Westin Detroit Airport Review
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport offers a unique in terminal airport hotel experience. The hotel has a convenient location for flyers, boasts an updated atrium, and rewards guests with views every aviation geek should enjoy. But the hotel leaves much to be desired if you're staying for more than just a quick stay. This Westin Detroit airport review breaks down the good, the bad, and the in between.
Location
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport is located conveniently within the McNamara Terminal at DTW. It has direct access to the A concourse through its own entry point. The airport and hotel are about a 25-minute drive from downtown Detroit. The direct access at the airport makes this hotel convenient for a short layover or quick stay before leaving.
The hotels offer a shuttle for those flying out of the Evans Terminal. The shuttle leaves every 10 minutes according to the hotel's website (15 minutes according to the hotel staff). Promptness is advised here, as the shuttle had already left when I arrived at the ToP of the hour. The ride to the Evans Terminal takes about 12 minutes.
Westin Detroit Airport Review: Typical Booking Cost
Booking prices with Marriott Bonvoy points vary widely since Marriott has dynamic pricing. Points stays range between 33,000 and 49,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Depending on the price, you can redeem a Marriott free night certificate from one of the Marriott co-branded credit cards.
Cash price generally hovers around the $250-$375 per night range.
I actually booked my stay in a way we generally do not recommend–via a portal. I was finishing up an American Airlines status challenge and needed some extra American Airlines loyalty points. The rate I got was slightly better than Marriott's direct rate at the time of booking. I used my American Express Bonvoy Business card for dining and incidental charges.
Property/Amenities
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport gives you some unique features but also limiting your ability of choice compared to a regular off-site hotel. This hotel is best for a quick one-night stay.
Pool & Fitness Center
The hotel has a unique airport pool view as well as a hot tub. There aren't many airports where you can catch aircraft views of Delta planes lined up at the gates from the pool.
The gym is next to the pool area but does not offer any tarmac views.
Dining
The Reflections restaurant is the only dining option and sits along a large water feature in the first floor lobby. The restaurant is an open space in the middle of the lobby. While this set up is quite neat, in practice, it can get annoying to have people simply transiting from the hotel elevators cutting through the dining area.
The service was fine and menu variety was limited since we dined at the bar area. Prices were not cheap, as expected from a restaurant at an airport hotel. This is one of the biggest negatives as alternative dining options are non-existent. The airport is not near anything that makes dining anywhere else really possible without a car ride or food delivery service.
Detroit Metro recently brought back access to the terminal for people not flying. This was not an option during our stay but there should be a kiosk in the lobby where you can apply for a pass. The numbers are limited daily and you are not guaranteed to be approved. Nice to see the program return and it opens up a ton of dining options if you are able to get access to the terminal.
Finally, the hotel has what appears to be an attempt of a store or gift shop offering snacks and beverages. The shelves were very bare and lacked any variety. I have seen better set ups in a roadside Best Western.
Airport Access
A unique aspect of Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport is that it has a security checkpoint in the hotel lobby. From there, guests have direct access to the A gates of the McNamara Terminal.
Unfortunately, a lot of travelers have learned about this checkpoint and use it even when not staying at the Westin. This means people actually come into the hotel just to use this checkpoint thinking they are avoiding the main airport lines.
As Derrick found out while trying to get to his flight, this can lead to some astonishing wait times. He waited 34 minutes to get through the TSA Precheck line at this checkpoint. He could have left the hotel and entered through the main airport lines faster with CLEAR or TSA Precheck (or both).
Westin Detroit Airport Review: Our Room
I originally booked a standard two queen room. I politely asked for a runway view room, which was honored. The room was spacious with two queen beds and views of some of the A gates. Perhaps on higher floors you may even be able to see over the gates and catch a glimpse of the runway.
The room was clean and had no issues upon arrival. One of the beds had a messy look even though the beds were made and clean. I thought the slanted lamp by the window was an odd feature as well, which partially obstructed the view.
Since I did not book direct, I did not receive any status benefits with my Marriott status. However, the free room upgrade upon request without knowing my status was nice.
Westin Detroit Airport Review: ToP Thoughts
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport offers a lot of convenience for guests flying through DTW. The price is often higher than that of an offsite hotel with shuttle, since you're paying for convenience. It's still worth comparing prices against nearby options. If you opt for the Westin's convenience, remember that the hotel only offers one dining option and there are no alternatives nearby. Overall, it was an okay experience, although it is hard to argue that the price is justified for the convenience. Adding a few minutes to your airport commute likely saves you hundreds of dollars or 10,000s of points and gives you more dining options. If convenience is your main motivating factor, book this hotel for your next trip to/from DTW.
