Every day I encounter people either coming from or going to the airport. Some are experienced travelers; some are terrified at the 'big' airport they have landed at. All have one of two goals in mind - get to the hotel as quickly as possible or get to the plane as easily as possible. Here are just a few thoughts to help you achieve your goal.
1). ALWAYS keep a print-out of your reservation handy. At most airports in the U.S. there are multiple franchises, sometimes distinguished by innocuous words like Days Inn West or Comfort Inn South. Knowing the address of where you are going helps to get the right shuttles, directions for cabs and even the hotel you are attempting to get to.
2). If you do not have a room reservation and are calling hotels from the airport 'hotel' board, do not call five hotels and have them send out a shuttle when you know you won't be staying with them. This often results in shuttles dead-heading home without a passenger and makes their real guests wait longer for the next shuttle. You may someday be on the receiving end of this because some yahoo called for your shuttle 15 minutes before you and now it has already left the airport.
3). Do your homework when booking a hotel if you require certain features like restaurants or grocery/drugstores nearby (and open late if necessary), a fitness center, continental breakfast, business center, public transportation, etc. This you can sometimes discover by reading reviews. Reviews may also tell you if the area is safe enough to walk in after dark
4). Do a walk through of your room when you depart. This will uncover those shampoos left in the shower, medicines in a drawer, shoes or DVD's or flash drives left under a bed and clothes hanging behind the bathroom door. ALWAYS check electrical outlets for phone, camera or battery chargers left plugged in.
5). Do not assume you can miss your scheduled shuttle BACK to the airport and just 'catch the next one' or get an earlier one. Most are on reservation status and may not have room on the next one, meaning you either have to take a cab or perhaps wait an hour or more for a ride.
These are just a few common sense suggestions but are often forgotten about in the hustle and bustle of making reservations, negotiating airport layovers and transfers from airport to hotel and back. They can save you aggravation, time, money and even potential lost business when you discover you forgot your business notes, phone charger or PDA in the hotel room.
