool passes. Others offer spa access, cabanas, or day rooms. Once you find something that looks worthwhile, you choose your date and make a reservation.
Of course, since each hotel decides what to offer, the value can vary a lot. Some properties seem to offer a decent deal. Others feel more like they’re charging a premium because they can. So like plenty of other travel-related services, the key is knowing whether what you’re getting is actually worth the price.
A Few Examples
What makes ResortPass interesting is that it’s not just one kind of product. Different hotels use it in very different ways.
TWA Hotel
We’ve stayed at the TWA Hotel a couple of times, so we know how things work there.
One thing that stood out to us is that hotel guests have to pay separately to use the pool, so ResortPass guests are basically paying the same way everyone else does. That doesn’t make it cheap, but at least it’s consistent.
For someone with a long layover at JFK, or someone who just wants to spend some time at one of the more unique airport hotels around, it could be a fun way to pass the time.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa shows the more aspirational side of ResortPass.
We stayed there in 2022, and it’s a beautiful property. Here’s our review of the hotel, and this post covers more of the outdoor amenities.
At the time, ResortPass options included pool passes, spa passes, loungers, cabanas, and spa packages with add-ons. None of it was especially cheap, but then again, this is Grand Hyatt Kauai. You’re paying for access to a high-end resort without having to pay the full nightly room rate.
That could make sense if you’re already on Kauai and want one resort day without moving hotels, or if you’re staying somewhere less expensive but still want a taste of the property. On the other hand, once prices start climbing, it’s fair to ask whether the numbers still make sense.
Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
The Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport might be the most practical example of the bunch.
We stayed there before an early flight, and it’s not your typical airport hotel. Since it’s right inside MCO, it’s in a very convenient spot if you need a place to recharge.
Instead of just offering pool or spa access, this property has offered day rooms and meeting suites. That’s the sort of booking that could be genuinely useful if you have a long layover, an evening flight, or just need a place to sit down, shower, work, or let the kids decompress for a while.
Honestly, this is probably where I see the most practical value. A resort pool day is nice, but having an actual room inside the airport for part of the day could be even more useful.
Who This Might Work For
The most obvious use case is travelers stuck with an awkward schedule.
If you have a long gap between checkout and your flight, or your cruise ends hours before you need to go anywhere, ResortPass could offer a much better option than camping out at the airport or dragging your bags around town.
But it’s not only for travelers in transit.
It could also work for:
- Locals looking for a low-commitment staycation
- Families who want a pool day without paying for a full resort stay
- Couples looking for a spa day or cabana rental
- Travelers on layovers who want more comfort than an airport lounge provides
- People staying at one hotel who want to use the amenities at another
That said, just because it can work doesn’t mean it always will.
Where You Need To Do The Math
This is one of those services where the idea may be better than some of the pricing.
Because every hotel controls its own offerings, there’s no real consistency. One hotel might offer a reasonably priced day pass that fills a real need. Another might charge enough that you start wondering whether it would make more sense to just book a room.
That doesn’t mean ResortPass is overpriced across the board. It just means you have to look at each offer on its own. If you’re getting several hours of pool or beach access at a property you’d never otherwise book, maybe it’s worth it. If you’re paying a lot for very limited access, maybe not.
Like plenty of things in travel, the answer is Your Mileage May Vary.
Where It Can Make Sense
One thing I like is that ResortPass isn’t tied to a single type of hotel. It offers hotel options not only in the U.S. but also in destinations such as Mexico, Canada, Aruba, the Bahamas, and other international destinations. That gives it a broader appeal than a niche service that only works in a few major cities.
Once you know this exists, it becomes another tool to keep in the back of your mind. You may never need it, but when you do run into that weird travel day with too many hours and nowhere convenient to go, it could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Final Thought
ResortPass is one of those ideas that makes a lot of sense once you hear about it.
You won’t use it on every trip, and not every listing will be a good value. But in the right situation, whether that’s a late flight, a post-cruise gap, or just a day when you want resort amenities without paying for a full stay, it could be a useful option.
As always, the trick is figuring out whether the price you’re paying matches what you’re actually getting.
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